The fashion industry is one of the most environmentally burdensome sectors in the world today, characterized by significant water consumption, high carbon emissions, and the generation of approximately 100 million tons of textile waste each year. The so-called fast fashion model – mass production of cheap, rapidly changing clothing – has accelerated to such an extent in recent decades that it raises increasingly serious sustainability concerns.
According to Edit Csanák, Vice Dean of the Rejtő Sándor Faculty of Light Industry and Environmental Engineering at Obuda University, the root of the problem lies not primarily with designers, but with economic structures that prioritize fast and low-cost production over sustainability.
Technological Limitations and Recycling Challenges
Recycling textile waste currently faces significant technological barriers. Most garments are made from blended materials, where natural and synthetic fibers are tightly intertwined. Separating these at an industrial scale is extremely difficult and often not economically viable.
Although mono-material products – made from a single type of fiber and theoretically fully recyclable – do exist, their production is more expensive, and consumer demand has not yet reached the level required to sustain such business models.
Designers Are Not to Blame
The expert emphasizes that the unsustainability of the fashion industry is primarily driven by economic interests. The logic of profit maximization overrides professional and environmental considerations, while transparency in supply chains remains limited.
At the same time, positive trends are emerging: more and more companies are offering repair, rental, or take-back services that extend product lifecycles and reduce waste.
More Than an Environmental Issue: A Cultural Challenge
The rise of ultra-cheap online clothing platforms is not only an environmental concern but also a cultural one. Fashion, as a form of cultural expression, has traditionally conveyed eras, identities, and ideas.
However, algorithm-driven, rapidly changing supply is disrupting this process. Trend creation is increasingly dictated by momentary consumer demand, pushing professional concepts and values into the background.
Teaching Sustainability Through Practice
At Óbuda University, sustainability is not taught solely as theory but as lived experience. Students engage in hands-on tasks to understand the complexity of garment production—for example, by taking apart a pair of jeans and directly experiencing the time and effort required to produce and recycle a single item.
Cultural sustainability is also an integral part of the curriculum: students reinterpret traditional Hungarian motifs and heritage in contemporary forms, contributing to their preservation and evolution.
The Role of Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence is playing an increasingly important role in the design process, primarily as a visualization tool. It enables rapid, waste-free experimentation with ideas, but it cannot replace creativity, craftsmanship, or individual perspective.
At the same time, its use raises ethical questions, particularly regarding intellectual property and transparency.
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