If you were paying attention to fashion month, which just took place in New York City in the fall of 2019, you undoubtedly heard the echo of “sustainable fashion” used over and over again. Clearly, the fashion industry is getting on board with the idea of creating more environmentally friendly clothing.
I think we can all agree that we need to figure out how to be more sustainable in every aspect of our lives, and that includes fashion. From sourcing clothing from more sustainable sources to being more thoughtful in the ways we wear, wash, and discard our clothes, here’s everything you need to know about sustainable fashion and eco-friendly clothing.
History of sustainable fashion
While it sounds trendy now, fashion has, historically, been sustainable. Think back to hundreds of years ago, when people only had a few articles of clothing that they made out of materials they had on-hand. Outside of nobility, people might have a set of clothes for church, a set of working clothes, and a set of house clothes. When they couldn’t wear their clothes anymore, they repurposed materials. Nothing was wasted.
Fast forward a few hundred years, and we have clothes for every occasion imaginable. The instant a fashion trend emerges on the runway, it’s available in stores for a very low cost. And once the trend is over, we simply throw it away.
What happened?
The history of American fashion as we know it dates back to the 19th century, during the rise of the Industrial Revolution. This was when department stores were making their debut and fashion was moving from customized articles of clothing to mass-produced lines, thanks to the sewing machine and unfortunately lax labor laws.
Consumerism hit its peak after World War II. The 1950s and 1960s saw a proliferation of strip malls and department stores. At this point, American clothes were still manufactured in the United States. That remained the norm until the late 20th century when the U.S. and other countries agreed to a quota system that limited how many textiles could be imported from other countries. The result was a rise in costs for domestic textile products. The quota system was replaced by a World Trade Organization agreement in 2005. This agreement made it significantly cheaper and easier to outsource the manufacturing of clothing overseas.
Today, most American clothes are made in other countries—generally, third-world countries that have far less stringent regulations when it comes to important things like child labor laws and safe working environments.
Why is sustainable fashion important?
The increased production and consumption of fashion are ruining our planet.
With more people than ever living on the planet, we need to find ways to use resources more responsibly. One way to do that is through sustainable fashion. Taking responsibility for where our clothing is sourced, how the people who make our clothing are being treated, and where our clothes end up when we no longer need or want them can be a big step toward tackling climate change. Fashion is the perfect starting point if you’re looking for ways to live more sustainably.
Consider this. On average, Americans spend $350 billion a day shopping for clothes. That’s an enormous amount of money! If we give our dollars to companies that are rooted in sustainable practices and who give back through charitable contributions and volunteer work, then our money would be directly going toward improving conditions around the world. You can improve working conditions for the people who make your clothes by being choosy about what company you buy your clothes from.
Even better, you don’t need to seek out these clothing companies for yourself. Places like DoneGood do the work for you to find eco-friendly manufacturers who are dedicated to using sustainable practices in sourcing, creating, and distributing their products.
Finding sustainability in a fast fashion culture
Today’s world is full of “fast fashion.” This has been a trend since the 1990s, with stores like H&M and Forever 21 popping up globally as affordable retailers for fashion-conscious consumers.
With fast fashion, retailers move design trends from the catwalk to the store quickly and cheaply. You can buy a designer-inspired shirt for under $10—a price so cheap that most consumers don’t mind if they only wear it once or twice before throwing it away.
Unfortunately, this means that clothes move from your closet to the trash at breakneck speed. This has a devastating impact on the planet, especially because fast fashion tends to use cheap (and toxic) textile dyes. In fact, the fashion industry is the second-largest source of clean water pollution in the world (the first is agriculture).
Fashion materials and their global impact
The materials used to create fast fashion articles are largely to blame for the environmental impacts fashion has. For instance, polyester, which is one of the more popular fabrics in fast fashion, is derived from fossil fuels. When you wash polyester, the material sheds microfibers that contribute to increasing levels of plastic in the world’s oceans.
Even more natural materials are still hazardous. Take cotton, for example. Though it’s sourced more naturally than materials like polyester, it still wreaks havoc on the environment, particularly when it’s used at a fast-pace for fast fashion. Cotton requires huge quantities of water and pesticides. It’s usually sourced from developing countries. Growing cotton for fast fashion, even organic cotton, can result in drought, placing huge burdens on the communities who count on growing cotton for their livelihood.
In addition to impacting people, growing materials for fast fashion places a huge strain on the environment. It can reduce soil quality and impact biodiversity.
And this is all just for growing the materials. Keep in mind that fast fashion pieces aren’t meant to be timeless. They’re meant to be worn a few times and then thrown away. In just the U.K., an estimated 235 million articles of clothing were estimated to be sent to the landfill in Spring 2017.
The human cost of fast fashion
To make the most profit, a lot of companies are outsourcing the production of fast fashion to third-world countries. When done unsustainably, this can have a devastating human cost. Garment workers often work for low wages in dangerous environments. Farmers might be exposed to toxic chemicals that impact their health and the health of their families.
This is all for the short-lived joy of wearing a trendy shirt once or twice. The concept of fast fashion induces a throwaway culture, in which we, as consumers, constantly feel the pressure to have “in the moment” fashion pieces. We end up buying more than we need and throwing away more than the Earth can sustain. It’s a terrible cycle, and it needs to stop.
Forms of more sustainable fashion
The good news is that you aren’t doomed to participate in the shortened life cycle of fashion forever. More fashion companies are finding ways to ethically source clothing. This reduces harm to the environment and empowers the farmers and garment workers instead of hurting them.
Here are some things to look for when you want to buy environmentally-friendly clothes:
Green and clean production
If you want newly produced clothes, look for businesses focused on green and clean fashion production. Business models focused on producing clothes in a green and clean way are conscious of where their fibers and dyes are sourced to protect the people who make, buy, and wear them.
These products are generally made from organically grown fibers and natural materials that are biodegradable. These clothing companies use natural dyes and are consciously less wasteful when making patterns.
Fair and ethical fashion production
Many companies consider human rights and animal rights when creating their products. These brands prioritize transparency in their supply chain. They also tend to seek to preserve cultural heritage.
Companies focused on fair and ethical production use ethical labor practices and may be vegan. They are often fair trade certified, which ensures the farmers who source the materials are fairly compensated for their labor. They are environmentally, socially, and ethically conscious.
Secondhand vintage clothes
Fashion is cyclical, which is good news for anyone who loves a good thrift store. By shopping secondhand vintage stores, you don’t just save the environment by buying clothes that have already been worn. You can also walk away with some hard-to-find styles in great condition.
When you’re done using your clothes, don’t throw them away. See if you can sell or donate them to a secondhand store so somebody else can use them. A lot of stores will recycle your old clothes for you. H&M, for instance, encourages customers to recycle their clothes from any brand and in any condition. Simply bring your old clothes to their stores in exchange for a discount.
Custom made clothes
Clothes made just for you are more expensive upfront. However, they are made with higher quality materials and are designed to fit you perfectly. You’ll be able to wear them for years instead of needing to replace them quickly.
When clothes are custom made, they slow down the manufacturing cycle by only using the amount of raw materials that are needed. This reduces waste.
What to look for in sustainable fashion in 2020
While no article of clothing is 100 percent sustainable, there are ways to produce and consume fashion in a more sustainable way that will help the environment, cut down on waste, and be more responsible for the humans involved in the process. The fashion industry is pivoting toward more sustainable fashion, as we saw during fashion month. If you want to take your business to companies that promote sustainability, Good Housekeeping has a great list to get you started.
Fortunately, the trend of sustainable fashion is catching on. With more people accepting it and working towards a culture of sustainability, this is one trend that won’t be casually thrown away.
Kate Williams has a Ph.D. in English and freelance writer. She is also the CEO of People First Content, a…
