Sustainable fashion is a hot topic in recent years.
Today, in fact, we no longer speak only of 'consumer' but also of 'consumatore', or of individuals who are always attentive and informed about the entire production cycle of the clothes they wear; the aim is no longer just an aesthetic factor, the beauty of the garment to wear, but also the quality of the product, by whom, how it was produced and what environmental impact that type of production has had.
Unfortunately, most of the clothes we wear are produced in developing countries, where workers are underpaid and forced to work in dangerous conditions, where they are often exposed to serious chemicals that damage their health. Furthermore, this type of supply chain has a high impact on the environment and ecosystem: they are the basis of Fast Fashion .
The documentary film “ The True Cost ” denounces the impact of fashion on people and the planet: the hidden aspects and costs of the fashion industry, which we highly recommend viewing.
What exactly does Sustainable Fashion mean?
Sustainable fashion (or eco-sustainable) , in English sustainable fashion (or eco fashion), is a cultural current that aims at an evolution of the production process of the fashion industry, so that greater attention is paid to the protection of workers and the 'environmental impact.
Transformation that wants to include both the quality of the textile or clothing product, but also the entire fashion system.
«The definitions "sustainable fashion" or "fashion for sustainability" therefore indicate the awareness of systemic influences and complex and long-term interconnections between material, social and cultural contexts in fashion. Sustainable fashion is the responsibility of citizens, the public and private sector» (Wikipedia).
Therefore, in sustainable fashion, the concepts of respect for the environment and humans are first and foremost taken into consideration, including all stages of production: from design to manufacturing, ending with distribution and sale.
A fashion system that starts from the processing of raw materials, textile fabrics, with a lower environmental impact, less pollutants, which can be recovered or recycled: textiles of vegetable origin such as organic cotton, bamboo, hemp, linen, tencel/lyocell.
A model attentive to reducing waste of both material and the use of water and energy resources.
A model that transforms the consumer into an 'actor', becoming increasingly critical and aware of his consumption.
Why is sustainable fashion important, what are the advantages?
Sustainability is the condition of a development capable of ensuring the satisfaction of the needs of the present generation without compromising the possibility of future generations to realize their own needs (Treccani).
Consequently, applied to the fashion industry, sustainable has several advantages for the environment, workers and consumers. So sustainable clothing can also be defined as ecological, ethical, biological and eco-sustainable.
Ecological clothing, environmental sustainability
As we have already seen, the current impact on the environment and on the ecosystem of the fashion industry is considerable: there is a large consumption of electricity, water consumption and the release of pollutants such as dyes and additives into watercourses, and an important amount of CO2 emissions into the atmosphere. A contamination that not only compromises the places of production but the entire globe.
For this reason, reducing this impact is to everyone's advantage: the regulation of standards to protect the environment is one of the first attentions that the sustainable fashion movement has.
Ethical clothing, social responsibility
Eco-sustainable fashion brings more attention to the conditions of workers and workers. So it aims for fair and guaranteed wages, acceptable working conditions, as opposed to the exploitation of labour, often including minors, of the current fashion system, and, last but not least, the protection of their health, improving the conditions sanitation and protections. There are many producers within this sector who embrace the fair trade system of Fair Trade, a certification that guarantees the conditions of those employed in this industry.
Organic and eco-sustainable clothing
The choice of textile fabrics of vegetable origin such as organic cotton, bamboo, hemp, linen, tencel/lyocell, brings more than one advantage. First, they are materials that require fewer water and energy resources for production, as well as avoiding the use of pesticides.
The clothes obtained with these fabrics, in addition to being sustainable, have the advantage of being anti-allergenic, breathable and long-lasting; at the end of their life cycle they can be recycled or recovered and transformed into new yarns or products.
What are sustainable clothes?
Sustainable clothes are those items of clothing that fall within the definitions listed above, resulting in being ecological, ethical, and eco-sustainable.
What are the sustainable fashion brands?
There are many brands that are aiming at this 'new' fashion sector, both Italian and foreign. At first glance, many are not cheap, especially when compared to large-scale fast fashion brands. But, as we wrote in the introduction, in this case there are no hidden costs, greater value is placed on the quality of the product and its duration over time.
It is possible to recognize a sustainable clothing brand from the certifications and labels that show the composition of the fabrics.
Online it is possible to find many, we have selected some for the autumn-winter collection and others for the spring-summer.
What can we do for sustainable fashion?
The attitude of the aware and critical consumer is the first step in supporting eco-sustainable fashion. Asking ourselves questions: 'who produced it' 'why does this dress cost so little' are just some of the questions we can formulate.
Inform us about the production company, look and learn to read the labels, to understand the composition of the fabrics we are going to wear and the place of production.
And, finally, of no small importance, learning to take care of our clothes, treat and wash them with the right care, perhaps repair them if possible, to allow them to last longer and longer over time.
True sustainability is consuming less but consuming better!