The Chair of the United Nations (UN) High-Level Advisory Board on Zero Waste, Emine Erdogan, met with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in New York. Erdogan made a call to fashion designers on zero waste. According to information obtained about the meeting held in Guterres’ office at the UN building in New York, he expressed his pleasure in reuniting with Erdogan for the International Zero Waste Day on March 30. Erdogan addressed participants at the “International Zero Waste Day” Special Event organized with the theme “Towards Zero Waste in Fashion and Textiles” by Turkey’s Permanent Mission to the UN, Zero Waste Foundation, UN Environment Program, and UN-Habitat at the UN General Assembly. Reminding that the International Zero Waste Day is celebrated for the 3rd time, Emine Erdogan stated, “The Zero Waste Movement is growing exponentially worldwide, reaching more people every year. We are fortunate to witness the creation of a global consciousness ring.” She thanked Secretary-General Guterres for his strong support for the Zero Waste Movement. Emine Erdogan also expressed her gratitude to all supportive countries, friends, and siblings supporting the Zero Waste Movement through the UN Environment Program, UN-Habitat, and sent her love to all “zero waste volunteers around the world” striving for the good of nature and humanity.

EMPHASIS ON “SLOW AND SUSTAINABLE FASHION”

Emine Erdogan emphasized that the fashion and textile industry is a very influential force that directs the preferences and behaviors of the masses, stating, “As you know, the fashion and textile industry has a very high share in environmental pollution. Therefore, we chose the theme ‘Towards Zero Waste in Fashion and Textiles’ for this year’s celebrations. The reason for this is the unfortunate dominance of a disposable-centered understanding in the sector.” Emine Erdogan expressed that it is not actually a new discovery but rather a prevalent notion until recently. She mentioned that long-lasting and high-quality products were produced in the past, designers released a maximum of 2 collections per year, while today this number sometimes reaches 6. Emine Erdogan noted that advertisements create a consumption psychology that is hard to resist, leading people to an impossible race to catch fast fashion trends. She pointed out that untouched clothes in physical terms suddenly become old in minds and turn into waste. Emine Erdogan stated, “If we say that the fashion winds blowing in metropolitan areas are not much different from increasingly destructive storms due to climate change, it wouldn’t be wrong. Because each piece of clothing is not only about fabric, color, and design, but also comes with natural resource waste, environmental pollution, and the increasing effects of climate change. This heavy bill is imposed on all humanity.”

CALL TO FASHION DESIGNERS

Emine Erdogan remarked that in the past, the use of items was spread across generations, and it was common to infuse a brand-new spirit into a garment through minor alterations. She said, “In short, a zero waste lifestyle was normal! What we need to do is to revive these values that shaped our daily lives until recently! From here, I want to make a call to fashion designers. You are creating a stance, an identity with your designs. It is you who determine trends and preferences. Let today be a milestone for all of us! Let’s talk about the great power of small changes we make in our lives that can change the world.” Emine Erdogan stated that by doubling the lifespan of clothes alone, greenhouse gas emissions could be reduced by 44%. She called for reviving the traditional memory in textiles, making natural and long-lasting items popular again, and becoming responsible consumers. Emine Erdogan said, “Just as Turkey has become a leading country in zero waste, I believe that Turkish fashion designers will open a new page in this field, becoming pioneering figures.”