This reading was really interesting as it considers both the negative and positive effects of technology on the environment.
Two terms that I found useful :
“ecocentric”- which means that technology will for sure have a negative impact on the environment
“technocentric”- means that human ability of tech and science can actually manage the environment
However, the reading claims that these can’t really define the situation in the sustainable fashion industry. Then the text introduces the term “eco-tech” in the fashion industry that emphasizes technologies that are more sustainable during the manufacturing process and the consumption. The author states however that may be the most important point to look at how the fibers used for fashion garments are made because they are the base and starting point of the whole production. Usually, when I think of sustainable and “good” materials I always think of something natural. I think we tend to have this assumption that everything natural is “good”. However, as the reading points out and we previously learned in class, not all natural fibers are really sustainable, sometimes they use chemicals to process them and that is just as bad as creating synthetic fibers. Or for example, cotton plants need a lot of water which is also not very sustainable.
“Disposability is one of the most important technically mediated factors in the design process of all fibers. ” The reading also points out that while natural fibers can be degradable, when producing synthetic fibers, one needs to pay attention and come up with technologies for recycling these.