Dressed Not to Kill: a podcast about fashion and sustainability

Jenny Lantz is an Associate Professor at the Stockholm School of Economics, specializing in cultural economics. Jenny is the program leader and an editor of the podcast. Her notable works include “Trendmakarna” (Bokförlaget Atlas, 2013) and “Expedition parfym” (Norstedts, 2020).

Tina Sendlhofer, Research Fellow at SEI, edits the podcast and appears as a recurring guest. Tina has a decade-long association with the global apparel industry, ranging from auditing apparel factories in the Global South to conducting over 9 years of research in the Swedish apparel industry with focus on small- and medium sized enterprises and employees. In several episodes, she sheds light on current research issues: the role of employees’ moral responsibility for sustainability, the issue of visionary procrastination of sustainability goals, the role of employee-driven organizational transparency and the promises of digitalization of social sustainability training methods in apparel supply chains in the Global South.

Sofia Hedström is a New York-based journalist. She offers her expertise both as an editor and consultant for the podcast.

Unpacking the paradoxes of sustainable fashion

The apparel industry accounts for 10 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. astonishingly, the global consumption of textiles is predicted to surge by over 60% from 2015 to 2030, according to a 2019 report from the World Bank. Over the years, the detrimental environmental, social and economic impacts of the apparel industry have been explored by researchers. They have suggested new pathways for the industry to evolve, such as the integration of planetary boundaries, circular material flows and labour rights in supply chains. Although innovations often emerge from collaborations among industry actors, researchers and non-governmental organizations, the transformation to a sustainable apparel sector often remains at project level, too slow to realize systemic change in alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

While various solutions target specific issues associated with apparel production and consumption, a crucial aspect is frequently overlooked – fashion’s role as a medium for cultural expression. People use fashion to place themselves in time and space. They use fashion to communicate their identities to others. Despite evidence of consumers’ willingness to adopt more sustainable practices, a significant gap exists, marked by consumers underestimating their actual fashion consumption.

Similarly, while fashion brands recognize the pressing need for sustainability, they often attribute slow change to consumers’ reluctance to shift towards sustainable consumption. Paradoxically, the industry perpetuates a constantly changing trend landscape. Designers emphasize their creative freedom, often at the planet and society’s expense, and tastemakers dictate the ever-shifting definitions of trendiness.

Understanding the apparel industry beyond material production

A significant oversight in sustainability discussions is neglecting fashion’s profound social and cultural implications.

The podcast, Dressed Not to Kill, offers an inspiring and engaging discourse on the apparel industry’s sustainability challenges, combining them with a cultural economy perspective. Central to this dialogue is the question: “How can the fashion industry become sustainable while allowing the cultural expression of fashion to live on?” By examining fashion through a cultural-economic lens, the podcast aims to synthesize how culture and material production intertwine, providing insights into the industry’s core challenges.

Esteemed industry experts, both local and international, will dissect research outcomes, innovative solutions and ways to catalyze change. Each episode will host at least one researcher, shedding light on the global fashion world with features on exciting sustainability initiatives and emerging phenomena. The podcast caters to a diverse audience, including fashion enthusiasts, industry professionals and everyone in between.