Regions, communities, and localism

In Chapter 19, Gardetti, Maki, Gupta, and Cavagnero highlight that the slow and simplified advances and changes in sustainability of the fashion, clothing, and textiles system. This means that growth continues to be prioritized, with sustainability remaining on the periphery. Essentially, industry is adapting sustainability around its current needs and operations, rather than hardwiring change into the system. How can we change this approach? On one hand, an approach based on multidisciplinary groups and skills at all levels; opening conversation and hearing the unheard voices in fashion (indigenous communities, artisan communities, people living under vulnerable conditions, among others). On the other hand, regionalism and localism favours the use of nearby, local resources, place-specific knowledge, community self-reliance. Both these approaches give expression to practices shaped by traditions, necessity, climate, and imagination. This chapter will present experiences and learnings with indigenous people from Argentina and with artisans from India and issues related to the sustainability of fashion in Bahrain and the Arab Gulf. Finally, as fashion products are often characterized by a reputational link to the place of manufacture, this chapter also discusses the drivers and obstacles to harnessing the potential of geographical indications (GIs).