You roll out of bed; peak out your window; then walk over to your closet. You slap on a pair of Levi Strauss jeans made from organic cotton, natural indigo dye, and recycled buttons, throw on a St. James linen, hand-dyed T-shirt, and slip on your everyday hemp Rainbow sandals. On your way out, you grab your vegetable-tanned and chrome-free leather, vintage pursue. You hit the pavement feeling good about your appearance and feeling good about your impact on the environment.

 

A new trend is rewriting the principles of fashion; a movement seeking to change and to address environmental and cultural conditions; an effort fueled by sustainability and eco-friendliness; a trend known as sustainable fashion.

 

Fast Fashion Stepping Out of the Limelight

Woven into the fabrics of fast fashion lays a harmful, detrimental reality – a dark looming cloud of pollution, waste, and hazards.

 

For example, polyester, the most widely used manufactured fiber, is made from an energy-intensive process requiring large amounts of crude oil (Luz). In manufacturing polyester, large amounts of volatile organic compounds, particulate matter, and acid gases are released into the environment, causing air pollution, wastewater, and respiratory diseases (Luz). During the manufacturing process, a number of chemicals are also used to color and finish the polyester textiles; thee are often dangerous to the manufacturers and the consumers (Luz).

 

Another example, cotton, one of the most popular and versatile fibers used in clothing manufacture, has also left a large, significant footprint on the environment (Luz). The harvesting of cotton accounts for a quarter of all the pesticides used annually in the United States (Luz). Additionally, pesticides have been shown to cause a range of health concerns in humans, ranging from headaches to neurological disorders (Luz). Cotton also requires large amount of water, taking 7,000-29,000 liters of water to produce only 1 kilo (2.20 pounds) of cotton (Sloth). Much of the cotton produced in the United States is exported to China, where the material is milled, woven into fabrics, processed, and manufactured at low labor costs (Luz). According to the U.S. National Labor Committee, some Chinese manufacturer workers make as little as 12-18 cents per hour working in poor conditions, including excessive working hours, forced overtime, denial of trade union rights, and sexual harassment (Luz; Janigo).

 

To address the environmental impacts of fast fashion at its source and to implement a new eco-friendly fashion trend, designers, producers, and manufacturers are looking to sustainable fashion.

 

Truly Sustainable Fashion – Hard to Find and Harder to Define

What, exactly, is sustainable fashion? It may seem obvious at first glance, as words like “green,” “organic,” and “recycled” come to mind. But, after delving into the myriad aspects of the fashion industry it becomes more apparent that the broad term, “sustainable fashion,” cannot be shoehorned into one, concrete definition (Yip).

 

The Criteria for a Sustainable Fashionista

Although there is not unified definition for sustainable fashion, five common criteria have emerged as the cornerstones of this fashion trend (Yip):

1. Does it use organic and naturally processed materials?

2. Does it incorporate recycled materials?

3. Is it ethically produced?

4. Is it locally made?

5. Is it made to last?

 

Sustainable fashion includes all aspects of a garment’s lifecycle, including fiber cultivation, fabric and garment production, manufacturing, distribution, consumer laundering, reuse, and final disposal (Black; Fletcher; Janigo). Many sustainable raw materials exist, such as organic cotton, lyocell, and recycled polyester. Other sustainable fibers used include soy, bamboo, corn, hemp, silk, and linen. Sustainable fashion materials are harvested and grown without harmful pesticides and with less irrigation sources (Fletcher). The manufacturing of sustainable textiles must use organic practices, techniques, and technologies that allow a reduction in the use of chemicals, bleaches, water, and energy. Its policies and practices are also based on recycling of industrial-by-products and low-waste pattern cutting (Black). Sustainable fashion thrives to manufacture products locally, ultimately helping sustain the local economy through increasing employment in the community. Sustainable fashion practices also respect the rights of workers throughout the supply chain, providing them with a safe, stable working environment with fair pay and benefits (Janigo). Sustainable fashion also incorporates the importance of clothing disposal, highlighting the significance of recycling and reusing (Rabolt, DeLeon, & Harrington).

 

Season’s Greening

In the late 1960’s, thanks to the tree-hugging hippies, the seeds of sustainable fashion were sown and the concepts of environmentally friendly fabrics began to grow. Despite the growing buzz, public demand was initially weak (Vogue). It wasn’t until the spring of 2002 that eco-fashion began to blossom, flourished by the launch of Stella McCartney’s animal friendly (no leather, no fur) clothing line (Vogue). The trend continued to spread and to gain popularity through the launch of Rogan Gregory and Scott Hahn’s designer organic-denim label, Loomstate, and Bono and Ali Hewson’s environmentally conscious brand, Edun (Vogue).

 

Starting in 2005, the sustainable fashionista trend captured the attention and gossip of the social media. Bold titles ran across the headings of fashion newspapers and blogs reading “Ethical Fabrics Gaining Popularity” (Women’s Wear Daily), “Eco-friendly: Why Green is the New Black” (International Herald Tribune), and “Green is the New Luxury” (Women’s Wear Daily) (Vogue). Green themes and sections were also implemented into fashion magazines and fashion shows. For example, in 2009, Vogue introduced Style Ethics, a section highlighting the best sustainable chic (Vogue). Shortly after, in 2010, New York Fashion Week went green, showcasing models wearing sustainable fabrics and taking measures to reduce waste of water and natural resources. Following in September, London Fashion Week presented its first official sustainable fashion show. Sustainable fashion has even thrust itself into the limelight of the Internet with popular online-sites, like Ecorazzi and Ecouterre (Vogue).

 

Today, many retailers of all price points are incorporating some element of sustainability into their design and operations (Janigo, 2011). Mass retailers, including Top Shop, H&M, and Gap, are incrementally integrating sustainable materials into their brands and fashion labels, through their use of organic and recycled materials (Bennie, Gazibara, & Murray, 2010). Additionally, these and other companies are implementing policies to ensure better treatment of their employees and to lessen their ecological footprint (Black, 2008).

 

Fashion Forward

Once upon a time, sustainable fashion was perceived as practical and functional, yet unattractive and boring, characterized by pillow-sack designs and dull, uncomfortable fabrics. What was believed to be good for the earth was extremely harsh on the eyes. The concepts of sustainable fashion were interpreted as an oxymoron. Some individuals were unable to foresee the potential in this new fashion trend. However, over these past generations, society has been able to see the magic and the beauty of creativity and ingenuity. Today, it is possible to walk into a trendy boutique, flip through the racks of hangers and find a pair of recycled polyester pants, a funky shirt made from wood pulp, a dress sewn from bamboo, or even a jacket constructed from re-used plastic bottle fleece. 

 

The future of fashion lies in the hands and minds of those who are designing all aspects of clothing. These individuals have the power to push fashion in a new direction that has never been showcased, purchased, or worn. It is the responsibility of the consumers to reach out and grasp this eco-friendly fashion concept, in order to promote a greener and cleaner tomorrow.

 

 

 

Works Cited

 

Bennie, F., Gazibara, I., & Murray, V. (2010, February). Fashion Futures 2025: Global scenarios for a sustainable fashion industry.

Black, S. (2008). Eco-chic: The fashion paradox. London, UK: Black Dog Publishing.

"Eco Fashion." - Voguepedia. N.p., n.d. <http://www.vogue.com/voguepedia/Eco_Fashion>

Fletcher, K. (2008). Sustainable fashion and textiles: design journeys. London, UK: Earthscan.

Janigo, K. A. (2011). Collaborative redesign of used clothes as a sustainable fashion solution: Exploring consumer interest and experience. ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, 133.

Luz, C. (2007). Waste couture: Environmental impact of the clothing industry. Environmental Health Perspectives, 115(9), A448-54.

Rabolt, N., DeLeon, M. & Harrington, M. (2010, October). Consumer behavior towards scenarios for a sustainable fashion industry. Poster session presented at the meeting of International Textile and Apparel Association, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

Soth, J. 1999 draft. “The Impact of Cotton on Freshwater Resources and Ecosystems—a preliminary synthesis.” Fact Report. C. Grasser and R. Salemo, eds. Zurich: World Wildlife Fund.

Yip, Davinia. "What Does Sustainable Fashion Mean to You?" What Is Sustainable Fashion? <http://www.bcliving.ca/style/what-does-sustainable-fashion-mean-to-you>