What all that you need to know about Sustainable Fashion?

As we all become more aware of the profound environmental impact of our clothes — with the industry accounting for a shocking four to ten per cent of global greenhouse-gas emissions every year, the term "sustainable fashion" is becoming increasingly popular (and overused, with little evidence to back it up). But, exactly, what does "sustainable fashion" imply? 

In a nutshell, it's a catch-all phrase for clothes made and eaten so that they may be sustained while also safeguarding the environment and the people who make them. As a result, lowering CO2 emissions, addressing overproduction, minimizing pollution and waste, promoting biodiversity, and ensuring that garment workers are paid fair pay and work in safe circumstances are critical components of the sustainability matrix. 

Given the gigantic number of variables at play, there are still far too few brands addressing all of these complicated challenges, and even for those that do recognize, there's always room for improvement.

This means that simply purchasing things labeled as "sustainable" will not be enough; we must thoroughly reconsider our purchase patterns and how we consume clothing.

So, if you want to absolutely make sure that your wardrobe is as long-lasting as possible in the future, here is what you need to know and implement in your lifestyle. 

Support Sustainable Brands and Designers

Supporting designers who promote sustainable practices can also be part of buying better. Narrowing your search for specific items might also assist, whether you're looking for brands that produce more sustainably produced fitness, swimwear, or denim. 

Renting Clothes

Instead of purchasing a new dress for that wedding or Brunch date this summer, renting one is now easier than ever. According to one estimate, 50 million clothing are bought and worn just once every summer in the United Kingdom alone – a filthy habit we need to kick quickly, given that one trash truck of textiles is fired and landfilled every second. 

Avoid Green-washing

Green washing— brands making inaccurate, deceptive, or false statements to make it appear more eco-friendly than it is, is becoming more common as consumers grow more conscious of their environmental imprint. Look beyond buzzwords like "sustainable," "eco-friendly," "aware," and "responsible" to determine if companies have policies that back up their claims. 

Enquire about who made your clothes

With the epidemic showcasing the tremendous hardships that garment workers suffer worldwide, those who create our garments must be paid fairly and work in safe circumstances. Seek out companies that are transparent about their factories and their salary and working-condition standards.

Support eco-friendly brands

Eco-conscious firms are starting to think about how fashion may positively impact the environment instead of just lowering it. Regenerative agriculture is a developing movement in fashion that tries to restore soil health and biodiversity by using agricultural practices such as no-tilling and cultivating cover crops. 

Watch out for chemicals.

Chemicals used to sanitize our garments are a big worry, contaminating local rivers and putting garment workers in danger. Keep an eye out for the OEKO-TEX Made in Green and Blue-sign certifications, which specify chemical usage limitations during the production process.

Look after your clothes.

When it comes to minimizing your garment's environmental imprint and ensuring they don't end up clogging landfill sites just after wearing the clothing one or two times, extending the life of your clothes is critical. Make your clothing pieces last as long as you possibly can by not over washing them (which reduces CO2 emissions and water usage) and fixing them rather than tossing them away.

Give your clothes a second life

Being mindful of how you get rid of your clothes when cleaning out your closet will resist them from ending up in a landfill. Reselling your clothes or hosting a clothing swap is the most incredible method to ensure they get a second life. It does donate to charities and organizations that need worn clothing.

Wherever possible, search for recycling schemes expressly for worn-out pieces that can no longer be mended and utilized.

Resist Micro plastic Pollution

Washing garments can unleash thousands of micro plastics into our waterways and oceans, causing harm to marine species that eat the tiny particles because it's challenging to eliminate synthetics (nylon and elastin are still essential in athletics and underwear to obtain that all-important stretch).

Fortunately, there is a simple solution: purchase a micro plastics filter and place your synthetic items in it with your laundry.

Vegan Fashion

While animal-derived materials like leather and wool raise environmental and ethical problems, vegan substitutes, which frequently contain synthetics, can be equally destructive to the environment. Fortunately, intriguing new products are emerging. 

Reduction of Water Footprint

Given that textile manufacture consumes a staggering 93 billion cubic meters of water each year — the equivalent of almost 37 million swimming pools, we should all be more mindful of our clothing's water footprint. Organic cotton, as previously stated, consumes substantially less water than conventional cotton, and the use of low-water dyes also helps save water. 

Know what materials you're wearing

When it comes to making more sustainable clothing item purchases, it's critical to understand the impact of materials. A reasonable rule is to bypass pure synthetic polyester, which accounts for 55% of all clothing worldwide because they are made from fossil fuels and take years to degrade.

Not all natural materials are created the same way: organic cotton, for example, consumes substantially less water and does not contain harmful pesticides than conventional cotton.

To ensure that the materials used to produce your clothes have a lower impact on our world, look for certifications from the Global Organic Textile Standard (for cotton and wool), Leather Working Group (for leather), and Forest Stewardship Council (for viscose).

Final Thoughts

With the introduction of next-generation materials, 3D printing, and block chain advancements, the seeds of the future of fashion are already sprouting. The question now is how to take advantage of these advancements to design and execute new systems to address the current fashion industry's flaws.

In the end, it is humans that make the garments, not the materials.