Relay Column: "The Production of Nature" & the Textile/Apparel Industry (Reo Mawatari)

Lately, I've been pondering the concept of “production of nature,” a discussion often referenced in geography and related fields. In this essay, I aim to touch upon “production of nature” theory while exploring various points related to the textile and apparel industry.

Regarding the theory of “production of nature,” Alex Loftus, who has been researching this within the realm of urban political ecology, summarizes it as follows. According to Loftus, “production of nature” is a historically and geographically specific practice wherein humans create their environment. This practice is a co-evolutionary or metabolic process, in which “nature” and “society” transform each other. The theory of “production of nature” challenges the belief that “nature” is a primitive domain. Notably, geographer Neil Smith critically examined the “nature-society” relationship and the commodification of nature in capitalist society in his book, "不均等発展" (1984) (Loftus 2017: 1).