Sustainable fashion a philosophy focused on designing, producing, consuming, and disposing of clothing in a way that respects both the planet and its people. Sustainable fashion empowers us to make choices that contribute to a more equitable, eco-conscious future. It’s a flexible approach that allows everyone to engage in ways that feel meaningful to them, ultimately encouraging a deeper relationship with our clothing, the people who make it, and the earth.

Why Avoid Fast Fashion?

Sustainable fashion is important to avoid fast fashion, which is a garment manufacturing model that designs, produces and ships cheap clothing at a rapid pace. This means that brands are releasing new collections every season at the cost of their garment workers. Since fast fashion needs to make new things really fast, it makes them the victims of high production targets.

• Workers are forced to work 10-16 hours a day, are not always guaranteed a lunch break and experience abuse by their bosses. And all this fast production of clothing is being purchased by people that will only wear it a couple of times.
• 85% of all textiles end up in landfills each year—equivalent to one garbage truck full of clothing dumped or burned every second.
• The fast fashion industry is also the second-largest consumer of the world’s water supply, pollutes oceans with microplastics, and accounts for 10% of global carbon emissions.

 

How to Embrace Sustainable Fashion?

One way to get started is by asking yourself, “Who made my clothes?” This question invites you to consider the journey behind each piece and reflect on why you choose the items in your wardrobe.

Embracing sustainable fashion can also mean

• repairing your clothes to extend their life,
• wearing items longer instead of discarding them, 
• making your own clothes, if you have the skills and time,
• finding secondhand items in good condition,
• reselling or donating clothing to local or charitable thrift stores.

These small actions help reduce waste, save money, and prevent garments from entering landfills. And you can always boycott fast fashion to no longer support the devastating effects it has on people and earth. No matter what you decide to do, make sure to be intentional. It does not have to be a huge change to make a difference. See what you can do and start from there.  

Every thoughtful action you take contributes to a more sustainable, conscious world!

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You may have come across terms like ‘slow fashion’, ‘ethical fashion’, ‘conscious fashion’, ‘circular fashion’, ‘green fashion’, ‘fair fashion’. These are all facets of sustainable fashion. Here’s a breakdown of each term within sustainable fashion, highlighting their distinct focuses:

1. Slow Fashion: This approach emphasizes quality over quantity, encouraging slower production schedules, durable materials, and thoughtful design. Slow fashion values timeless style over seasonal trends, promoting a more intentional and long-lasting wardrobe.
2. Ethical Fashion: Ethical fashion prioritizes fair labor practices, ensuring that workers are treated with respect and paid fair wages. It focuses on humane working conditions and often highlights transparency in the supply chain.
3. Conscious Fashion: Conscious fashion is about making mindful choices. Brands and consumers aim to minimize their impact on the environment and society by choosing sustainably sourced materials, reducing waste, and supporting ethical practices.
4. Circular Fashion: Circular fashion promotes a closed-loop system, where products are designed to be reused, repaired, and recycled rather than disposed of. The goal is to extend the life cycle of clothing and reduce waste by keeping garments in circulation.
5. Green Fashion: Green fashion focuses on eco-friendly practices, such as using organic or renewable materials, low-impact dyes, and sustainable packaging. It prioritizes reducing the environmental footprint of each garment.
6. Upcycled Fashion: Upcycled fashion involves creatively repurposing old or discarded materials into new, high-quality items. This practice reduces waste by breathing new life into materials that might otherwise end up in landfills.
7. Fair Fashion: Fair fashion emphasizes justice and fairness in every step of the supply chain. It includes fair wages, safe working conditions, and support for workers’ rights, aiming to build equity for everyone involved in the production process.

Each of these approaches contributes to sustainable fashion by focusing on different aspects—whether it’s environmental impact, worker rights, or waste reduction—but all share a commitment to a more responsible and ethical fashion industry.