The ‘India Sustainability Report: Between Science and Sentiment’ was released by The Voice of Fashion www.thevoiceoffashion.
The launch, a part of the UN Circular Design Challenge saw Renata Dessaillien, the United Nations Resident Coordinator in India release the first such white paper presented to the Indian fashion industry that gauges the consumer mindset and brings insight from manufacturers and retailers. An agenda setting document, it combines a consumer survey on sustainability awareness and choices among respondents from 5 cities in different target and age groups with a qualitative survey that studies sustainability practices, compliances and goals among 17 of India’s top fashion and retail brands.
The consumer survey revealed that Delhi as a city was more environment conscious as 42 per cent respondents admitted having taken corrective measures for balancing the city’s carbon footprint. Kolkata and Bengaluru followed with 39 per cent and 32 per cent respectively. Mumbai (59 per cent) and Ahmedabad (23 per cent) lagged behind, with respondents admitting that they are yet to start taking active measures to counter negative impact on the environment. Almost half the respondents studied (46 per cent) were not familiar with the term sustainable fashion. Among other key findings, 65 per cent consumers said they would be willing to sometimes pay more for a responsibly made fashion garments and 63 per cent of the respondent group believed that fashion should be produced sustainably.
The study locates where India stands in the global sustainability movement. The document informs, course corrects, analyses and offers a way forward in the scientific pursuit of sustainability that is close to India’s artisanal aspects of India’s crafts and creative industries.
The study carries a keynote message from Smt Smriti Zubin Irani, the Union Minister of Textiles and Women & Child Development. Produced in partnership with SU.RE, IMG Reliance, and supported by R|Elan and Lenzing, the report has been published as a book on recycled paper.
