Project
Sustinere
Promoting Sustainable Fashion
WHAT IS SUSTAINABLE FASHION?
Sustainable fashion refers to the garments and accessories produced and/or accessed in an ecologically and socially beneficial manner. Here the use of the word “accessed” clarifies the fact that sustainable fashion just does not focus only on selling and buying new things but also comprises wearing what you have purchased yet, shopping second hands, borrowing or providing clothless people your apparel. Besides that sustainable fashion is opposite to the fast fashion industry where clothing designs move quickly from the catwalk to stores to take advantage of trends (Hayes 2021). Fast fashion also takes advantage of mass-production techniques developed during the industrial revolution. In short, fast fashion integrates features such as “short production and distribution lead times” and “trendy product design[s]” that appeal to consumers (Cachon and Swinney 2011, 778). There are also allegations against fast fashion industrialists to exploit laborers, pay a lump sum amount to their workers, recruit child labor, and more importantly impose a drastic impact on our planet’s environment.
WHY DO WE NEED
SUSTAINABLE FASHION TRENDS?
Nowadays, our fashion industry is heavily reliant on fossil fuels. The vast majority of clothing — nearly 70% —is made from polyester or other synthetic fabrics from non-renewables like crude oil. It is predicted to consume 25% to 30% of the world’s remaining carbon budget by 2050 at current rates of growth. 93 billion cubic meters of water and 98 million tons of non-renewable resources are extracted each year for textile production. Yes, that’s every single year. Garments made from synthetic fibers are responsible for as much as 35% of global microplastic pollution. Realizing these statements, the importance of sustainable fashion is undoubtedly clearer to us. By using eco-friendly and green fashion materials, reusing, recycling, and reproducing our clothes, we can decrease at least 8-10% CO2 emission. Sustainable fashion is regarded as ethical fashion too, hence initiating a sustainable fashion trend, we can minimize the adverse impacts of the fast fashion industry on human’s lives and lessen environmental racism as well.
WHAT IS SUSTAINABLE CLOTHING?
Now you might wonder what sustainable clothing really means? It means reusing what exists. Like the clothes you already hung on your closet can be easily used for a secondary purpose when you finish with them. And remodeling these items or providing these to the people who do not have enough access to brand products, you can initiate a sustainable fashion trend. If you are looking to add to your closet or switch things up, you can still make the most of what has already been produced. Borrow from or swap with a friend, browse your local thrift stores or some secondhand fashion sites. Secondly, conscious materials like natural fibers are more comfortable and eco-friendly than synthetic fibers, organic cotton is more environmentally conscious than conventional cotton, hemp or linen, regenerative fibers etc. Then, clothes without synthetic and high impact dyes. Because sometimes even when a garment is made from a natural organic fabric it could still be colored with a synthetic dye. And synthetic dyes, just like synthetic fabrics are derived from petroleum.They also can be extremely toxic, containing heavy metals like chromium, mercury, and lead, among a number of other harmful chemicals. So, you should look for clothes with natural, low impact and fiber reactive dyes. For a garment to really be eco-friendly, it should ideally be made in facilities that are powered by renewable energy sources like wind or solar.Truly sustainable fashion also should be mindful of water use (through things like water recycling and water-efficient dyeing practices) and toxic chemicals (through things like using natural dyes and organic materials). A truly sustainable fashion brand must also consider people. It’s not “sustainable” to pay poverty wages, exploit your workers and perpetuate racist and sexist practices. So, it’s clearly understood that despite what fast fashion brands might try to portray, sustainable fashion is more than just recycled fabrics.
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