To achieve a more sustainable and environmentally friendly fashion industry, there is a pressing need to adopt more sustainable sourcing practices, regenerative agriculture and agroforestry. By prioritizing these approaches, we can improve soil health, reduce land degradation, and minimize water consumption in textile production. Low-impact fibers such as wood-based alternatives, for example, offer a promising alternative.  

The UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) hosted a groundbreaking event on the critical link between fashion and land degradation at its 16th Conference of Parties in Riyadh Saudi Arabia on 4 December 2024.  Organized by UNCCD, UN Environment Programme(UNEP), UNECE, the UN Alliance for Sustainable Fashion, the Sustainable Fibre Alliance, and the Fashion Commission of Saudi Arabia, the event brought together experts and high-level participants to discuss innovative solutions for a more sustainable fashion industry. 

The event highlighted key measures such as the need for circular economy models, including recycling, upcycling, and extended product life, as well as policy and regulatory frameworks that can drive sustainable practices across the fashion value chain. It also emphasized that consumers need to be better informed about the environmental and social impact of fashion. 

Liliana Annovazzi-Jakab, Chief of UNECE’s Forest and Bioeconomy Section, highlighted UNECE’s "Forest4Fashion" initiative, which leverages low-grade wood-based fibers. These fibers offer significant environmental benefits compared to other materials like synthetics or cotton. Unlike cotton or other crops, these “manmade cellulosic fibers” require less land, no irrigation, pesticides or fertilizers and are sourced from sustainably managed forests.  

UNECE’s Forest4Fashion initiative underscores the crucial link between land and fashion highlighting that responsible sourcing ensures deforestation free fiber production that support reforestation or afforestation efforts and the fight against erosion and desertification. FAO's remote sensing data confirms that wood production is not a significant driver of deforestation, unlike agriculture, which accounts for over 90% of global deforestation. The trees’ long growth cycles maintain soil nutrient levels over time, and increase biodiversity.  

Today, the fashion industry often overlooks the significant impact it has on land. Wood-based fibers are among the sustainable champions together with other promising, biobased alternatives and scalable solutions that can promote a more sustainable and environmentally friendly fashion industry. The COP16 Riyadh Fashion4Land event highlighted some of these promising approaches, along with policy and market mechanisms to drive change. 

For more information on UNECE`s Forests4Fashion initiative:  https://unece.org/forests/forests4fashion 

For more information on the event:  

• UNCCD official ENB coverage: Fashion4Land | IISD Earth Negotiations Bulletin 

• The live-stream recording is available here: UNCCD COP16  

• The publication: Fashion and land | UNCCD