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FOR an industry that supposedly thrives on creativity, fashion has been appallingly slow to innovate to reduce its distinctly uncool environmental footprint.

On all three fronts in the planetary crisis 鈥� climate change, nature loss and waste 鈥� manufacturers and retailers of textiles and clothing could, and must, do better. Their carbon emissions are enormous, thirst for raw materials unsustainable and waste management systems rubbish. As just one example, every year we send 350,000 tonnes of clothing to landfill in the UK.

There are growing pockets of green creativity in the industry, but for the most part high-street brands seem intent on doubling down on the 鈥渇ast fashion鈥� business model that has done so much to line theirs.

We as consumers must also shoulder a large portion of the blame, gladly stuffing our wardrobes with cheap, shoddy and unsustainably manufactured garments, destined to be worn a few times and then unceremoniously dumped. Most people on Earth participate in this grotesquely wasteful cycle, helping to make clothing one of the most environmentally destructive industries.

Unlike some other damaging consumer choices, such as buying animal products and flying, it isn鈥檛 really possible to simply opt out of clothes shopping. But of course there are ways of consuming that are less harmful. Indeed, consumers have disproportionate leverage in this sector. If patterns of demand change, such as shifting to brands that run buy-back schemes for unwanted clothing, the industry will respond. More powerfully, we can simply choose to wear our clothes for longer. Keeping a garment for an extra year can cut its environmental footprint by 30 per cent.

That, of course, requires a shift in our mindsets. But such things can and do happen. A few years ago, plant-based diets were the choice of the unconventional few. Now they are commonplace.

We need the same revolution to happen when it comes to clothing choices. Here鈥檚 to a make-do-and-mend mindset becoming mainstream 鈥� and even fashionable.