“I don’t think most people realised until recently they were essentially wrapping themselves in plastic everyday and supporting Big Oil,” says Caroline Priebe, founder of the Center for the Advancement of Garment Making (CAGM). “As awareness of the various risks associated with synthetic fibres and chemicals increases, I predict growing demand for natural fibres — [and] companies with bio-based solutions continuing to blow up.”
“I think we will continue to see a push for policy like the NYS Fashion Act and the federal Fabric Act,” says CAGM’s Priebe, although she does not expect US lawmakers to actually pass any bills this year. Without it, she says that emissions will continue to climb “without a doubt”. “I also predict and support the growing momentum of the labour movement here and abroad. There is no sustainability without safe and equitable working conditions and as [industrial ecology professor] Roland Geyer argues, investing in labour versus materials is actually our best chance at curbing emissions.”