Defining a Sustainable Fashion Brand
Defining a Sustainable Fashion Brand
What does sustainability mean in fashion?
Sustainable fashion is a growing trend. People want to know where their clothes come from and how they are made. Some consumers want to buy products that are ethically made and/or sustainably produced. Others are interested in knowing how their clothing fits into the world and what is being done to preserve the planet.
There is a growing awareness of the environmental impact of consuming materials. With this awareness, many people are beginning to think about their own consumption habits.
What makes a brand truly sustainable?
Fashion’s move towards sustainability has been in motion for many years. It’s now a genuine revolution. The growing demand for organic, eco-friendly, fair, and socially responsible products is fueled by a growing awareness about the environment, climate change prevention, and conscious consumerism.
This move by many brands, like Cape Cod Chokers and even major corporations, is helping to drive the growth of the sustainable fashion market. It’s driving consumers to support brands that give back and are making a difference.
When it comes to determining brand sustainability, the production chain has so many variables that it is not always easy to make the (environmentally) right decision. Here are our criteria on how to determine if a brand is truly sustainable.
Natural and biodegradable fabrics
The use of organic materials is one of the most obvious aspects of creating a sustainable fashion brand. 100% of the fabric should be made from the same material as organically grown. This makes a product that's not harmful to the environment.
The production of leather, silk, and wool is unethical and harmful to the environment as well as to the animals, so the fabric should be vegan. Synthetic fabrics taint the oceans with microplastics, but using natural and organic materials simply doesn't.
Avoiding plastic and packaging waste
Plastic used in packaging is one of the problems. Fashion can only be sustainable if all the steps in the production chain are considered. Plastic-free or recycled packaging is needed for a sustainable fashion brand.
Natural dyeing methods
Toxic chemicals are often used to color our clothing. It's important to avoid using them when dyeing because they can pollute our oceans. These toxic dyes, which release around 20,000 different chemicals into the environment, are considered to be the fashion industry's biggest problem.
The textile industry uses 1.9 billion liters of drinking water every year to dye fabrics. And nearly three-quarters of that ends up as undrinkable wastewater—a toxic soup of dyes, salts, alkalis, heavy metals, and chemicals that threaten ecosystems and wildlife in our oceans and on land. The fashion industry is the largest contributor to water pollution worldwide. If we want to reduce water pollution, we have to change the way we produce and consume clothes. Sustainable fashion companies should definitely use natural dyes or stay away from them completely.
Low resource consumption and green energy
Even when using natural dyes, the fashion industry still has to lower their resources. A sustainable brand is one that uses resources in a conscious manner. Reducing water consumption and engaging with green practices in the production chain is part of low resource consumption. Some practices that can be used to reduce the carbon footprint include using green energy in factories; recycling and reusing water after the natural dyeing process; and other practices.
Fair production
Another significant criteria that makes a fashion brand sustainable is that its production is not only respectful of the environment but also of people. Therefore, the working conditions that sustainable fashion brands rely on should always be fair and respectful. This includes reasonable working hours, fair wages, and, of course, banning child labor.
Carbon neutrality
Ecological footprints are still left by fashion brands even after adopting sustainable practices. Some fashion brands buy carbon offsets to reach carbon neutrality. While carbon offsetting is picking up steam with both individuals and companies, fashion brands should also try to offset emissions by financially supporting projects such as reforestation. Some companies can reach carbon neutrality by buying offsets, without ever changing their fashion practices. Larger and more fundamental efforts around sustainable fashion should be complemented by offsets.
Looking for a brand that hits all of these criterias? Visit Cape Cod Chokers, Earth First, Always.