If you’re not living under a rock, there are very high chances that you’ve heard of the term sustainable fashion. Although the word sustainable itself hints towards the meaning of the term, there is more to it. Sustainable fashion aims to design and create clothing that is environment-friendly and made ethically. However, while the environment-friendly part is easy to understand and apply, the same cannot be said for the ‘ethical’ one as it involves profit-loss, fair pay, and better working conditions. Hence, brands are reluctant to accept it. Here is your guide to sustainable fashion and its importance.
Why is Sustainable Fashion Important?
Now that we have understood what is sustainable fashion, let’s find out why it is essential. Before reaching its answer, we need to know the problems with the fashion industry.
- Every year, the fashion industry makes profits of billions of dollars. A Businesswire research projects that the global fashion market will reach $635.17 billion in 2021. Despite all this, about 60-million of the fashion workforce that produces all these clothes lives in poverty.
- 57% of the world’s discarded clothing ends up in landfills, research shows. You shall not be surprised to know that the fashion industry is one of the most prominent global polluters. It stands second only to the oil industry and is responsible for 20% of the industrial water pollution in the world. Not to mention, it contributes to 10% of global carbon emissions and makes use of carcinogenic chemicals.
Sustainable fashion can solve these problems. Its goal is to use recyclable materials to create clothing that lasts way longer than fast fashion pieces. The initial cost may be higher in comparison, but its durability outdoes the problem. Moreover, sustainable fashion also aims at giving the workers their rights, better and safer working conditions, good pay for a good living, and lesser or no risk of sexual harassment or assault.
You can also become a part of the sustainable fashion movement by opting for sustainable brands and clothing or thrifting. We hope your choices are good for you, for the people around you, and for nature. Happy shopping!