While the fashion industry has made tremendous strides toward sustainability, manufacturers continually face mounting pressure from eco-conscious consumers and environmental activists. However, for the everyday fashion enthusiast, the cost of sustainable fashion materials seems to be out of reach. Why is that? Is it possible to make sustainable fashion cost-effective for shoppers and suppliers? That's what we hope to discover.
What is Sustainable Fashion?
To know how to source sustainable materials, you must first understand what sustainable fashion is. Simply put, sustainable fashion refers to any clothing item designed, manufactured, and distributed in an environmentally-friendly manner. They will often use sustainable fabrics such as organic cotton, hemp, or recycled polyester, and even specialty fabrics like Tencel, Piñatex, or Econyl. These materials are popular because they have less of a negative impact on the environment.
Sustainable fashion brands will typically establish a production method that aligns with lessening their carbon footprint as much as possible. For example, many sustainable clothing brands may only use renewable energy to power their factories, manufacture their clothes on demand, use recycled materials for packaging, and limit fabric dyes, water consumption, and textile waste during production.
Why is Sustainable Fashion Important?
Clothing brands should focus on sustainable fashion because of the direct impacts the current fashion model has on our planet. In the present landscape, fast fashion remains dominant and attracts a much wider audience despite lacking the quality needed for longevity. Fast fashion is far away from sustainability because the increased production schedules and high consumption rates deplete the planet's natural resources at an alarming rate, set unsafe working conditions, and generate a staggering amount of waste.
Clothing should not be designed with the message of being cheap or disposable. Fashion brands should not lead shoppers to believe their clothes are intended to be consumed and tossed aside at the end of each season. Sustainability should be the driving force because it is society's best chance to reduce pollution and preserve natural resources.
The pendulum is beginning to shift in support of sustainable fashion. Remake, a global advocacy organization, reported that 80 percent of fashion consumers are in favor of greater ethical and sustainable practices within the fashion world, so now it's time for the clothing brands to catch up.
There are several sustainability best practices that any fashion brand can follow, including:
Using less water
Using renewable energy to manufacture goods
Using recycled fabrics in their clothing
Using recycled materials in shipping packaging
Eliminating unethical disposal
Establishing fair labor practices and fair wages for all factory workers
Why Are Sustainable Fashion Materials More Expensive?
Scaling sustainable fashion materials is more expensive than conventional clothing because the organic fibers used to produce each garment tend to be free of pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, and GMOs. Organic fabrics often have a limited number of certified growers, and in some cases, are regulated by the government or subject to heftier guidelines. The combination of increased regulation, high demand, and limited supply all contribute to an increase in cost for sustainable fashion. Additionally, providing fair wages and a safe working environment costs more than outsourcing labor from unregulated factories.
Will Sustainable Fashion Materials Become More Affordable?
Sustainable fashion materials are not destined to remain as expensive as they once were. Several instances point toward an affordable means of sustainable fashion, including the secondhand shopping market. Thrifting is becoming increasingly popular because it provides an affordable alternative for clothes shopping and encourages consumers to reuse fashion products.