Sustainable fashion, at its essence, refers to clothing and footwear that prioritize the well-being of both individuals and the environment. This entails ensuring fair wages for garment workers and adopting manufacturing practices that are more environmentally conscious.
The significance of this lies in the fact that it deviates significantly from the prevailing norm in the fashion industry. Sustainable fashion represents a revolutionary approach that constitutes a minority within the broader fashion landscape, serving as a direct countermeasure to unsustainable fashion. Fast fashion epitomizes the unsustainable fashion model, and it is often overlooked that the issue originates from the very clothes we wear.
The Problem: Fast Fashion
Fast Fashion aims to produce fashionable clothes rapidly and inexpensively. Despite the frequent release of low-cost items, there are numerous concealed expenses behind the $4.99 price tag that shoppers may not be aware of. Consider an ordinary t-shirt, for instance, which may be made entirely of cotton. One might assume that since it is a natural fabric, it cannot be too harmful.
Textile Fibers & Their Water Footprint
In fact, conventional cotton has its drawbacks. In comparison to organic cotton, conventional cotton has a higher impact on global warming, poses greater risks to the health and safety of farmers, and causes 5 times more water pollution.
To protect conventional cotton crops, farmers resort to using toxic insecticides. The cotton industry alone consumes 16% of the world's pesticides. Considering the extensive resources required for conventional cotton production, it's no surprise that many fast-fashion retailers have opted for cheaper synthetic fabrics. It is highly probable that our t-shirt is a blend of cotton and a synthetic fabric like polyester.
While synthetic fabrics may require less water, they are derived from harmful fossil fuels. According to Forbes, fast fashion's demand for this harmful material necessitates nearly 70 million barrels of oil annually.
Textile Waste
Textile Waste The damage caused by cheaply made clothes extends beyond production. One major drawback of cheap fashion is its low quality. Fast fashion items are intentionally poorly made so that they need to be replaced within a few months.
According to Newsweek, the average American discards 80 pounds of clothing each year. This poses a significant problem in terms of materials. While cotton, being a natural material, decomposes relatively quickly, polyester does not. It can take up to 200 years for polyester to fully decompose. If you want a more detailed explanation of the environmental impact of fast fashion, you can watch this video.
The negative consequences of fast fashion are already evident in our landfills and oceans, but they don't stop there. This cost-cutting production method also has a profound impact on human beings.
Harm to Garment Workers
In Bangladesh, one of the world's largest clothing manufacturers, garment workers earn an average of $96 per month, which is 3.5 times less than the amount deemed necessary by their government wage board for a "decent life with basic facilities."
The reason fast fashion companies can sell a t-shirt for $5.99 is because they do not pay their workers enough to afford food. The fast fashion model's increase in production demand has created a significant need for garment workers.
The U.S. Department of Labor discovered that in at least nine countries, this demand was being met through forced child labor. Fast fashion has achieved profitability by exploiting workers at every stage of production. So, what steps can be taken to address this issue?
The Solution: Conscious Fashion
We don't have to give up buying clothes to stop fast fashion; we just need to become better consumers. The sustainable fashion movement focuses on producing ethically made and environmentally friendly products. To determine if a brand is sustainable, it's important to consider two questions: Does it treat its workers well? Does it benefit the planet?
When shopping sustainably, it's crucial to support companies that provide fair wages to their workers and do not rely on child or slave labor. Additionally, it's advisable to choose brands with fair-trade certification or similar measures to ensure worker protection.
Regarding environmental impact, opt for brands that use sustainable fabrics and manufacturing methods. Sustainable shopping is about prioritizing quality over quantity. Investing in well-made items will give you more value for your money and reduce the likelihood of them ending up in a landfill after just a few uses.
Our company is also committed to the production of high quality clothing, such as our Ladies Coat, Ladies Dresses and Ladies Trousers are our best-selling products.
