This post is a continuation from the previous, check it out here if you haven't read it!
Fashion is a huge business in Singapore. With about 4,818 apparel establishments in our small city, it is no surprise that we are ranked second after Hong Kong to be a popular textile business sourcing hub in the Asia-Pacific region (Tay, 2022).
While part 1 of this post painted a rather hopeless future regarding our textile consumption and waste, further research into the topic reveals that there is room for optimism afterall! Sustainability has been catching on to our fashion scene where many local labels are cultivating eco-conscious cultures into their business models.
(Source: https://sgmagazine.com/shopping/news/sustainable-fashion-brands-singapore)
Sustainable Fashion in Singapore
To convey some good news, it seems like the sustainable fashion trend is starting to gain traction in Singapore. For example, global platforms such as Fashion Revolution have successfully established a local volunteer team to push for more transparency in our fashion industry. The team is constituted by industry experts such as Susannah Jafferfounder of Zerrin.com, an e-commerce platform that collaborates with eco-conscious fashion labels.
Other than allowing transparency in their production, many local businesses have also taken onus to explore more environmentally friendly methods of manufacturing and distributing their goods. One such brand is Source Collections, where they only utilize eco-friendly materials such as Tencel and deviate from plastic-based textiles like polyester fabrics.
However, the word ‘sustainable’ does not only talk about environmental damage — we could easily over purchase and under utilize an organic piece of garment. As Devonne Niam, partner at artisanal textile store, MATTER, tells us, sustainable fashion also encompasses our consumption attitudes. It is about buying less and throwing less away.
Furthermore, beyond looking at sustainable production, distribution practices have also occupied the eco-conscious agenda of our local labels. Zalora, for example, was under heavy criticism for their excessive use of plastic packaging. Thankfully, public scrutiny has provided enough boost for them to commit to reducing their environmental footprint (Sumathi, 2021). Now, Zalora’s packaging is at least 80% recycled.
As we strive towards building an environmentally conscious nation, Singapore has launched its own Green Plan 2030 initiative in February to support businesses in adopting more sustainable paths.
“We have introduced a new Enterprise Sustainability Programme to help enterprises, especially SMEs, embrace and develop capabilities in this area to ride this green wave.”
Adopted from the Singapore Green Plan, 2030
With grants and programmes such as the Enterprise Sustainability Programme, the collaboration between the government and businesses does seem to provide a stronger infrastructure for local businesses to build upon as we move towards more sustainable business models. To me, this alignment and support from the government does bring larger streams of hope for Singapore to move towards a greener fashion industry!
COMING UP
Another goal set out in the green plan is to reduce 30% of waste sent to landfills. The flow of logic is simple. To reduce waste, we would have to throw less. How are Singaporeans helping with this, find out in my next post!
Cheers,
Hui Jie
References
Tay, S. C. (2022, January 20). Fashion goes green. Business Times. Retrieved from https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/lifestyle/feature/fashion-goes-green.
Zhao, K. (2021, April 18). Fashion Revolution Week is back in Singapore—here’s what to expect. Vogue Singapore. Retrieved from https://www.fashionrevolution.org/?ecwd_event=do-singaporeans-care-about-sustainable-fashion.
Sumathi, B. (2021, July 1). Singapore online retailers go green by merging fashion with sustainability. CNBC. Retrieved from https://www.cnbc.com/2021/07/02/singapore-online-retailers-go-green-by-merging-fashion-with-sustainability.html.
Tan, D. (2021, October 1). .ESG launches Enterprise Sustainability Programme to help companies go green. Retrieved from https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/sme/esg-launches-enterprise-sustainability-programme-to-help-companies-go-green.
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