(We’re well aware of the fact that the fashion industry is one of the most polluting industries in the world. Making an informed and conscious decision to shop with ethical and sustainable brands can make a huge difference to the planet and the people in it. With increasing environmental problems going on right now - deforestation, plastic pollution, climate change and loss of coral reefs - fashion might not be the most important topic in mind for most people as either looming problem or a solution. Unfortunately, it’s much worse than it seems. The clothing industry is nasty and is a major contributor to human and environmental damage. The good news is that taking up sustainable fashion will address many of these issues in ways you might not have expected. Here are a few compelling reasons that will force you to rethink the way you consumer fashion - both mentally and physically.
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Quality means less waste
Sustainability means focussing on quality and using materials that are built to last as opposed to materials that can be used and thrown. It is important to be kind to the environment and produce clothing that does the same. The clothing produced by fast fashion brands is not made to last and usually forces you to come back to buy more because of cheap quality. In choosing more suitable brands which provide quality and can hep you reduce your waste as well as the amount of clothing that you buy.
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You should do what’s important to you
Fast Fashion can be all about what’s new and trending, but we’ve been told so many times how to dress that we might have forgotten what our unique style really is like. Many sustainable fashion brands focus on creating pieces which are timeless, classic and high quality. You can curate your own personal style and say goodbye to wasting your hard-earned money on fashion trends and wear clothes that truly reflect your style.
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It's better for the Earth
The fashion industry can leave behind a huge environmental impact. From it’s impact on landfill, water consumption and power, to the insecticides and pesticides that are used to grow cotton and chemicals that make their way into the water supply and affects the health of those in the supply chain. So, it’s safe to say that fast fashion can be a real problem for the environment. In choosing the sustainable fashion option you can say no to supporting the negative environmental impact that the fashion industry has caused, and in return reduce your carbon footprint.
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It’s better for people working in the supply chain
Fast Fashion may have kept the cost of clothing down but only at the cost of low pay and conditions in developing countries. By switching to more sustainable options, these fashion brands will make sure that you are choosing clothing that is not taking advantage of workers or is using child labour.
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Sustainable Fashion Saves Natural Resources
A study conducted in 2015 shows that 97% of materials used to make clothing are all new resources. Only 3% of materials used are actually recycled materials. This ends up becoming an annual resource input of 98 million tonnes which includes the oil that is used to produce synthetic fibres, fertilisers used for cotton, and an endless list of chemicals used in dye and finish fabric. Over time recycled fabrics have proven to be a much more sustainable fashion option as they eventually reduce pressure on virgin resources and tackle the increasing problem of waste management.
There are innumerable reason why you should adopt sustainable fashion, and the ones above are just scratching the surface. So what are you waiting for? Adopt this sustainable fashion trend and feel good not only about yourself, but also the planet.
Published by: Ryan Williams/ 2020-02-20