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24 June 2019
Sustainable fashion is more than just a trend—it’s a conscious movement towards reshaping the way the fashion industry operates, ensuring that we make mindful decisions about the clothing we purchase, wear, and discard. With the global fashion industry being one of the largest contributors to environmental degradation and labor exploitation, sustainable fashion focuses on creating clothing that takes into account social, environmental, and economic considerations. It’s a holistic approach that prioritizes ethical practices in every stage of garment production—from design and sourcing to manufacturing and end-of-life disposal. Sustainable fashion isn’t just about buying "eco-friendly" clothes; it’s about cultivating a mindset that values longevity, quality, and responsibility over mindless consumption.
Sustainable clothing is sometimes referred to as “ethical fashion,” “eco-fashion,” “eco clothes,” or even “aware clothing.” Although these phrases can be used interchangeably, people who use “eco” often emphasize the environment more than the social aspects of fashion. Our behavior as customers has a direct bearing on sustainable fashion, particularly when it comes to our purchase habits.
Let’s look at the benefits of Sustainable Fashion
The global fashion industry actively and significantly contributes to global warming by emitting significant greenhouse gases each year. One of the reasons is that most of our beloved clothing, including polyester, acrylic, and nylon, is petroleum-based and made from fossil fuels. Compared to natural or recycled fibers, these materials demand a significant increase in energy during production.
As opposed to this, sustainable brands usually use products created from natural or recycled fibers that grow without the need for fertilizers or pesticides, little to no chemical processing, or much water or energy. Most organic fabrics, including hemp, organic cotton, and organic linen, degrade naturally.
Sustainable apparel is always of the highest caliber and is an excellent product. Eco-friendly textiles are softer, more durable, and last a long time. You won’t need to keep buying new clothes all the time if you wear sustainable apparel.
There is no assurance that the garments you buy will be of high quality, even if you buy from the most well-known clothing brands manufactured abroad. There is no genuine assurance that these things will be made well or last you for years, even while shipments and products can be watched for quality control.
Whether you accept it or not, there is still modern slavery. The bulk of fast fashion industry garment employees experiences little pay (if any), endless hours of work, horrible health and safety conditions, and a restriction on worker unions a reality. In many parts of the industry, verbal and physical abuse of people is still frequent practice. There are a few informative documentaries about the social injustices brought on by the fast fashion industry.
Eco-friendly businesses emphasize providing their staff with a fair wage, quality healthcare, and a supportive working environment. Employee reward in these businesses is often above average. Usually, they show a higher desire to eradicate poverty by offering economic aid.
The days when buying at thrift stores was considered a wrong decision are long gone. The availability of preloved or for-hire clothes adverts has increased along with the prevalence of secondhand shopping. Shopping secondhand or renting that garment you can’t bear to buy is a great way to reduce waste, enhance circular manufacturing, and even reduce microplastic shedding in your wardrobe cycle. This is also a cost-effective method to win the closet war. Whether you buy used or better, your purchasing habits will become more rational and sustainable if you buy less and use less.
We all adore our furry friends. However, through time, we have yielded some of them under the umbrella of design. Economical design works to protect people, the environment, and all the creatures that live there. The market for affordable leathers is starting to see a rise in vegan leathers, which may be made from anything from pineapple leaves to apples.
Additionally, the hide is disregarded in the showcase for maintainable design, and wool is ethically acquired in a very sustainable way.
Before arriving on our hangers, fast fashion items often undergo a protracted and demanding chemical procedure. To dye, bleach, and wet process clothing, almost 8,000 different synthetic chemicals are used. The offspring of farmers who are exposed to these toxins often suffer severe birth abnormalities. Given that our skin absorbs everything we put on it, including the chemicals in our clothing, some of these substances can seriously threaten our health. Always wash new clothing before wearing it for the first time and look for clothing with certification labels for chemical content, such as OEKO-TEX®, GOTS®, or BLUESIGN®.
The establishment of the maintainable segment is essentially buying less and rejecting rapid mold criteria. The idea that buying less might make you happier is one of the main ideas of economic design that isn’t discussed as much as it should. Purchasing fewer things enables you to spend money on experiences rather than stuff, contributes to the decluttering of your environment, and enables you to buy the things you genuinely enjoy rather than spending money on flimsy fashions. This view of reduced consumerism is supported by practical design.
Sustainable fashion is not just a passing trend but a necessary shift toward a more ethical and environmentally responsible way of dressing. By supporting sustainable fashion brands, we contribute to reducing our carbon footprint, improving working conditions, protecting animals, and promoting healthier shopping habits. Sustainable fashion empowers consumers to make informed decisions, focusing on quality over quantity, and encouraging a more thoughtful and intentional approach to clothing consumption.
As the fashion industry continues to evolve, it’s clear that sustainability will play an increasingly important role. The movement toward sustainable fashion is not just about changing the way clothes are made—it’s about changing the way we think about fashion itself. By choosing to embrace sustainability, we’re not just creating a better wardrobe; we’re helping to build a better world for future generations.
