Oxford Research Estimates Fashion Influences 30% of Global Farmland
What happened
New research from the University of Oxford estimates that the fashion industry influences 30.15% of global agricultural land, or approximately 1.45 billion hectares, when including leather, wool, cotton, hemp, flax, and silk production. The study found that leather accounts for 876 million hectares and wool for 528.4 million hectares.
From knittingindustry.com
Why it matters
The report argues that a textile's environmental impact depends more heavily on how its raw material is produced than on the fiber type itself. For instance, the carbon footprint of leather was assessed to range between 8.5 and 152 kg CO2e per square metre.
From knittingindustry.com
Who's involved
- OxfordLocation of the research institution conducting the study
- Simon MarginsonAcademic who holds a professorship at the University of Oxford
Who could feel it
Possible knock-on effectsThese are possibilities Brind reasoned out, not predictions, and not advice. Most are not stated in any report.
- Oxford City CouncilSpeculative
Oxford City Council might face increased costs related to local regulatory burdens from sustainability requirements.