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Green fashion (commonly known as sustainable fashion or eco-fashion) is fashion that is designed to have minimal negative impact on the environment. It has become a lot more popular in recent years as a result of growing climate change awareness. Below are a few examples of how to dress sustainably.
Slow fashion
The phrase ‘fast fashion’ describes companies that regularly bring out new clothing that is cheaply made and designed to mimic current passing fads. The business model encourages customers to keep buying and throwing away clothing at a fast rate. Such clothing is often not eco-friendly to produce and results in a lot of waste. Consequently, more consumers are starting to embrace ‘slow fashion’. Such clothes are typically a little more expensive, but are designed to get much more wear - they incorporate timeless fashion trends and are much more durable.This in turn reduces waste and demand on clothing production.
Organic fabrics
A lot of clothing contains synthetic fabrics and dyes, which typically aren’t biodegradable and often produce more pollutants during manufacture and laundry. Organic materials like cotton, linen, bamboo and hemp are much more earth-friendly. They come from natural sources and are biodegradable. When buying clothes, consider opting for these materials over the likes of polyester and acrylic.
Recycled materials
Some clothing is made from recycled materials. This includes recycled organic fabrics and recycled synthetic fabrics. Some clothing is even made from recycled plastic objects like plastic bottles. Such clothing reduces waste by encouraging materials to be reused. Check out a few brands that produce clothing from recycled materials here at The Sustainable Living Guide.
Second-hand clothing
Buying second-hand clothing is technically another means of recycling. It discourages pre-owned clothes from ending up in landfill sites, instead giving them extended life as clothing. There are so many different places to shop for second hand clothes including local selling sites, eBay, thrift stores, charity stores, flea markets, consignment stores and clothing swap events. Look for clothes that are in good condition and still trendy (buying second-hand is a great way to save money on designer clothes).
Hand-crafted/DIY clothing
A lot of clothing is produced in factories that produce lots of emissions. Hand-crafted clothing is much more eco-friendly and can be another good option for those wanting to be more green. You can buy hand-crafted clothing on sites like Etsy. There’s also the option of making your own clothes if you have experience sewing or knitting. Sites like Rockywoods sell fabrics, including a range of eco-friendly fabrics.
The leather debate
Fabrics like leather are made from animal skins, and as a result many vegans don’t wear them. Instead, some vegans opt for synthetic leather, which does not involve any animal products in its manufacture. Unfortunately, vegan leather is worse for the planet than real leather because of the amounts of emissions produced to manufacture it and lack of biodegradability. Consequently, there is no truly ‘green’ solution to leather, and those buying leather clothes should be wary of this.
