Although extravagance and frivolity have come to be associated with fashion over time, the truth is that clothes are a necessity in our daily lives. Although there are many positive aspects of fashion (and that is a topic for a completely different article), some of its trends and practices may undoubtedly be improved.
A conscious interest in your clothes—and their makers—not only has a positive impact on the environment but also on the communities involved in the production of clothing. This can be done in a variety of ways, from controlling your shopping habits to being aware of the supply chain of your favourite brands. Here are some things you can do to support the push for slow and sustainable fashion.
What is Fast fashion?
The term “fast fashion” is used as a catchy way to refer to the extremely quick and inexpensive techniques utilised by the fashion industry, which can have negative environmental implications. Retail stores create, produce, ship, and sell trendy clothing just in time for a new trend to emerge and complete the cycle. In the meantime, a Lab fresh investigation revealed that 57.1% of fashion trash from 15 different EU nations winds up in landfills.
The most widely used fabric in apparel, polyester, is made of plastic and can never totally degrade. Instead, it behaves like other types of plastic, which are rarely recycled and will continue to degrade into tiny pieces known as microplastics for many years to come, killing wildlife and releasing carbon dioxide into the environment.
7 sustainable ideas to embrace your fashion side
1. Only keep the items in your wardrobe that you love and need
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Keep an eye on your spending habits first. Retail therapy may make us happy, but its after-effects typically leave us with a closet full of unsold clothing. Shop sensibly and only purchase items that you actually need or like enough to wear frequently.
Consider borrowing or using clothes rentals, a growing trend that some predict may pose a serious challenge to fast fashion firms in the future, if the occasion calls for a look that you would never wear otherwise.
2. Observe the label
Polyester and other petroleum-based synthetic fibres consume less water and land than cotton but produce more greenhouse gases per kilogramme. However, bio-based synthetic polymers derived from sustainable plants like sugarcane and corn “release up to 60% fewer carbon emissions, mainly due to the crops forming carbon sinks,” according to research. If clothing is manufactured from recycled polyester, it should be indicated on labels.
3. Host a clothing swap
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Try sharing your closet with pals if you aren’t ready to donate the clothes that no longer inspire you. An excellent approach to obtaining new clothing without spending the money or time necessary to acquire it is through clothing swaps.
Perhaps you want to borrow your friend’s sweater since you’ve been wearing the same denim jacket every day for a week or because they’ve had their eye on a pair of sneakers you haven’t worn in months. The best part is that you can easily switch back; it doesn’t have to last forever!
4. Your selection of materials has an impact
Consider the crop cotton, which requires a lot of water and chemicals to grow. Cotton producers in India are among the worst hit by the continuing drought that is affecting many of the country’s states.
But organic cotton is gaining popularity since it uses a lot less water and pesticides overall. While conventional silk raises concerns about boiling silkworms to generate the strands, Ahimsa or vegan silks are rising in popularity. Bamboo, upcycled textiles, and hemp are replacing synthetic materials in favour of hand-spun khadi and traditional processes.
You can also look out for sustainable fabrics too. There are many sustainable fashion ideas for eco friendly fashion.
5. Purchase or rent used clothing
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Accept used clothing if you appreciate frequent shopping for new wardrobe additions. Unique and vintage clothing may be found in thrift shops all over the world, but more retailers are embracing the secondhand model to compete with fast fashion.
When considering the effects of transportation and dry cleaning, a 2021 study by the Finnish scientific journal Environmental Research Letters found that renting clothing is more environmentally detrimental than tossing it away. Members of the fashion rental sector, however, have disputed the findings, arguing that renting clothing can reduce carbon emissions by slowing down consumer use and extending the life of clothing that would otherwise be thrown in the trash.
The fashion business cannot be made sustainable with just one solution; rather, it must combine a number of solutions to lessen its negative environmental effects. Customers may easily protest overproduction and reduce their own carbon footprints thanks to the development of online secondhand shops and renting retailers.
There are several online thrift stores where you can easily purchase sustainable clothes.
6. Avoid sweatshops, which serve as a fertile environment for labour exploitation
Although inexpensive apparel is often a nice addition to closets, it frequently comes at a high human cost. 1,134 people were killed when Bangladesh’s Rana Plaza collapsed in a heap in 2013, all of them were working in difficult conditions creating clothing for global brands. Furthermore, this is not an isolated instance; news stories routinely highlight the abusive working conditions in sweatshops.
No matter how desirable or full of exquisite clothing a brand may be, if it consistently makes the news for wrongdoing, look elsewhere. Consider fair-trade brands or manufacturing facilities that adhere to rules for worker safety and other requirements.
The industry will be forced to control the measures for workers’ wellbeing if a large enough number of consumers choose not to invest in such brands.
7. Repurpose old clothing
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The last time you created something from scratch was when? You should take matters into your own hands and make something new if you can’t find a recycling programme for clothing that is too damaged to be given.
You can stop using paper towels by using old t-shirts as cleaning rags. Additionally, you might try creating scarves, t-shirt quilts, and plush animals or dolls from household materials.
Conclusion
The effects of your decisions can be mind-blowing when you relate fashion to the people who create it and the environment. Indigenous brands are excellent at making sustainability both practical and fashionable. They are determined to change things, but they need your help. The best thing you can do for yourself and the environment is to embrace this transition, be alert, and start living sustainably!
