How Fashion Impacts Deforestation

Our voracious appetite for new clothing comes with a variety of side effects, and we're not just talking the one on our bank accounts. One of the most environmentally intensive industries in the world, fashion is a major cause of the climate crisis: its ubiquitous production affects greenhouse gas emissions, air and soil pollution, water pollution, water waste, and more. One of the most devastating impacts of our shopping habits is the destruction of forests. It is estimated that 48% of  the fashion supply chain is somehow linked to deforestation.

By Sascha Camilli 

Why does deforestation matter?

Trees aren't to be taken for granted - they are a crucial part of how our environment functions. Deforestation devastates vital ecosystems:  70% of the land animals on our planet live in forests. Trees are essential to their survival as they provide food and shelter. When one species suffers due to deforestation, it in turn affects other species, setting off a domino effect that causes ecosystems to crumble. Wildlife suffer massively from deforestation: it is considered to be the leading cause of biodiversity loss. If we take into account the fact that wildlife populations have declined 73% in 50 years (1970-2020), it becomes even clearer that fashion needs to  take responsibility for its role in this crisis.

The impact of wood-based textiles

Every year, over 200 million trees (yes, 200 million) are cut down for our wardrobes. These trees are made into viscose, rayon, modal and other textiles, all of which regularly show up on boutique shelves and racks across the globe. The raw fibres are often heavily processed to be turned into fashion, and demand for these materials is growing: it is estimated that 15 million more trees will be cut down for fashion in 2035 than in 2018.

How do animal-derived materials contribute to deforestation?

If taking around one billion animal lives were not enough, leather also comes with a heavy environmental impact. As leather is part of animal agriculture, it is indeed to be held responsible for all the issues that are inherent in the meat trade - such as deforestation. 80% of all deforestation rates in the Amazon rainforest are due to cattle ranching.The Amazon rainforest is an extraordinary haven of biodiversity: home to over 3 million animal species, it also hosts over 2,500 types of trees (a third of all tree species on Earth). This unique ecosystem is being rapidly destroyed to make space for cattle grazing, which may sound like it only applies to the meat industry, but fashion's love of leather is also part of this urgent, devastating issue. A catastrophic force of destruction, the cattle industry is the single largest driver of deforestation in the area.

Wool is also far from innocent. Australia, one of the world's largest wool producers, has seen its share of wool-related deforestation woes. In Queensland, one of the country's most deforested areas, over 90% is due to the trades that involve cattle and sheep. While cotton is far from innocent when it comes to environmental impact in general and deforestation in particular, a report from Collective Fashion Justice has found that 367 times more land are needed to farm wool than to grow cotton. "Sheep grazing may seem innocent and natural," said CFJ founder Emma Håkansson. "There’s nothing natural about this inefficient, unsustainable and exploitative industry.”

How can fashion help end deforestation?

A swift move away from leather and animal-derived materials would signify a change in fashion's relationship with forests. Plant-derived leathers and wools require much less land and resources than animal-derived materials, paving the way for a more forest-friendly fashion industry. 

When it comes to sustainable production of wood-based textiles, certification is key: today, around 30% of wood-based textiles come from endangered and ancient forests. Using certified production methods which safeguard forests is key in minimising the impact of wood-based textiles on deforestation. Tencel, or Lyocell, is a wood-pulp cellulose fabric made from forests specifically grown for this purpose, and uses closed-loop recycling in its production. Brands using Tencel include Baukjen and KOMODO. Lenzing, the company producing Tencel, has also created EcoVero, a sustainable viscose that uses wood from sources certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. Baukjen is among the brands working with EcoVero.

Brands are also paying attention to material choice, growing methods and smaller-scale manufacturing. "Bamboo is naturally regenerative and is highly durable, which makes it a great material for a conscious brand to work with," says Lorna Watson, founder of vegan handbag brand Stelar. "The bamboo we use is grown organically and harvested by our artisan communities, which allows us to create high-quality contemporary designs whilst minimising our environmental impact."

A great solution to some of fashion's environmental problems does in fact come from trees - in the form of cork leather. When it is grown, the cork is taken off the cork tree without having to cut the tree down, and subsequently grows back. Leather made from cork is hence is a natural material that regenerates itself, all on its own. And not only is cork leather much less harmful to the environment – its production can actually be positive for the planet: each time cork is harvested (approximately every nine years), the tree is able to absorb more CO2 in order to assist the process of the bark growing back. This means that cork trees that are regularly harvested can store up to five times more CO2 than those that aren't used for cork production. Cork trees in Portugal help offset 10 million tons of carbon every year.

Helga Douglas, founder of handbag label Svala, says: “Cork is a beautiful, velvety-smooth, distinctive fabric that is one of the most sustainable, biodegradable fabrics available. It is also waterproof, stain-resistant and very durable. Cork oak forests also provide long-term habitat protection for many animal and plant species.”

Finally, there is no denying that production levels must be scaled down - the fast-paced consumption climate we currently live in makes any form of sustainable production impossible. No matter what materials we use, we need to step away from trend-led mentalities and focus on long-term, durable solutions. Otherwise, our forests and everything in them will continue to suffer.

By Sascha Camilli

About Sascha

Sascha Camilli is a vegan writer, speaker and activist. Her book Vegan Style is out now on Murdoch Books. For more about Sascha, you can read our interview with her or sign up to her newsletter Kind of Wild. 

Cover image by Annie Spratt via Unsplash. Second photo by Baukjen. Third photo by Svala.

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