Big Closets Small Planet

Fashion and apparel. It touches nearly everyone. When its at its best, fashion and apparel is not only functional, but also fun, expressive, sexy, and for some businesses, very profitable. But when it is at its worst, fashion and apparel is superficial, exploitative, polluting and extremely wasteful - in other words the essence of unsustainable consumption. And while it is argued that the industry's rapid growth has created employment opportunities for more than 300 million people worldwide, especially for women in poorer countries and those in extreme poverty, many garment workers still struggle to earn enough to pay to meet even their most basic needs. More alarming is the fact that as the industry grows - by 2030 more than 8 billion people will live on the planet, and nearly 5 billion of these will be part of the global middle class - its negative environmental impacts may become unmanageable, potentially undermining its social benefits and contributing to ecosystem degradation on local, regional and global scales. Who would have thought garments could be so destructive? The fashion industry must change now, but will we manage in time? Join Mike Schragger, founder of the Sustainable Fashion Academy, as he explores the challenges, incentives and disincentives and emerging solutions needed to rapidly transform the industry. Listen in as he talks with the business leaders, activists, researchers, innovators and entrepreneurs, investors, legislators, consumers and citizens - who are racing against the clock to find solutions that will transform the industry, thus ensuring it truly operates for the benefit of people and the planet. www.sustainablefashionacademy.org/podcasts/big-closets-small-planet

CLIMATE ACTION WEEK: Do we need to reimagine growth in apparel? Textile Exchange makes the case. 06/13/2025

CLIMATE ACTION WEEK: Ken Pucker is a thought leader and an independent voice. Is anyone listening? 06/13/2025

CLIMATE ACTION WEEK: How much is enough? Can a “sufficiency” approach be applied to textile policy? 06/13/2025

CLIMATE ACTION WEEK: How Elisabeth Peregi, the Kappahl Group’s CEO, views climate action. 06/12/2025

CLIMATE ACTION WEEK: Status Update: Will the New York and California Fashion Act bills pass? 06/12/2025

CLIMATE ACTION WEEK: Will EU’s textile legislation reduce industry emissions at the pace and scale required? 06/12/2025

CLIMATE ACTION WEEK: Will EU’s textile legislation reduce industry emissions at the pace and scale required? According to a recent report by the European Environment Agency, the greenhouse gas emissions from textile consumption in the EU was 355kg CO2e per person (based on 2022 data). So how does the EU Commission, which is responsible for developing and implementing the EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles, think about climate action and textiles? Michael invited Matjaž Malgaj, the Coordinator of the cross-Directorate General team (DG ENV, DG GROW, and DG ENER) that works on making sustainable products the norm in the EU, and Head of Unit for Sustainable Products in DG ENV, to weigh in. Michael asked Matjaž about the EU Commission's view on climate action in the context of apparel and textiles, whether the commission wants the industry to align itself with science-based targets and whether the EU apparel industry and its citizens should reduce its emissions inline with the 1.5C pathway. Michael and Matjaž discuss whether the current and coming legislation will enable decarbonisation at the pace and scale science says is required, which particular pieces of legislation will be most effective and how the Commission thinks about addressing the fact that a significant amount of the industry’s emissions are created in countries outside of the EU. Michael pushed the conversation even further by asking Matjaž to weigh in on the tension between economic growth and competitiveness and environmental targets, ultra-fast fashion and overconsumption, financial rewards and penalties and what the EU can and cannot do. If you want to know how the EU Commission currently thinks about climate action in the context of the apparel industry, then you should definitely listen to this! “Everything we do should be seen in the context of becoming a decarbonised net society by 2050.” “Just the regulations on their own will not do everything… we know there is an issue of overconsumption.” “We heard time and time again that we should be ambitious, but we also have to be sure that we’re designing something that can actually be rolled out in real life.” For more information about this podcast and our guest expert, or to listen to other Climate Action Week 2025 podcast conversations, please visit: /episode/index/show/bigclosetssmallplanet/id/36960775

CLIMATE ACTION WEEK: Watchdogs Action Speaks Louder & Fashion Revolution want more from the industry. 06/12/2025

CLIMATE ACTION WEEK: Heat is putting Indian garment workers’ lives at risk today. We need to act now. 06/11/2025

CLIMATE ACTION WEEK: Professor Hakan Karaosman is still asking: “Where are the workers’ voices?” 06/11/2025

CLIMATE ACTION WEEK: The Laudes Foundation explains its approach for ensuring a Just Transition. 06/11/2025

CLIMATE ACTION WEEK: Jason Judd wants the apparel industry to take heat stress very seriously. 06/11/2025

CLIMATE ACTION WEEK: Jason Judd wants the apparel industry to take heat stress very seriously. Already today global warming is having an impact on companies, workers and communities in countries where a majority of global production currently takes place. In particular, heat stress is increasing. But while brands, buyers and manufacturers set targets to reduce their emissions, do they understand the impacts of heat stress on workers today and will they take sufficient action as this problem continues to grow? Are they also aware of the business risks they are facing if they fail to invest in climate adaptation in their supply chains? In 2023, the Cornell ILR Global Labor Institute, in collaboration with Schroders, conducted an analysis called Higher Ground, assessing the economic damage that extreme heat and intense flooding can cause for fashion production. They modeled 2030 and 2050 impacts for brands and retailers, manufacturers and workers, governments and investors. In 2024 they followed up with an additional analysis, Hot Air, evaluating whether high heat and high humidity are accelerating faster than their climate models initially projected. Michael speaks with Jason Judd, Executive Director of the ILR Global Labor Institute, about what this new analysis tells us, whether companies and industry stakeholders are listening, and what he wants to see happen in the coming year to ensure the industry takes heat stress very seriously. “Heat stress has been accelerating. That means our original projections may actually underestimate the damage unless there are interventions.” “Technically, solving this isn’t hard. These firms are sophisticated - they can track factory-level data and police heat thresholds. The real issue is political.” For more information about this podcast and our guest expert, or to listen to other Climate Action Week 2025 podcast conversations, please visit: /episode/index/show/bigclosetssmallplanet/id/36846945

CLIMATE ACTION WEEK: Apparel Impact Institute has a decarbonization strategy for the industry. Is it working? 06/10/2025

CLIMATE ACTION WEEK: Apparel Impact Institute has a decarbonization strategy for the industry. Is it working? The Apparel Impact Institute (Aii) has become a central player in setting and implementing the apparel industry’s decarbonization agenda. To achieve this, Aii conducts industry analysis, sets industry targets, engages brands, suppliers, philanthropic and financial institutions all with the aim to support brands and manufacturers to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. In this conversation, Michael checks in with Lewis Perkins, President & CEO of Aii, to discuss how the work is progressing and what he sees as the current challenges and opportunities for the industry overall. Michael and Lewis discuss and debate who should be responsible for an overall industry strategy, how much money has been committed to decarbonization to date and whether that money is still an essential component of success. They also dive into more sensitive topics like who should pay for climate action. Lewis even addresses how he thinks about the soul of money! If that is not enough, they also discuss financial rewards and penalties, overconsumption and sufficiency. Lewis’s insights and perspectives are important for all stakeholders who want to learn about the Aii approach and to understand what gaps still need to be filled. “We’re playing the role of getting good solutions from the pilot phase to scalable phase. That’s the missing mile in this industry.” “We launched the Fashion Climate Fund with the goal to reduce 100 million tonnes of CO₂ by 2030. But we can only do it if everyone steps up.” “We need a common worldview in this industry. Without it, everyone’s pulling in different directions.” For more information about this podcast and our guest expert, or to listen to other Climate Action Week 2025 podcast conversations, please visit: Learn more about the topic in this webinar from Climate Action Week 2024: /episode/index/show/bigclosetssmallplanet/id/36846920