Page 25 - ARUBA TODAY

BUSINESS Monday 30 deceMber 2019
A25

Sustainability in the fashion industry faces an uphill climb

By LIZZIE KNIGHT Europe, throwing away
Associated Press 1 million tonnes annually
LONDON (AP) — Sustain- with 300,000 tonnes (over
ability in fashion is a hot 661,000,000 pounds) going
button topic, with retail- to incinerators or landfills.
ers large and small racing The EAC, chaired by Mem-
to prove their green cre- ber of Parliament Mary
dentials, but the desire for Creagh, concluded that
new attire churns and the fashion retailers should take
industry remains one of responsibility for the clothes
the world's largest pollut- they sell. The Committee
ers as climate activists and called for a producer re-
watchdogs sound alarms. sponsibility scheme for tex-
The industry is the second tiles, which would add a
largest consumer of water small amount to the cost of
and is responsible for 8-10% each item, raising money
of global carbon emissions, to invest in recycling cen-
more than all international ters to divert clothing from
flights and maritime ship- landfills and incineration.
ping combined, according The British government,
to the United Nations Envi- then led by Prime Minister
ronment Program. Theresa May, rejected all
"So, for example, it would This April 10, 2012 file photo shows the production department at fashion giant Inditex's headquar- the committee's propos-
take 13 years to drink the ters where Zara fashion garments are designed in La Coruna, Spain. als, much to the dismay
water that is used to make Associated Press of Fashion Revolution, a
one pair of jeans and one global movement calling
T-shirt," said Fee Gilfeather, vative solutions, both large ion sector addressed cli- emissions, with multiple op- for greater transparency,
a sustainability expert at and small. mate change by launch- portunities to reduce emis- sustainability and ethics in
the nonprofit OXFAM. "It's At the high end of the mar- ing the Fashion Industry sions. It hopes to achieve the fashion industry.
just an incredible amount ket, designers are keen to Charter for Climate Ac- net zero emissions by 2050 "That set us back 20 years
of environmental resources make sustainable fashion tion at the COP24 climate and notes a number of is- at the very, very least. It is
that are required for mak- synonymous with luxury. In conference in Katowice in sues: decarbonization of inexcusable and frankly,
ing the clothing that we 2015, a sustainability report December 2018. Leading the production phase; se- unforgivable," said the or-
wear." by Nielsen found that 66% fashion brands, retailers, lection of climate friendly ganization's creative direc-
Harmful chemicals, global of consumers are willing to supplier organizations, a and sustainable materials; tor and co-founder, Orsola
transport of goods and pay more for environmen- major shipping company the need for low-carbon De Castro. "Some of those
non-biodegradable pack- tally friendly clothing. At and global NGO WWF In- transport; and improving recommendations, you'd
aging add to the environ- the low, fast fashion end of ternational have agreed consumer dialogue and think why would you not
mental cost. The combined the industry, promises have to collectively address the awareness. take that into consider-
impact has put the industry been made. climate impact of the in- The scale of the charter ation? And the reality is that
under scrutiny among con- Inditex, the retail giant that dustry across sectors. Patri- is vast, but activists are the U.K. government in this
sumers who want to know owns Zara, H&M and many cia Espinosa, the executive up against behemoths at occasion has also looked
where — and how — their other brands, announced secretary for UN Climate times. very out of touch because
clothes are produced. a sustainability pledge in Change, said the charter In Britain, the Environmental we are seeing quite a lot of
They're demanding ethical July, saying it wants all its comes at a time when "we Audit Committee reported policy change happening,
practices and responsible clothes to be made from needed it most." The char- on the problem earlier this for instance, in France. And
retailing. sustainable or recycled ter recognizes the crucial year and found that the it seems that them not get-
Some manufacturers and fabrics by 2025. role of fashion as a con- U.K. buys more clothes ting up to speed on this is a
retailers have found inno- In addition, the global fash- tributor to greenhouse gas than any other country in terrible thing."q

Businesses facing new overtime rules in new year

By JOYCE M. ROSENBERG fected by the increase are
Associated Press shift supervisors or assistant
NEW YORK (AP) — The new managers at restaurants,
year brings new overtime retailers and manufactur-
rules for employers includ- ing companies. Workers at
ing small businesses and in companies of all sizes will
turn, a pay raise for an es- be affected, but the rules
timated 1.3 million workers. are likely to have a greater
The Labor Department impact on small compa-
rules that go into effect nies that don’t have the
Jan. 1 raise to $684 per revenue stream that larger
week, or $35,568 a year, businesses do to use as a
the threshold at which em- cushion against the higher
ployees are exempt from labor costs. In this April 9, 2018, file photo a cashier rings up a purchase at a
store in Salem, N.H.
being paid overtime. That’s The Obama administration Associated Press
a 50.3% increase from the proposed a much larger
previous threshold of $455 increase in the exemption estimated 4.2 million peo- federal lawsuit. The Trump
per week or $23,660 annu- threshold, nearly doubling ple, but the regulations administration revised the
ally. it to $47,476. That proposal scheduled to take effect in proposed rules, issuing its
The jobs most likely to be af- would have affected an 2016 were put on hold by a first version last March. q