Approximately 10% of the carbon emissions come from the fashion industry.

Yes! you read it correctly, the outfits that you discard, just because they aren’t trendy anymore, are taking a toll on the environment.

So, how to tackle it?

The answer is quite simple, sustainable fashion!

People these days are conveniently making handsome profits by creating a huge impact on trend followers, which in most cases isn’t really environmentally sustainable in nature.

Given the current buzz around the word, fashion brands are opting for sustainable fashion on a large scale due to their commitment to generating high profits in less time.

The question is, are they genuine?

In this post, we’ll be looking at the impact of fashion on the environment, what’s sustainable fashion, and how you can incorporate it into your life. We’ll be also sharing fashion brands that are genuinely working in this area without greenwashing.

How is Fast Fashion Affecting the Environment?

The term Fast fashion has been the talk of the town since the industries centered around this concept started making an insane profit.

So, what exactly is fast fashion?

Fast fashion is a segment of the fashion industry with the main focus on cheaply produced and priced garments catering to the latest trends to generate maximum profit, with little to no regard for environmental issues, modern slavery, child labor, or high-quality materials.

Water and Fast Fashion

The trendsetters have always been a foe to the environment. The fashion fanatics hit the peak of insensitivity just to sound like the master of their domain. 

With the startling progress in this industry, we should not close our eyes to the number of natural resources used by the fashion industry. Let’s not ignore the fact that it depletes a crazy amount of water, 1800 gallons to be precise, to produce cotton for a simple pair of blue jeans.

Microplastics

In addition to water, petrochemical products have been the top pick of modern textiles such as polyester, nylon, and acrylic. These petrochemical products come from none other than the oil and gas industries that cause greenhouse gas emissions and are rapidly depleting the natural resources.

The fashion industry’s environmental footprint isn’t just limited to the exploitation of natural resources. It’s also contributing to carbon emissions, ocean pollution, and climate change through microplastics, which are usually released into the ocean during laundering.

35% of all the microplastics in the ocean are due to the laundering of garments made from synthetic textiles such as polyester.

Animals and the Fashion Industry

In addition to the fashion industry’s excessive use of water and microplastic pollution, a sheer number of animals also get victimized by it. Statistics show billions of animals are killed every year so we can follow a specific trend or look good for a meeting. A rather steep price for a few minutes of glory!

These animals are killed so that their skin and pelts can be used as jackets, coats, sweaters, belts, shoes, and bags, to name a few.

Many luxury fashion brands act ruthlessly to exhibit uniqueness in their clothing through the use of fur and exotic animal skins, with only 23% showing commitment to animal welfare and sourcing transparency.

In order to promote and establish animal welfare, there’s a need to completely replace animal products and by-products with vegan alternatives in both fast fashion brands and luxury brands. No price tag justifies the cruel killing of animals to make humans look boujee!

What is Sustainable Fashion or Ethical Fashion?

Sustainable fashion or ethical fashion is a movement and process of creating fashion products that don’t have a negative impact on the environment and the wildlife from its planning to execution.

The main purpose of eso-friendly clothing

is to develop flourishing fashion ecosystems and evergreen trends with zero impact on the environment, humans, and wildlife.

Ethical fashion deals with the social and ethical values covering a garment’s production.

Ethical fashion does not end only on the questions:

Who made this garment?

Is that person earning a sufficient income for their work?

It’s also about the work environment, the employees’ protection, and the complete fulfillment of their rights. Most consumers perceive ethical fashion as a term used for industries that are unreasonable to their employees. It seeks to answer a lot more than that.

The ethical and eco-friendly fashion movement began alongside the modern ecological movement. The main credit goes to the biologist Rachel Carson whose 1962 book ‘Silent Spring‘ shed light on the increasing pollution caused by various chemicals.

Later, numerous trends in the 70s and 80s, such as the punk rock movement made vintage and second-hand fashion fashionable.

Ethical fashion became more prominent in 2013 when 1132 garment workers were brutally killed and approximately 2500 were severely injured in a Rana Plaza tragedy in Bangladesh. This unfortunate incident evoked a sense in people to ask meaningful questions about the fashion industry.

Why is Sustainable Fashion Important?

Sustainable and ethical fashion emphasizes the adaptable approach to clothing without any negative impact on the environment.

The main focus of eco-friendly clothing is to ensure natural resources do not get wasted, and no one suffers from poor and unacceptable health and safety conditions.  The significance of environmentally-friendly fashion is as under:

• Sustainable fashion does not generate tons of waste and produces decent-quality garments. On the flip side, fast fashion companies chase new trends at cheap prices regardless of the impact on the environment and quality.
• Eco-friendly fashion brands ensure reasonable wages are paid, and there’s a safe working environment for the workers.
• Sustainable clothing strives to reduce the carbon footprint of the whole supply chain by utilizing eco-friendly fabrics, low-energy manufacturing processes, and low-impact transportation.
• Environmentally-conscious fashion has become the lifesaver of animals. It uses the alternatives of animal skin to make fur and warm clothes, securing their lives and preventing the ecosystem from becoming vulnerable.

Sustainable Materials – What is the Most Eco-friendly Material?

Sustainable materials play a key role in producing nature-friendly attires. In this section, we will be discussing some of the most eco-friendly materials.

Organic Cotton

You must be aware of cotton, but here we are talking about organic cotton. It is an excellent conventional-cotton-alternative sustainable material.

So, what’s the difference between cotton and organic cotton?

Organic cotton is grown in the subtropical regions of the world, for instance, India, Pakistan, and Turkey. It grows without any usage of synthetic agricultural chemicals, i.e., pesticides and fertilizers.

Recycled cotton is also a good choice for sustainable materials.

Organic-Linen

Organic linen also falls under the ethical and sustainable materials category.

Organic linen is made from flax plants without any use of fertilizers and pesticides. The flax plant is an organic plant that grows all by itself without any active irrigation under favorable conditions.

Only 1% of linen is organic linen.

Recycled fabrics

Recycled fabric is one of the top priorities of today’s sustainable fashion promoters. It is created by using waste materials, for instance, polyester yarn from used plastic bottles.

The waste material is shredded and changed into new fibers, which, after further processing, are twirled to form new yarn or fabric.

The use of recycled fabric prevents recyclable waste from entering the landfills and reduces the demand for new fabric, which means less energy consumption.

Modal

Modal is one of the top sustainable fabrics specifically for the production of athleisure. It is also used in bathrobes and bedsheets.

Modal is an eco-friendly and completely biodegradable fabric that does not demand as much care as other fabrics do. It is made from softwood trees’ cellulose. Its manufacturing process is circular or in a closed loop because all the materials used in its manufacturing are either reused or recycled.

People often prioritize Modal over cotton due to its non-shrinkage quality.

Econyl

Econyl, the short for eco-nylon, is becoming a popular sustainable alternative to nylon.

Econyl is made from the waste of fishing nets, industrial plastic, and other synthetic waste. It produces nylon yarn identical to virgin nylon.

Many famous brands including the likes of Gucci and Burberry are using econyl in creating new collections. Prada is planning to replace nylon in its products with econyl.

Pinatex

People buying leather-made products are indirectly contributing to the cruelty of animal killing, as the real leather is made from their skins.

Pinatex is the very first plant-made leather alternative, prepared from the fibers of leftover leaves of pineapple trees, which become useless after their harvest.

Pinatex or vegan leather is one of the best leather alternatives. It gives a soft, flexible, and leather-like finish, with the promise of durability and distinctiveness.

Qmonos

Qmonos is developed by Spiber, a startup in Northern Japan. It is derived from the word ‘kumonosu‘, which means ‘spider web’ in Japanese.

Qmonos is synthetic spider silk. It is made by the fusion of spider silk genes and microbes.

Although it is made from spider silk, spiders don’t get harmed in its production, earning it the title of wildlife-friendly fiber.

Qmonos is an excellent alternative for petroleum-based fabrics such as polyester and nylon, staples in the sportswear industry.

Sustainable Fashion Market Size Analysis

As per the research of the Business Research Company, the fashion industry is ranked as the third most harmful industry to the environment. Up to 10% of carbon emissions are associated with this industry.

After extensive research on environmental pollution, people are being amenable and persuading themselves toward ethical or sustainable fashion. Both high-street and luxury brands are making a huge difference by promoting clothing made from environmentally-conscious and recycled materials.

Social media has also joined the fight and is spreading useful information about ethical and sustainable clothing all around the globe.

According to a research report, the sustainable fashion economy hit around $6.35 billion in 2019, which is huge compared to that in 2015.

The market is expected to hit an annual increase of about 6.8% by the year 2023 and by 2025 the market will reach up to $9.81 billion. Sustainable fashion will experience a boom by 2030 with a growth in market size to about $15.17 billion at an amazing compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.1%.

10 Tips To Do Sustainable Fashion

If you are looking for ways to switch to sustainable fashion, then here’s what you need to start.

On the other hand, if you want to learn more ways on how to live sustainably, then head over to ‘Sustainable Living Ideas to Incorporate in Daily Life‘.

1. Avoid Excessive Washing and Tumble Drying

Clothes are made from a vast variety of fabrics. Excessive washing dims your clothes’ shine and reduces their elasticity. Research has shown laundering is responsible for around 60% to 80% of a garment’s environmental burden.

There are certain precautions for washing your clothes that can maintain the quality and shine of your apparel without compromising the environment.

• Avoid excessive washing
• Wash in cold water
• If using hot water, wash at 30 °C or below to ensure energy saving (this could save you up to 40% of energy as compared to the conventional 40 °C temperature)
• The use of detergents is another question mark on sustainable washing, opt for nature-friendly alternatives.
• The tiny microfibers shed from the clothes during washing are uncapturable by the usual washing machines. Installing a filter will reduce the runoff of microfibers to the ocean and other water bodies. Our pick is Planet care!

Dryers are hefty energy consumers. They blow hot air to dry up your clothes and require extreme energy to function. Natural drying can play a crucial role in the environment’s safety. Hanging them on the clothesline is a natural and suitable practice that dries clothes through either wind or sunlight.

2. Purchase Garments Made From Sustainable Materials

If we say that our current generation is running after trends to look fashionable, then we won’t be wrong. Even though dolling oneself up, by no means, is wrong, but doing it through fast fashion brands and materials that don’t take sustainability into account will accelerate the looming climate crisis.

Therefore, one should always look for sustainable materials in their clothing choices. Here are a few tips that’ll help you in purchasing garments made from environmentally conscious materials and practices:

• If you’re a leather or fur lover, then you need to switch to vegan options, as we’re sure you don’t want to be a part of the atrocities done on the poor animals.
• Switch to organic fabrics. Seven sustainable types of fabrics are mentioned above with the details of their quality and characteristics.
• Look for brands that have sustainability at their core. Examples include Patagonia, Plant-Faced Clothing, and Re/Done.
• Always read the tags attached to the clothes to know the fabrics used in their making.

3. Recycle Your Clothes

Always recycle your clothes. It might seem like a daunting task, but it’s quite simple, and can even earn you a few bucks or save your family some extra cash. Here’s how:

• Distribute your clothes amongst your younger siblings or donate them to charity.
• If you want to earn a profit from your clothes, then sell them on the websites like Poshmark and Depop. Vintage pieces sell at a premium  
• If none of the above options work, then don’t throw your clothing items, put them in the recycling bin.
• If your wardrobe is a bit old-fashioned, then Google ideas to redo your clothes and transform them into new ones.

4. Organise Your Clothes

We shouldn’t be forgetting our chock-full closets when thinking about sustainability. Decluttering the unnecessary clothing items by recycling them as discussed above will make them come to good use.

Next, organize your clothes as per the season. You can mix and match spring and summer outfits as they have a similar vibe. Pair light-weight jackets with summer outfits to make them suitable for spring.

Similarly, pair autumn and winter outfits. Ditch the heavy-duty jackets in the autumn from the winter outfits to make them suitable for the slightly less cold weather.

The desire to buy the trending attire never ends, your thrifting mindset can assist you in fulfilling it without taking a toll on the environment.

One of the biggest advantages of organizing the wardrobe is you get hit with new ideas for styling. The old clothes can be paired up in several attractive ways that can save you from shopping for new ones.

Furthermore, when you declutter your closet, you get a chance to deep clean and dust your cupboards. It keeps your dresses lively and rescues them from fungal exposure.

5. Buy from Sustainable Brands

As realization dawned upon the fashion industry about its atrocities to the environment, various brands came out to protect the planet. Some of them are doing wonders in sustainable clothing:

Plant Faced Clothing

Plant-faced clothing is all about sustainably sourced materials and fair wages. They ensure that the workers making their creative vision come alive are paid well. Because of their efforts in this regard, they are certified by Fair Wear and WRAP. Did we mention that their packaging is 100% recycled paper and is printed from water-based inks?!

Reformation

Reformation is a sustainable clothing brand that started in 2009 as a small vintage clothing store and expanded to introduce its very own uniquely designed silhouettes. They ensure their workers are paid justly, which is evident from their collaboration with the Fair Labor Association and regular on-site social responsibility audits at their LA factory.

Re/Done

As the name indicates, Re/Done transforms the old fabrics into new garments with a fashion twist. Its specialty is turning used Levi’s jeans into vintage beauties. Even though they started out with denim, they’ve expanded offering a wide variety to choose from. Since its launch, they have saved 145,000 garments from the landfill fate.

6. Alter Pieces You Own

To counter the environmental impact of fashion, you can alter your existing clothes and turn them into upcycled masterpieces at the fraction of the cost of a new garment.

You can do this to any type of clothes regardless of whether they are shrunk, accidentally torn, or just out of fashion.

You can do this with thrifted clothes as well.

If you are worried about your stitching skills, then hop onto Skillshare (offering 30% off right now!) to access a vast treasure of stitching classes and courses.

7. Shop Vintage Clothes and Second-hand Items

If you are looking to purchase high-quality clothes, even luxury items, without making your bank account and the planet cry, then you should hop onto the trend of vintage, thrifted, and second-hand clothes.

For British people, it’s the charity shops, and for Americans, it’s the thrift stores.

You can also purchase such items online from Depop, Poshmark, and eBay.

8. Get informed and Watch Out for Greenwashing

Greenwashing is a term used to describe the deception done by companies who claim to be environmentally cautious, but are harming the environment, and using ‘sustainable’, or terms along these lines, for marketing tactics.

Here’s how you can spot who’s a climate warrior and who’s just a green washer:

1. Look for evidence of sustainability by researching the company. The best indication of a truly eco-friendly brand is its various certifications, for instance, Fair Trade or B Corp Certified.
2. If your research doesn’t find anything, then ask the company directly about the proof of their sustainable practices.
3. Conduct your own analysis, for instance, where’s the garment shipping from and how?
4. Look for third-party verifications of the brand.
5. Look through sites, books, and social pages. One such excellent source is the B Corp Directory.

9. Digital Fashion

If you’re someone who’s constantly on the lookout for new clothes to maintain your social media presence, then you should try out digital fashion.

In simple terminology, digital fashion involves photoshopping clothes on an image.

One such brand that is taking this concept to new heights is DressX. They have hundreds of designs from multiple designers in varying styles. Whether you want something avant-garde or something as simple as a white tee, you can get it there.

All you have to do is go to their website by clicking here. Choose your favorite outfit, click a few images, and share them. Their talented team will photoshop your chosen outfit on your image and you’ll be good to post it on whichever social media you like.

10. Avoid Harmful Manufacturing Processes

As discussed above, the production of daily wear consumes an improbable amount of natural resources. Being on the safer side, always look for options where less energy and fewer resources are used. Here’s how you can do it:

• Make sure it doesn’t contain animal-driven materials.
• There aren’t any artificial dyes involved in making the garments.
• The items aren’t manufactured far away from where you live as it racks up transportation emissions.
• Avoid brands using plastic packaging.
• Don’t purchase garments that contain nylon, polyester, polyamide, and acrylic.

We hope now you would be decently versed in sustainable fashion. Let us know in the comments below that which of these sustainable fashion tips you follow, and what’s your favorite sustainable brand. It’s always a treat to learn about new brands working towards making the Earth a sustainable planet!