The fashion industry is one of the sectors with the most waste generation in the world. We produce way more clothes than we need and throw them away after a couple of wears. The worst part is that the majority of the clothes go to landfills, even though it would be more impactful if we simply reused or recycled them. An average consumer throws away 70 pounds (31.75kg) of clothing per year. Globally, 13 million tons of textile waste are produced every year, whereas 95% of them can be reused or recycled. Additionally, the fashion industry generates the largest amount of pollution in the world and is a significant contributor to air pollution, water pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions.
This article discusses numerous ways to make your brand follow sustainable development goals. We will discuss how to source material and reduce waste generation as well as offer some tips to implement eco-friendly practices.
Table of Contents
What Is Sustainability in Fashion?
Sustainable fashion is a way in which brands create garments that not only reduce environmental pollution but are also mindful of the people who work to produce clothes. In simple words, it is fashion that is environmentally friendly and follows the worker’s rights.
All this sounds simple; however, going green means more overheads, which reduces the profit margins. For the fashion sector to become an eco-friendly brand as a whole, it needs more consumer support who are willing to pay more help and make the change or at least stop buying from brands that have no regard for biodiversity. This change can be the beginning of more eco-conscious consumers and be more influential for sustainability.
Sourcing Sustainable Materials
The process of selecting supply sources that are not detrimental to the environment is sustainable sourcing. In this process of sourcing all the supplies, sustainability at the core means that they do not bring any hazard to the environment, and the sourcing materials are renewable through natural means.
Sustainable sourcing in the fashion industry means the procurement of garment materials, products and services from suppliers in a manner that is socially and environmentally impactful. Overall, sourcing sustainable materials is a vital step for brands looking to make a positive difference for both the environment and society.
How to Be a Sustainable Fashion Brand?
In order to be a sustainable fashion brand, the brand must lower waste and limit its emissions, as well as foster environmental conservation and restoration. Below are some of the best practices to follow to make your brand sustainable:
Planning
- Start with comprehensive research and planning
- Ensure your methods are well thought out, feasible, and well-maintained
Environmental Concerns
- The factories must be in areas that are free of critical species and restore and develop on damaged land.
- Hold manufacturing facilities to the highest environmental standards:
- Power with renewable energy
- Make sure local environmental regulations are followed with the highest standard
- Use nontoxic dyes and detergents
- Install catchment systems to prevent microfibers from entering waterbody
Resource Management
- Calculate resource demand and initial extraction
- Avoid materials that are highly intensive to water, land, and energy
- Do not use fabrics that are made from fossil fuels
- Seek high-quality, long-lasting fabrics
Sustainability Practices
- Hold awareness programs or training to reduce fabric waste
- Discover ways to recycle fabric waste
- Avoid using plastics across all steps of the supply chain
- Use ethical packaging
- Close the loop of the garment’s lifecycle
- Appoint a repair or upcycling program
Social Aspects
- Ensure your manufacturing promotes sustainable development goals, including No Poverty, Gender Equality, Decent Work and Economic Growth.
- Incorporate into the company’s mission of building up the local community economy and contributing to greater rights
- Follow local work regulations at the highest standard
- Pay the workers livable wages with reasonable working hours
- Provide fair break times
- Ensure factories have sufficient light, windows and ventilation system
- Source materials from ethical manufacturers that pay workers proper wages and provide a good working environment
- Provide training for workers to receive knowledge about business and development
How Can Consumers Support Sustainable Fashion?
Consumers can adopt sustainable practices in their fashion choices. Simple steps like using reusable bags, straws, and containers can improve life quality and encourage brands to follow suit.
- Purchase clothes from sustainable brands
- Always try to purchase from transparent brands
- Wash clothing with cold water to prevent microfibers and plastic from going into the water
- Use non-toxic and biodegradable detergent so that it does not pollute the waterbody
- Repair or repurpose clothing when possible
- Buy less clothing
- Buy higher quality items built to last
- Buy versatile, staple clothing items
Final Words
There are a lot of new sustainable fashion brands out there, and it can be overwhelming to execute all these methods all at once. If each brand took even just a few of these sustainable tips into consideration, the world would be a much better place to live in.
So, let’s vow to make our fashion brands more sustainable. Let’s start considering the entire clothes lifecycle, from production to the end-of-life and commit to the use of sustainable raw materials in the manufacturing process to support fair labour practices and design with the environment in mind. This way, we can all have a positive impact.
