Sustainability is an increasingly popular topic within and surrounding the fashion industry. With more consumers than ever aware of the industry’s harmful business practices, demands for sustainable fashion are likely to increase. But what is sustainable fashion?
What is Sustainable Fashion?
Sustainable fashion is a broad term that describes brands’ efforts within the industry to reduce their environmental impact, protect their garment workers, and support animal welfare.
How to Know if a Brand is Sustainable
It can be challenging to find ethical fashion brands amidst many engaging in greenwashing and pretending to be sustainable. However, three key attributes can help you determine whether a brand is sustainable:
- Use of Materials: Look for biodegradable materials like cotton, wool, linen, bamboo, et cetera. The more natural the fibres, the better.
- Transparency: Research the brand. Facts and numbers are a massive indicator of the brand’s progress toward reducing its environmental impact.
- Wages & Factory Conditions: Research the brand’s contractors and subcontractors to determine whether the brand is as committed to economic sustainability as it is to environmental sustainability.
Why is Sustainability Important?
It may be hard to believe, but the fashion industry is one of the world’s largest polluters. According to the European Environment Agency, the sector is responsible for 20% of global clean water pollution and 10% of global carbon emissions. Moreover, the agency states that a mere 1% of used clothing gets recycled into new garments. These statistics should be concerning, given that Europeans, on average, generate about 11 kilos of textile waste annually.
Consumers have the power to push the industry toward sustainability by shopping with intention, recycling as best they can and choosing to do business with sustainable fashion brands that are actually doing the work.