What is Sustainable Fashion? An Explanation and 10 Ways You Can Get Involved!

IT’S FASHION’S FAVOURITE BUZZWORD, YOU SEE IT ALL OVER THE PLACE, IN ADVERTS, IN STORES OR ON SOCIAL MEDIA, IT’S UBIQUITOUS. BUT WHAT DOES IT MEAN? HERE’S EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW.

words by HOLLY KELSEY
imagery by ANDREW DAY
creative direction SARAH MARIE FRANKEN

WHAT IS SUSTAINABLE FASHION?

The Cambridge dictionary definition of sustainability is: “the quality of causing little or no damage to the environment and therefore able to continue for a long time.” Sustainable fashion is when brands create garments in ways that have the least harm on people and planet, reducing the environmental impact wherever possible. Sustainable fashion is having a garment with a long lifespan and not some passing trend or low quality piece that you will throw away in a couple of seasons.

IS IT THE SAME AS SLOW FASHION, ETHICAL FASHION AND CIRCULAR FASHION?

There are a few related terms we want to clear up for you! With so many buzzwords it can be difficult to really know exactly just what sustainable fashion is. You may have heard the phrases slow fashion, eco fashion, ethical fashion, conscious fashion or even circular fashion. In general terms they all have the same goal of wanting to have a positive impact.

Slow fashion’s purpose is all about longevity. It’s the opposite of fast fashion, more about quality rather than quantity, all about timeless pieces that will last a life time.

With ethical fashion, the focus is more on what is fair with regard to the treatment of everyone who inhabits our planet, which includes both humans and animals. This may not put environment at the forefront but instead the welfare of animals and humans involved in the whole process of a garment whether its living wages and healthy working conditions for factory workers or animal welfare and husbandry.

Circular fashion is extending the lifespan of clothes - rather than throwing them away. Instead the purpose is one of cradle to cradle, finding new ways to give clothes another life through recycling, reselling and up-cycling etc.

Watch out for Greenwashing!

Sadly the word sustainability is slowly losing its worth. Many brands are exploiting it for marketing purposes - otherwise known as greenwashing. The term is not used in a way that is genuine. This is one of the key reasons why it is so difficult to know what sustainable fashion is, when a lot of fashion brands frequently subvert its meaning for purely commercial purpose.

10 quick and easy Ways to get involved in the Slow Fashion Movement

Buy garments that are made from natural fibres - such as organic cotton, linen, hemp, bamboo (basically try to avoid anything with polyester!)

Support locally made - look for clothes that are produced in the same country (or at least in the same continent!)

Don’t buy fast fashion - such as Zara, Boohoo, Pretty Little Thing, Primark, etc. They copy other brands using their ideas on the market and produce them in horrible conditions with bad materials that are both toxic for the planet and people. Let’s get into other ways to dress trendy without supporting a system like that!

Don’t fall for greenwashing campaigns - not every brand that says they’re sustainable is actually telling the truth. Be aware of this and look into the materials they use, where they produce and who made the clothes.

Buy from brands that are B-corp certified or from small independent brands - B-Corp certificate represents the equilivent of an Oscar for sustainable fashion brands. Brands that produce on a smaller scale are more likely to implement healthier practices and have better quality garments.

Try vintage or secondhand - this has the most immediate effect and it’s a great way to minimise one’s impact on the planet.

Buy less but better - choose quality over quantity. If you invest in one item that is better made with better materials, it will outlive lots of low quality items that you’ll soon grow tired of.

Try rental fashion - whether you want to rent an outfit or want to rent out your wardrobe, it helps to steer people away from overconsumption. We wrote an article on rental options here.

Restore your old clothes - adjust that dress that doesn’t quite fit you anymore by taking it to a seamstress. If you want to really change up an item, try having it up-cycled! For example, try turning a pair of old jeans into a skirt or shorts!

Host or attend a clothing swap! - we recently wrote an article about seven ways to give your old garments a second life so they don’t end up in landfills. Your unwanted clothes could be someone else’s treasure or vice versa.

If you are struggling to know how sustainable fashion is when you next walk into a store or browse online, we recommend using the Good on You app (we wrote about it here) just to give yourself a helping hand! We have so much hope for a more sustainable future in fashion and it all starts with us as consumers - let’s go on this journey together!

Further Reading