With Climate Week coming to New York late September, that once-a-year moment where global leaders, policymakers, NGOs, and activists all descend on Manhattan to talk about how to actually address the climate crisis. There are panels, protests, back-to-back pledges, over 900 events/activities and way too many branded coffee cups. But while the energy’s high and the topics are heavy, one major industry is once again suspiciously quiet: fashion.
No surprise, but still. The fashion industry, which contributes up to 10% of global carbon emissions and is notoriously slippery with the numbers, has somehow managed to sidestep the climate conversation again. You’ll hear from oil companies, airlines, techies , and even banking CEOs before you hear from a fashion exec admitting or taking accountability for how many tonnes of deadstock they dumped last year.
For an industry that loves to talk about “sustainability” when it’s convenient, it’s kind of wild how allergic fashion can be to actual climate accountability. Brands are still dropping “eco” collections in recycled polyester, sponsoring green influencers, and investing in AI tools to predict trends, but when it comes to showing up at global climate forums and actually engaging with policy, they’re nowhere to be found. Perhaps because of the industry wide alienation or bombastic side eyes that could ensue. We all saw how boohoo’s “eco” panel talk went… or didn’t for that matter.
So why aren’t fashion brands showing up to Climate Week? Honestly? Because they don’t have to. Fashion’s still operating in a kind of PR loophole, where “sustainable” means whatever your marketing team says it does, and accountability means... a blog post about carbon offsets or a separate dedicated page on your website that hasn't been updated since 2014. It’s not like they haven’t been invited. Climate Week has spaces for businesses, panels on circularity, sessions on decarbonisation and supply chain reform. There are youth-led climate groups organising direct actions and demanding accountability from every sector. And yet, most fashion brands are still acting like sustainability is just a trend, not a political responsibility.
And the ones that do show up? Usually luxury players who already have climate reporting teams and carbon strategies, which, let’s be honest, often read like greenwashed press releases with a few science-y keywords sprinkled in. Meanwhile, fast fashion giants with massive footprints are just... missing.
But here’s what matters most: people are noticing. Gen Z isn’t just asking brands to “be sustainable” anymore. We want proof. We want data. We want regulation. And we want brands that aren’t just slapping a recycled label on things, but actually showing up to the political conversations that define how our futures play out.
Because if you’re not willing to be part of the climate movement when it’s hard and uncomfortable, then your “green capsule collection” means nothing. Your recycled tote doesn’t matter if your emissions are rising and you’re still burning returns.
For emerging creatives watching all this, the takeaway is clear: we can’t wait for the big brands to lead. We have to build practices that are rooted in honesty, not optics. Engage in policy where we can. Align with movements that are actually pushing change. And stop letting silence from the top make us question our own values.
Climate Week is happening and fashion should be in the room. Until then, we keep building better from the ground up.