Eco-fashion:
Noun: A focus on clothing that considers not only the environment but the health of the consumers who will be wearing the clothes and the working conditions of the people involved with making them.
Sustainability is the latest buzzword and is being used as if it is going out, or in, of fashion. With the realisation that our humanly bad habits have started to suffocate the earth, we have all tried to do our best to be that little bit eco-friendlier.
Many of us have gone vegetarian, vegan, bought bamboo toothbrushes and have even started to buy the loose over the plastic wrapped bananas to ‘stop plastic waste.’ There is more of a conscious towards doing good for the planet, but why are we still jumping for joy when we find a scraggly made T-shirt in Primark that has been reduced from £4 to £1? The answer is that we have no idea how much pollution our Saturday night outfits and one-off accessory scarves are causing our environment. Not to mention, the pain and suffering it is causing those who make them. Could the fashion industry become 100% sustainable in the future, or are we already stuck in a vicious circle of fast fashion habits?
When we look in our wardrobes, we are most likely to find labels such as Zara, Primark and H&M. The queens of the high-street, we always need to ‘pop’ in to see if there is yet another item of clothing we don’t need, on sale for a ridiculous price. The thing about western culture and consumerism is that we tend to forget that these items we buy mindlessly, don’t just magically appear in the stores. They are made by people. Just like us, they have families and goals, but they also dream that one day they will earn more than £2 a day.
Photo by Artem Beliaikin onPexels.com
From China to Bangladesh, the workers here are exploited by the big names of fast fashion as they push the workers to do as much as they can for as little a wage as they can give. The reasons they stay are simple. In places like Bangladesh, workers need jobs and will do anything to try and provide for themselves and their families. In 2013 we saw the worst fashion related disaster in history when the Rana Plaza factory building collapsed causing over 1,000 deaths. In China, 30% of the worlds fast fashion exports come from workers who earn as little as 12 to 18 cents an hour. How is this justifiable when the companies employing them are the biggest in the industry?
The Rana Plaza disaster – sourced by The Guardian
Recently on Twitter, #WhoMadeMyClothes created by social enterprise, Fashion Revolution, got trending to raise awareness on the issue. It started on the anniversary of the Tazreen factory fire which caused 120 deaths in 2012. They encourage responses to the hashtag using #IMadeYourClothes to close the transparency gap. The enterprise is working towards helping women in India receive fair wages and acceptable working conditions. They already work with 300 states in India, within clothing and homeware. Little by little, a step towards social justice within the fashion industry is happening, and with more awareness being raised it starts the ripple effect of making eco-fashion something more of a reality.
Cheap labour means cheap materials, it’s not just the bad working conditions that make fast fashion available. The way in which the clothes are made is inexpensive and unfortunately, as a result, harmful to the environment. Chemicals and water loss are some of the biggest factors that cause problems when making fast fashion items. Documentarist Stacey Dooley revealed that one jacket from a high-street brand needs 10330 litres of water just to grow the cotton, which is 24 years of drinking water for one person. A lot of the chemicals used to create these clothes are dumped into local rivers and water supplies in the developing countries they are made in. As a result, the people who live there become sick and illnesses develop because we want cheaper clothes and impulse buys, to which we call a ‘bargain’. In America, many cotton farmers that trade with fast fashion brands develop brain tumours at early ages due to exposure to chemicals used in their farms.
Because of this, new companies such as ‘Thought’ clothing have started to produce items that use organic cotton, hemp and bamboo fibers. With a lot of companies following the organic trend, it means fewer fibers polluting our waters and less illness in the places they are produced. Even big brands like TopShop have taken a step towards eco-fashion with the introduction of their new PETA approved vegan sandal collection, made with animal-friendly materials.
The trend of thrift shopping has also become popular especially among students. Charity shops are great for providing new clothing without the waste of fabric. A lot of our one-hit wonder outfits tend to end up in landfill, 235 million tons of it. And that is just one years’ worth of waste in the UK.
“Our economy is based on materialism.”
Economist Richard Wolff explains that the western economic system is based on profit and competition. Companies that participate in fast fashion often compete to get the cheapest sales prices, as well as the cheapest labour. Why is it that in Western society we don’t second guess the fact that some of our clothes cost less than our coffees? When looking back in history, only those who had money in the upper classes could afford new items of clothing. But in the modern day, these luxury items have become almost disposable. Fast fashion has created a world of accessibility of new trends for anyone and everyone. When once there was a time where only the upper class could parade about their new Chanel handbag, only they could afford, we now see knock-off versions of huge designs that are a 10th of the price. We have got to a point where a knock-off handbag for £5 is an achievement, rather than something we should be questioning.
Greenpeace campaign against fast fashion pollution
Fast fashion has affected more than just sales in retailers, but also in the magazine industry. Popular fashion magazines like Vogue and Cosmopolitan seem to have had a hit to their print sales in recent years. Could this be because the content of their ‘luxury fashion’ has become normalised and mass produced, therefore making something that just isn’t exciting? Why buy Vogue to see the latest trends when even supermarkets are fronting them? If clothing became more sustainable and we got in the habit of saving up for statement items, then fashion magazines could see a boost in sales as they once again monopolise the trends of the seasons, rather than being raced to showcase them by high-street stores.
One of the most disingenuous brands on the high-street regarding eco-fashion is worldwide brand H&M. They promote a conscious clothing range that makes up only a small corner of the shop. The green label stands out on the clothing to make buyers aware of the difference in the manufacturing of the clothes, but could it just be a ploy? Why would a high street brand like H&M promote the idea of sustainability, when they are one of the top businesses to create fast fashion? When talking to Southend-on-Sea’s department manager, Kitty Britton, she explains that:
“the conscious campaign merely shows some selected higher quality items that have been made from recycled materials to draw the customers attention. There are actually many more items in stores and online that range from our basics to our trend collections.”
The stores are equipped with ‘conscious recycling bins’ in which customers who bring a bag of unwanted materials can swap for a £5 off voucher to spend on their next shop. This could be a little hypocritical considering their motto of the campaign is ‘close the loop’. The voucher seems to promote the idea of continuing to buy their fast fashion items, but could it be the start of a sustainable H&M? Kitty goes on to explain that:
“H&M is working towards the goal to become 100% sustainable, which is a goal that’s becoming a fast reality as more people are becoming aware of the scheme we offer and are getting involved.”
When it comes to transforming a whole company on how they produce their items, taking small steps towards a goal is the only way they will achieve it.
In order to stop the cycle of fast fashion, we need to get the companies that provide it on board to help find a better alternative without causing disruption to the economy and the people who depend on it. The extinction rebellion, which recently took place in London, has created a huge awareness across the country, exposing the habits we need to amend. No – one should die for fashion, let’s start doing something about it.
10 sustainable companies where you can shop:
ASOS sustainable clothing range
H&M Conscious range
People Tree
Thought
ReUse Jeans
i.C
Eileen Fisher
Lucy & Yak
Etrican
Rapanui
Here’s what the public had to say on the matter:
Do you think people would try to change fast fashion habits if they were made aware of the pollution it caused?
Molly, 23, Student, Brighton
‘I think people would acknowledge the problems, but they wouldn’t change the way they shop. A lot have this mentality that if it’s cheap it’s good.’
Sian, 25, Apple store employee, Maidstone
‘I think when people realise the danger of fast fashion, people would think twice about buying it.’
Connor, 20, student, Essex
‘Conscious consumerism is rarely effective. When it comes to the environment, the price of the product usually trumps the importance of sustainability from what I’ve seen.’
Sofia, 19, student, Luton
‘If there was more media coverage, I think people could change their minds to shop for the more sustainable items, but aren’t most clothes reusable anyway?’
Did you know that fast fashion is the second biggest polluter to the planet after oil? Do you think this needs to be made more aware of to the public?
Molly, 23, Student, Brighton
‘I knew this, but I feel it’s only because I study fashion at University.’
Sian, 25, Apple store employee, Maidstone
‘I didn’t know this and to be honest, it has shocked me. Being someone who shops in places like Primark, this statement has made me think twice about shopping from places like this.’
Connor, 20, student, Essex
‘I didn’t know that. Clearly, it needs to be made more aware to the public.’
Sofia, 19, student, Luton
‘I’m aware there are some studies on it, things do need to change, and people certainly need to be more aware of it.’
Do you think it’s possible for people on a low income to change their shopping habits to be more sustainable or is it a false reality?
Molly, 23, Student, Brighton
‘I got to the University of Brighton and most students don’t have much money so I know they get a lot of their clothes from charity shops or independent stores in the area, so I think there could be a chance.’
Sian, 25, Apple store employee, Maidstone
‘If sustainable clothing was made in the most affordable way and people knew about the benefits, then I think no matter what situation you are in you could make that better choice.’
Connor, 20, student, Essex
‘Completely false reality in my opinion.’
Sofia, 19, student, Luton
‘Companies would have to cater to the 80% of the world who aren’t loaded.’
Should models and influencers do more to promote sustainable fashion?
Molly, 23, Student, Brighton
‘Anyone in the public eye should try their best to raise awareness. Adwoa Aboah is someone that does just this.’
Sian, 25, Apple store employee, Maidstone
‘They should definitely consider showcasing it as they are viewed daily.’
Connor, 20, student, Essex
‘Yes, they carry large levels of influence. Their support would help lobbyists I should hope.’
Sofia, 19, student, Luton
‘Yes, because I don’t really know any influencers that post about sustainable fashion.’
This piece was written for my year two fashion journalism module at university. I enjoyed researching and finding out more on the issues around fast fashion, it has definitely changed the way I shop and I urge you to try and think about what you really need when buying clothes and materials. Together we can make the world better step by step, starting with being more conscious with our clothing.