What exactly is sustainable fashion? There’s no denying that the concept of ‘sustainability’ is inherently at odds with the traditional world of fashion, but where an appetite for the latter continues to rise alongside awareness and insistence on the former… there is a tricky balance needing to be found.
An industry that makes a living by providing its fans with the very newest trends that haven’t been seen before is surely one of the most unsustainable imaginable. Unfortunately, that’s exactly the way it’s been for several decades.
Widely-reported to be the world’s second most polluting industry after oil, the very nature of fashion’s quick trend turnover renders it so damaging that it has become one of the most environmentally crippling industries on the planet. And, according to a recent report, it’s only getting worse, with the textile industry emitting more greenhouse gas emissions than international shipping and aviation combined.
Back in 2021, the government unveiled proposals for new measures that, they claimed, “ramps up action on fast fashion and holds manufacturers accountable for textile waste”. The steps encouraged fashion brands to be more sustainable by using resources more efficiently while designing and manufacturing products for optimum life, with a focus on the need to repair and reuse more items by brands themselves – not just on an individual, consumer level.
So while the very idea of ‘sustainable fashion’ may have a reputation of being a box-ticking snore-fest phrase that brands throw around in order to be seen to be fulfilling corporate social responsibility, it’s actually an important answer to a very real problem.
What is ‘sustainable fashion’?
Many people confuse ‘sustainable fashion’ with ‘ethical fashion’, and while the two are unquestionably linked, the concept of sustainability in the industry refers to the effects of the production of clothing on the environment (ethical fashion concerns the way clothing is made – encompassing everything from how the cotton was grown to whether and how animals are used, and how the garment workers are treated).
The very basic aim of fashion sustainability is to ensure that clothing is manufactured in a way that ensures the product’s life cycle minimises any undesirable environmental effect.
Which brands are championing sustainability?
While the on-going detrimental effects of the fashion industry are drilled into us, there are a number of brands acknowledging the issues and adapting their businesses to create change. Not because they need to look “good”, but because it makes long-term economic sense.
Every year, thousands of tonnes of clothes are thrown away with household waste and as much as 95% of those clothes could be recycled. Buying new materials doesn’t make business sense when a brand could reuse what they have already. Waste doesn’t make business sense.
Leading the charge is Stella McCartney, whose label has proven since its launch in 2001 that it’s possible to create sustainable, ethical, trend-led collections without damaging our planet. “We challenge and push boundaries to make luxurious products in a way that is fit for the world we live in today and the future”, McCartney’s website reads. “No compromises.”
Credit: Source link