(Over the past few years, fashion consumers have become highly aware of the negative impacts of their purchasing choices on the environment. If people know of their over-reliance on fast fashion, the more likely they are to slow down and make more sustainable fashion choices.
About 150 fashion brands signed the G7 Fashion Pact earlier this year, a coalition aimed to fight the adverse environmental effects of certain practices within the fashion industry. It is not thoughtless then to assume that the clothing colors, styles, materials and production practices to feature in most aspects of the fashion industry come 2020 are likely to reflect this increased desire for sustainability.
1. Kelp and Koba faux fur
Koba is a sustainable raw material that’s made from the byproduct of corn and is being currently used by a few select brands in the bio-based faux fur coat sector of the fashion industry. Since cruelty-free and vegan fashion brands are on the rise, we expect this to be a material to watch out for in 2020.
2. Ocean vibes
Many people and youngsters across the globe are participating in climate marches and environmental protests, and are keen to protect the pale, blue dot that we all call home. This is what will propel the popularity of fashion products that come in the more calming, darker and deeper shades of blue reminiscent of our oceans and water bodies. Trend forecasters have said that nature-inspired colors will dominate next year, with a marked tilt towards the brilliant colors of the sea.
3. Organic Materials
Organic cotton is becoming ever so popular and eco-friendly alternatives to conventional cotton is growing without the heavy use of chemicals that can cause harm to farmers and the natural environment, and requires fewer inputs and water.
4. Less is More
More and more people are becoming eco-aware and a part of this change is the awareness and understanding one’s wardrobe needs to not overflow with clothes and accessories while making the best of your looks. The idea is to create a sort of a capsule wardrobe and this year more and more people have been encouraged to explore their own personal styles with better quality clothes.
5. The growing trend of pineapple leaves
This trend has burst onto the modern-day sustainable fashion scene several years ago and became increasingly popular, but clothes made out of fibers from pineapple leaves were in fact not that unusual. Long before the era of cheap cotton, pineapple silk was considered a symbol of affluence in the Philippines, Brazil, and Hawaii. Luckily for us, owing to the increased awareness of consumers today, more fashion brands have started exploring the use of pineapple fibers in their products once again.
6. Rentals Are Increasing
The rental market within the fashion industry has always been quite large, although much of this has been limited to evening ensembles. Much of this was driven by the fact that many women wear certain clothes three times or less, which later led to the popularity of subscription services.
This has undergone a significant change over the past few years, with everyday wear being one of the main drivers of this. Many large brands have capitalized on this growth, such as Levi’s and J. Crew. This has further improved the sustainability aspect of the niche. While much of this still has to be determined, it plays a large role in many brands going green, which can be improved with various production processes.
Published by: Vibhuti Vazirani/ 2020-01-08