SUSTAINABILITY
This is why you need to pay attention to sustainable fashion (and these are the brands you should look out for)
Why not start your New Year's resolution early?
The concept of 'sustainability' is inherently at odds with the traditional world of fashion.
An industry that makes a living by providing its fans with the very newest trends that haven't been seen or used before is surely one of the most unsustainable imaginable. And that's exactly what it is.
Reportedly the world's second most polluting industry after oil, the very nature of fashion's quick trend turnover renders it so damaging that it has become one of the most environmentally crippling industries on the planet. And, according to a recent report, it's only getting worse, with the textile industry emitting more greenhouse gas emissions than international shipping and aviation combined.
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So while 'sustainable fashion' may have a reputation of being a serious snore-fest term that brands throw around in order to be seen to be fulfilling corporate social responsibility, it's an important answer to a very real problem.
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What is 'sustainable fashion'?
Many people confuse 'sustainable fashion' with 'ethical fashion', and while the two are unquestionably linked, the concept of sustainability in the industry refers to the effects of the production of clothing on the environment (ethical fashion concerns the way clothing is made - encompassing everything from how the cotton was grown to whether and how animals are used, and how the garment workers are treated).
The very basic aim of fashion sustainability is to ensure that clothing is manufactured in such a way that the product's life cycle minimises any undesirable environmental effect.
Which brands are championing sustainability?
While the on-going detrimental effects of the fashion industry are drilled into us, there are a number of brands acknowledging the issues and adapting their businesses to create change. Not because they need to look "good" but because it makes long-term economic sense.
Every year, thousands of tonnes of clothes are thrown away with household waste and as much as 95% of those clothes could be recycled. Buying new materials doesn't make business sense when a brand could reuse what they have already. Waste doesn't make business sense.
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Leading the charge is Stella McCartney, label launched in 2001 that it's possible to create sustainable, ethical, trend-led collections without damaging our planet. "We challenge, push boundaries to make luxurious products in a way that's fit for the world we live in today and the future", McCartney's website reads, "No compromises."
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