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Google sustainable fashion and a bevy of brands come up offering sustainable, ethical, organic or eco-friendly clothing for women (and sometimes men). Yet, with all of these terms swirling around it might have you wondering just ‘what is sustainable fashion?’ And, whether you’re new to the sustainable space or an organic, zero-waste veteran, sometimes it pays to go back to the basics and revisit the meaning behind this phrase. If anything, just to avoid greenwashing (false advertising) and to ensure that you’re supporting the right fashion trends.
According to Wikipedia, sustainable fashion is ‘a movement and process of fostering change to fashion products and the fashion system towards greater ecological integrity and social justice’. And, that is our favorite definition so far for answering ‘what is sustainable fashion?’ It is a movement of activists, designers, consumers like you and I and more within the industry who are standing up for for our planet and humanity to ensure that fashion’s impact is more positive than negative.
Sustainable Fashion Is Too Expensive & Exclusive
False: Yes, fast fashion is the cheapest fashion you can buy, because the cost is pollution and cheap labor. Every wonder how a $2.99 shirt can exist? While you might not find that price range once you join the ethical side, there are affordable sustainable fashion brands that are in the same price range as contemporary brands. If you shop at Zara or H&M, you might be surprised to find that there are sustainable fashion brands within that price range. And, if you’re on a tight budget there are dozens of second-hand shops like ThredUp or Depop that offer you a chance to indulge in pre-loved items that are like-new but are up to 80% off the retail price.
Anything Made Overseas (India, China, Bangladesh) Is Always Bad Quality
False: The truth of the matter is that unsafe working conditions and wages in the single digits ($2.77 was the wage of workers at a L.A factory for Fashion Nova) are happening in the fashion industry right here in the U.S. While some countries have better reputations when it comes to the treatment of workers in these factories (Italy and Portugal for example) it doesn’t mean that location is always a factor when it comes to quality and fair labor practices. There are sustainable and waste-free factories in China and India that are doing the right thing just as there are ones manufacturing under unethical standards. That’s why it’s important for brands to vet these factories and transparently share with customers who make their clothes.
Vegan Leather Is Eco-Friendly
False: Have you heard of polyurethane? In the past a lot of vegan leathers were petroleum-based plastic materials. Sure, they mimicked leather, but between the manufacturing process, the chemicals used and the non biodegradable end product they were worse for the environment and our skin than leather products. Thankfully, a new crop of fruit-leathers are becoming the norm. These materials are made from plants like cactus, apple skins and pineapple leaves to achieve leather-like materials that are cruelty free and truly eco-friendly.
Organic Fabrics Are The Only Sustainable Fabrics
False: Yes, organic fabrics are better than conventional fabrics, because chemicals aren’t used during the farming or manufacturing process. Natural fabrics like hemp, cotton, linen and bamboo are breathable and even home heat-regulating or moisture wicking properties. However, technology has also stepped up to the plate to push the boundaries for what sustainable materials can be. Tencel, a fabric created from wood pulp is anti-bacterial, durable, made without toxic chemicals and requires less water than cotton. Econyl is a polyester fibre that is made from recycled plastic bottles and other plastic waste from our oceans. And, as mentioned before, Pinatex is a leather-like material that is made from pineapple leaf fibre. All of these are sustainable materials.
Certifications Are The Only Way To Tell If A Brand Or Factory Is Sustainable
False: We know. We were surprised by this one too. But, the fact is that some ethical, fair trade, organic, sustainable certifications come with a fee or a quota that smaller brands aren’t always able to meet. A family-owned brand that uses hand looms and organic materials might have sustainable practices, but may not be able to meet these fees to become officially recognized as sustainable. And, while these certifications fill in the gaps of a heavily unregulated industry, they are the only factor when it comes to determining whether or not a brand is sustainable.
Every Sustainable Brand Looks The Same
False: This is a comment read on a lot of forums, but do we really have to elaborate on this one? Here are 60+ sustainable fashion brands that definitely do not all look the same.
If It’s Sustainable Fashion… You Can Shop Till You Drop
False: It’s estimated that we purchase 400% more clothing than we did twenty years ago. That’s about 80 billion new pieces of clothing each and every year purchased worldwide. It’s not only brand that have to clean up their dirty habits. As consumers we have a responsibility to change our habits too. Shop for quality long lasting pieces. Decide whether you really need an item before you buy it. Hold onto clothes longer. Rework your closet before buying. These are all sustainable tips that we can adopt to help minimize consumerism, excess production and fashion’s unsustainable impact on the environment.
Here’s What To Know About New York’s Sustainable Fashion Act