Using Lifecycle Assessment to evaluate responsible consumption and production (SDG goal 12) in fashion supply chains

Fashion supply chains have massive environment impact, producing 2-8% of global carbon emissions (UNEP, 2019), water pollution, waste and using micro-plastics. Fashion growth and the throwaway culture prevails, so how can fashion supply chains respond to the challenges of being responsible in consumption and production (SDG goal 12) by 2030. This paper using lifecycle assessment to examine the challenge for clothing supply chains. Brands were revealed to have made some improvements , e.g. sustainable product lines, reduced packaging and use of sustainable materials. However, a typical garment utilised micro-plastics, was dyed using toxic substances, made by workers treated poorly, over-packaged, generated excessive carbon during transport, laundered with toxic chemicals and releases micro-plastics into the waste water, before disposal. Circular fashion and digital fashion could help stem the tide of environmental destruction, however, it is difficult to envision this enough will be done to achieve responsible consumption and production by 2030.