Global warming and climate change have resulted in debates on sustainability. It is said that fashion is the second largest industry polluting the world after the oil and gas industry. This may not be correct but it lies in the list top 10 industries for sure. Those who want to address the issue, sustainable fashion is the answer.

What is Sustainable Fashion?

Sustainable fashion is also known by the names fair trade fashion, slow fashion and ethical fashion. What exactly do these terms mean?  Before discussing that, let’s dive into fast fashion. The meaning is evident to most readers. Instead of sticking to a few trends per year, we continuously switch to newer trends. We don’t re-wear old clothes. We throw them away sooner even though they shouldn’t be disposed yet. Then, we buy more clothes.

To meet the high demand of consumers, the fashion industry has to compromise on the quality of the garments. It also takes a toll on the environment with all the use of chemicals. Cheap labor is hired and the working conditions provided are not even remotely fair.

Sustainable fashion rejects the fast fashion industry practices and promotes ethical sourcing in apparel industry. It focuses on creating favorable working conditions for labor and so much more. Lena from TheBrownDress has created a full-on guide to understand Sustainable Fashion more in depth, and how to contribute. 

Why Does Sustainable Fashion Matter?

Sustainable fashion combines the social and environmental impact of fashion. Not only does it seek to improve the working conditions of the labor, but the environmental impact of producing clothes.

Slow fashion promotes quality garments manufactured by keeping the longevity factor into consideration. This reduces strain on the workers as they are not pressured to meet the short deadlines. Environmentally friendly fabrics are used to create quality items that last for a long time.

Consumers fail to realize that fast fashion costs a lot higher than imagined. From the amount of time you spend on buying clothing to the stress of what to wear, fast fashion steals the hours of peace from your life. 

Sustainable, ethically made fashion is here to replace it all. It matters because of the following:

• Saves natural resources used in the production of clothing
• Reduces carbon footprint by recycling fabrics and using less energy
• Saves animal lives by embracing cruelty-free alternatives
• Requires less water
• Supports fair and safe working conditions
• Cares for the health of people and the planet
• Makes us love our clothes again