Johnstons of Elgin
Johnstons of Elgin has worked with natural, renewable, biodegradable fibres since 1797, crafting luxurious Cashmere and Merino Wool designs made to last for a lifetime. The family-owned brand is committed to the environment and animal welfare at the source of their fibres and to reducing carbon emissions throughout their business.
Location: Scotland
Sustainable Solution
As Scotland's only vertical mill, between 2016 and 2020, we reduced Scope 1&2 emissions from our operations by 53% and our use of natural gas by 24%. Electricity at our manufacturing sites is purchased from renewable sources.
People are our mainstay, and we work hard to attract and retain the craftspeople of the future. We offer award-winning training and development and provide a safe and open working environment. We are the largest textile manufacturer to sign up to the Living Wage Foundation, paying the real Living Wage across all our operations.
We recognise the significant carbon output from wool and cashmere production, and with this in mind, wool and cashmere should be long-term investments rather than disposable fashion items. We can all make a difference if we buy less and buy better, and it’s important to us that our products are of the highest quality and last for a lifetime.
Call to Action: ‘Buy less, buy better’.
An Interview with Simon Cotton, CEO of Johnsons of Elgin.
Waste in the textile value chain at pre-consumer stages is estimated at 52.17 million tonnes per year globally. What impact do you think this has on the world and how should the industry address this?
This waste level is drastically increasing the resource consumption of the fashion and textile industry. We all need to look at factory waste as a matter of urgency and potentially as an easier target for improvements than post-consumer waste, as we generally should know what is in it. We currently reuse 97% of our factory waste and aim to take this to 100% of factory waste for COP26.
Waste in the textile value chain at post-consumer stage is estimated at 92 million tonnes per year globally. What impact do you think this has on the world and how should the industry address this?
The industry can do a lot to deal with this. The first thing they can address is by shortening supply chains to avoid over-production. Producing too much of a product means that end of season price cuts are then used to drive consumption of products which are not needed or wanted. Every brand and retailer needs also to be looking at how they can help deal with repair to extend garment life and take-back schemes to make sure that lifespan is extended as far as possible.
Do you consider there to be any ‘value’ in the waste generated by the industry? Are there opportunities for industry to make better use of unavoidable waste?
There is tremendous value in the luxury fibres we use which has made them natural targets for recycling. Typical mixed-blend products are extremely difficult to recycle and that often means the cost of recycling far exceeds the cost of virgin materials. Some level of post-consumer waste is inevitable but extending garment life is the most effective way of reducing the impact of our fashion industries.
What is your ideal fashion future?
I want to see consumers really step up to drive the future they want. I want to see them buying less clothing but buying clothing like they buy furniture, expecting it to last for years and thinking carefully about their purchases. We need to see brands being punished for bad practices rather than being rewarded for cheap prices driven by low wage rates, poor conditions and unsustainable practices.
What is your top call to action to the leaders and policy makers at COP26?
We need serious policy intervention now, rather than rhetoric, if we want to make a real change to the fashion industry. Nothing should be off the table. Carbon taxes on products and minimum pricing policies need to be seriously reviewed as it is very clear the industry will change, but change far too slowly.
Throughout the Textile Value Chain…
We are really interested to discuss with you how you address waste at each point of the textile value chain. Firstly, how do you address the issue of waste at the DESIGN stage?
We need to start our design process with a view to making product which people will love and keep for many years. If we start with the raw materials we want to use and then work out how they can become beautiful, functional and long-lasting products I believe we will create better products. Our constant desire for newness, to destroy and remake trends season after season, is driving over-consumption and waste.
What are the best means of minimising textile waste at the RAW MATERIALS phase?
We have to find a way to limit the seemingly unstoppable rise in the use of plastics for textiles which are already 2/3 of the industry. Plastic textile fibres are driving micro-plastic pollution and recycling plastic fibres for textiles just means they shed even more micro-plastics. We don’t have enough naturally grown materials to meet the current demand of the industry but we can start to correct this through careful fibre choice, use of agricultural wastes and lowering consumption.
How can the industry minimise textile waste at the fabric production stage of the value chain (i.e. minimise surplus fabric, defected fabrics and undyed fabrics)?
We need to ensure that we use all of the fabric we produce. We are finding uses for every piece of fabric we make, even when this is defective, we can cut round the defects and make something. Scraps and defective pieces can be shredded down and used to make something else. It takes a different mindset and mentality to make use of every single piece of fabric but that should be our aim in every factory.
At the GARMENT PRODUCTION stage, how can the industry reduce textile waste from this key production stage?
Making garments at the other side of the world encourages brands to turn the other way. Auditing is not the same as having a factory in your own town. Shortening supply chains and onshoring production encourages more sustainable practices and shortens lead times, which then reduces waste.
How can the waste be eliminated at the DISTRIBUTION stage?
Air freighting a garment because it is needed urgently can double the carbon footprint of its production. We need to eliminate airfreight as an option for garment producers and we should be asking all brands to pledge to eliminate airfreight from their supply chains.
In terms of the current operation of sales and RETAIL stage within fashion, what do you consider to be the main issues and how can the industry minimise waste at this stage (i.e. unsold garments, returned garments, garments damaged in store etc)?
Waste is generated by long supply chains with bulk orders, forecasted months before the actual demand. We wouldn’t make cars that way so why do we need to make clothing that way. We need to rethink the entire business model to pull demand through from consumers with short leadtimes and smaller batches.
What do you consider to be the central issues of fashion and clothing use and how can we minimise textile waste at this post-consumer stage of the value chain (i.e. disposal of used and worn garments, making clothes last)?
We can do repair schemes, take back schemes and recycling, rental schemes and refurbishment. However, the most important thing we can do is buy less, buy better and go back to making clothing which is designed to last.
At the END OF LIFE area of fashion how can we address the vast quantities of waste generated?
We need clearer labelling and to use legislation to disincentive blends, particularly those using plastics. The post-consumer waste we make today is simply too blended, too low value and very often we don’t know what is really in it. That makes meaningful levels of recycling almost impossible and we need to resolve these issues at the design stage.
Learn more about Johnstons of Elgin and their sustainability practices at www.johnstonsofelgin.com.
