Fashion plays a major part in our global economy with annual revenues totalling over $1 trillion. However it also play a major part in harming the environment and upping carbon emissions.
Sustainable fashion is about meeting todays needs in terms of clothing while ensuring that the way we go about meeting these needs meets future needs also.
The fast fashion industry is responsible for high carbon emissions, water pollution, and large amounts of landfill waste and is one of the largest polluters in the world. The fast fashion industry emits 1.2 billion tons of CO2 equivalent per year.
When you are shopping online or in stores, you will definitely see big brands advertising themselves as 'sustainable' as the fabric used in their clothing is made from recycledmaterial. It may seem pretty promising at first glance, but when you do your research you find out that only a small percentage of the fabric used in their clothing is made from recycled materials. A lot of these brands are also fast fashion brands which means they mass produce clothing for cheap in sweat shops which are dangerous work conditions and pay their workers very little. So, if you are concious of being sustainable while buying clothes, do your research on the brands.
Some brands to avoid are Shien, H&M, Boohoo, Forever 21, Urban Outfitters, Penneys, Missguided, Victoria Secret, Brandy Melville, YesStyle, Romwe, Gap, TopShop and more.
Some brands that are sustainable are Patagonia, TOMS, Lucy and Yak, Plant Faced Clothing and Ninety Percent. You could also buy clothes second hand from charity shops or on online shops like Depop, Vinted, ThredUP and eBay.
Fast fashion has an enormous environmental footprint for both its production and disposal. Clothing production requires a considerable amount of energy and resources, while it depends on toxic fabric dyes and other chemicals that contaminate fresh water. Fashion produces a tenth of the world's carbon emissions.