Fashion and climate change have long been uneasy companions. On one side, we have an industry built on constant change, trends and consumer desire. On the other, a planet grappling with environmental degradation, carbon emissions and a shrinking window to reverse global warming. In 2025, though, something is shifting. Fashion brands are not just paying lip service to sustainability anymore. They’re responding to growing pressure — from activists, consumers, regulators and even their own employees — to address climate change in real, actionable ways.
From rethinking supply chains to embracing circularity and regenerative practices, brands are taking on the challenge in surprisingly creative and sometimes imperfect ways. While the road ahead is long, the movement feels less like a trend and more like a reckoning. Let’s look at how fashion brands are rising to meet the climate crisis in 2025 — what’s working, what’s still murky and what the future might hold.
The Problem: A Quick Recap
Before diving into the solutions, it’s worth recapping why fashion’s relationship with the environment has been so fraught. According to the UN Environment Programme, the fashion industry is responsible for about 8 to 10 percent of global carbon emissions — more than international flights and maritime shipping combined. It’s also the second-largest consumer of water and a major polluter of oceans due to microplastic shedding from synthetic fibers.
The fast fashion model, which prioritizes speed and volume at a low cost, has amplified these issues. With brands producing new collections weekly and encouraging mass consumption, the environmental cost has been steep. Add to that waste — millions of tons of textiles end up in landfills each year, much of it barely worn.
So how are brands responding now?
Carbon Commitments and Net Zero Goals
In 2025, setting climate goals is no longer optional for major fashion companies. Over the past few years, brands from luxury powerhouses like Gucci and Chanel to high street labels like H&M and Zara have made public pledges to reduce emissions. What’s different now is the specificity and transparency behind those promises.
For example, Kering Group (which owns Gucci, Saint Laurent and Bottega Veneta) updated its environmental profit and loss (EP&L) accounting in 2024 to measure not just emissions but also biodiversity impact. They’ve pledged to reach net zero emissions by 2040 and are investing heavily in low-impact materials, regenerative agriculture and energy-efficient manufacturing.
On the mass market end, H&M Group has committed to cutting its absolute greenhouse gas emissions across its entire value chain by 56 percent by 2030, compared to 2019 levels. In early 2025, they introduced a pilot program to transition some of their Bangladesh suppliers to renewable energy, supported by the UN’s Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action.
Luxury and fast fashion operate very differently, but both are under pressure to move from vague commitments to measurable change. Net zero can’t just be about offsetting emissions with tree-planting schemes — it has to involve actual reductions in production and emissions.
Sustainable Materials: From Buzzword to Backbone
One of the most visible ways brands are addressing climate change is through materials. The shift from virgin polyester and conventional cotton to recycled, organic or bio-based fabrics is in full swing. But in 2025, the conversation is evolving beyond just what’s in the garment.
Brands are now considering where those materials come from, how they’re processed and what happens to them at the end of their life. Patagonia, long considered a leader in sustainable fashion, launched its “Trace Every Thread” initiative in January 2025, allowing consumers to scan QR codes and see the full journey of each garment — from farm to factory to finish.
Stella McCartney, another pioneer, continues to innovate with plant-based leather alternatives and mycelium (mushroom-based) textiles. Her Spring/Summer 2025 collection featured jackets made from Mirum, a plastic-free leather alternative developed by Natural Fiber Welding. Unlike earlier synthetic leathers that were petroleum-based, Mirum is fully biodegradable and made from natural materials.
Meanwhile, Adidas announced a partnership with researchers to develop carbon-negative textiles by capturing CO2 emissions and turning them into fibers. Though still in early stages, it signals a future where clothes could remove carbon from the atmosphere instead of adding to it.
Resale, Rental and the Circular Economy
Circularity — the idea of keeping clothing in use for as long as possible — is gaining momentum. Brands are investing in resale platforms, rental models and recycling programs to extend the life of garments and reduce waste.
In 2025, Levi’s expanded its “Buy Better, Wear Longer” campaign to include a global resale platform, offering pre-worn denim at reduced prices with full transparency on condition and repairs. They’re also incentivizing trade-ins, giving customers discounts when they bring back old jeans.
Luxury brands, once hesitant about resale, are also getting on board. In April 2025, Burberry announced the launch of “ReBurberry Exchange,” a verified resale marketplace in partnership with The RealReal. It allows shoppers to buy and sell authenticated Burberry pieces, complete with new repair services and environmental impact estimates.
Rental is also on the rise. While rental platforms like Rent the Runway have been around for over a decade, brands are now launching their own direct rental services. COS (part of H&M Group) now offers a capsule wardrobe rental subscription in major European cities, aimed at reducing one-time purchases.
Recycling, however, remains a sticking point. Most textiles are not recycled due to blended fibers, lack of infrastructure and cost. But some progress is being made. Renewcell, a Swedish company that turns worn-out cotton garments into Circulose (a new material used in fresh clothes), expanded its partnerships in 2025 to include Mango, Ganni and Uniqlo. It’s not a perfect loop, but it’s a start.
Supply Chain Overhauls and Renewable Energy
Tackling climate change in fashion isn’t just about the clothes — it’s about the entire supply chain. Most emissions in fashion occur not in stores or headquarters but in the production phase — raw material extraction, spinning, dyeing, sewing and shipping.
Brands are now pushing for greener factories and renewable energy in their supply chains. Nike recently reported that over 70 percent of its strategic suppliers now operate on renewable electricity. In Vietnam, where many of Nike’s suppliers are located, they’ve worked with the International Finance Corporation to help factories access clean energy financing.
Zara’s parent company, Inditext, launched a supply chain decarbonization fund in 2025 to help their smaller suppliers in Morocco and Turkey transition to solar power. While critics have pointed out that Zara continues to release new styles weekly, the company insists its longer-term goal is to reduce emissions per product, even as output remains high.
Some brands are also experimenting with local sourcing and nearshoring — producing closer to home — to reduce emissions from shipping. Los Angeles-based brand Reformation has leaned into this model, producing most of its clothing locally and sharing detailed sustainability metrics on each product.
The Rise of Regenerative Fashion
Beyond reducing harm, some fashion brands are aiming to restore ecosystems through regenerative agriculture. This means working with farmers to grow cotton, wool and other fibers in ways that rebuild soil health, increase biodiversity and capture carbon.
Eileen Fisher has been supporting regenerative wool programs in Patagonia and organic cotton farms in India. Their garments now include tags indicating whether the material was grown using regenerative methods.
Ganni, a Danish label known for mixing style with sustainability, launched its “Farming for the Future” initiative in 2025, partnering with smallholder farmers in Uganda to pilot regenerative cotton farming supported by local NGOs. The goal is not just to create cleaner garments but to build resilient communities and ecosystems.
This approach represents a deeper shift — one that looks at fashion’s role in the broader environmental system, not just its own footprint.
Consumers: Still the Missing Piece?
For all the progress brands are making, consumer behavior remains a challenge. Even the greenest product has an environmental cost if bought in excess or thrown away quickly. In 2025, fast fashion remains popular, especially among younger consumers looking for affordability and variety.
However, awareness is growing. Social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram now feature “slow fashion” influencers who promote mindful shopping, outfit repeating and secondhand finds. Some even call out greenwashing, forcing brands to be more honest in their marketing.
Legislation may also shift consumer habits. In the EU, new rules on textile waste and extended producer responsibility are pushing brands to make durable garments and take responsibility for what happens after they’re sold.
The Role of Legislation and Accountability
Government intervention is playing a bigger role in 2025. The EU’s Sustainable Textiles Strategy is being rolled out, requiring brands to disclose environmental data, phase out greenwashing and meet circularity targets. The Digital Product Passport — which includes info on materials, repairability and recyclability — will soon be mandatory for fashion sold in Europe.
In the US, New York’s proposed Fashion Act, though still debated, has inspired similar bills in California and Washington, pushing for transparency and climate accountability in fashion supply chains.
While many brands resist regulation, others welcome it. “It levels the playing field,” says a sustainability officer at a major luxury brand. “You can’t just market your way into being sustainable anymore. You have to show your work.”
The Imperfect Progress and Hope Ahead
Let’s be real — fashion still has a long way to go. Greenwashing hasn’t disappeared. Some sustainability claims are murky, and true circularity remains elusive. Overproduction is still the elephant in the room, especially when brands continue churning out massive volumes while touting their eco collections.
But in 2025, something is different. The conversation has moved from the sidelines to the center. Climate change is no longer a niche concern — it’s part of boardroom strategy, product design and public relations.
Brands are collaborating more, not less. They’re investing in tech, materials and supply chain innovation. Consumers are asking harder questions. Regulators are stepping in. And younger generations entering the fashion workforce are pushing for purpose as much as profit.
The industry may never be perfectly sustainable — but it can be accountable, transparent and restorative. In the end, fashion’s real power isn’t just in what it produces — it’s in how it inspires. If it can make climate action cool, creative and collective, the impact could stretch far beyond the runway.
And maybe, just maybe, that’s how fashion helps save the planet — not by being perfect, but by being part of the solution.
Ayerhs Magazine 