With so many issues going on these days There are a myriad of issues to be faced today – Climate Change, Plastic Pollution Deforestation, loss of Coral Reefs & Biodiversity, water Scarcity just to mention Some – the Fashion Industry isn’t always top of the list for most people in terms of a challenge or Solution. Unfortunately, We’ve Got some bad News To Share – The Fashion Industry is dirty and a significant contributor to environmental and Human damage. The good News is that sustainable fashion addresses a lot of these issues in ways that you may not expect.
What is Sustainable Fashion?
Sustainable Fashion Brands Design Fashion in a manner that is most considerate of humankind And the Environment, while reducing the environmental impact wherever possible. The ultimate goal is to have a system that functions without causing a negative footprint. Are you interested in learning more? Here are 8 Reasons to Why Sustainable Fashion is Important.
1. Fashion that is Sustainable Fashion Saves Natural Resources
A 2015 study shows that 97% of what is used to make clothes are new resources, with only 3 percent of it being recycled materials. This is an Annual Resource Input of 99 Million Tons, which includes the production of synthetic fibres using oil as well as fertilizers to grow cotton And a myriad of Chemicals required to dye and Finish Fabric.
Recycled fibers have been proven to be a much more sustainable Alternative, as they reduce pressure on Virgin Resources And Tackle The increasing issue of waste management.
2. Sustainable Fashion Lowers Carbon Footprint
In the Global Fashion Industry Emits A huge amount of greenhouse gases Each Year, thereby contributing massively and actively to global Warming. One of the reasons is that the vast majority of our beloved clothes are petroleum-based and are made from fossil fuels including Acrylic, Polyester and Nylon (Check the labels on your clothing You’ll be amazed). They require considerably more energy in the production phase than natural or recycled fibers.
Sustainable Brands on the Other One hand, they often use materials from Natural or Recycled Fabrics that require significantly less to no Chemical Treatment, Very Little Water and energy consumption, and no pesticides or fertilizers to grow.
3. Sustainable Fashion Helps Save Animal Lives
It’s not news To You, but The Fashion Industry is a ferocious pursuit of Fashion. The most common misconception is that Leather, For Instance, Is A Part of the Meat Industry. However, This isn’t the case in all cases. It’s estimated that the Leather Industry alone is responsible for killing more than 430 million animals Every Year.
Sustainable clothes brands have begun to more often embrace the use of cruelty-free alternatives, and There’s one for almost every piece of fashion material Polyester Made From Trash from the Oceans (Sounds familiar, doesn’t It? ) Bags made of recycled seatbelts, plant-based compostable Sneakers, Silk Made From yeast, and Bio-fabricated Vegan Wool. However, one of the most demanded leather alternatives comes from Pineapples. The fabric is produced by using the leaves Of Pineapples In The Harvesting Process, which gives waste products A new purpose.
4. Sustainable Fashion Requires Less Water
Water is an important resource for the Fashion Industry. It is used in the finishing and dying process of The majority of our clothes. It requires an incredible amount of 2,700 Litres of water to make a single T-shirt. Cotton is especially dependent on water, but is typically grown in hot and dry areas where water is a scarce resource.
Contrast that with Organic Cotton is less water-intensive by 91% when compared to conventional cotton. Yet, only 11% of global cotton Production is Organic. This is due to the much higher price of non-gmo seeds, which typically require further investments into Materials & Machinery, Which farmers use only for their Organically-grown Crop.
Other Sustainable Fabrics that Require little or no water during the production process include Hemp, Linen Refibra(tm) and recycled fibers like recycled cotton.
5. Sustainable Fashion Supports Fairer & Safer Working Conditions
You may not believe it You’re not alone, but Modern Day Slavery Does Exist. Minimum wages (If Any) and endless working hours Inacceptable health & Safety Conditions And The Inclusion of Workers Unions This is the way reality for the majority of Garment Workers In The Fast Fashion Sector Looks Like. Additionally, Verbal And Physical Abuse are still commonplace in various areas of the Industry. There are some informative documentaries on the social injustices of the Fast Fashion Industry.
Eco-ethical Brands advocate for providing humane working conditions, health care and fair wages for their employees, which are generally above average. In general, they have a More Dedicated Purpose to creating economic opportunities for those struggling to end poverty. Everyone wants to feel At Home in Our Clothes and that includes feeling great in knowing under what conditions They were Designed. The well-being of the people involved is just as important as Animals and the Environment Do You Not Think?
6. Sustainable Fashion Is Healthier For People & Planet
Fast Fashion items typically undergo An extensive and intense chemical process before they are placed on our hangers. About 8,000 different synthetic chemicals are used to dye Bleach, Wet Process and other clothes. Chemicals like these can lead to diseases or even death among farmers and cause birth defects that are serious on their children.
Certain chemicals pose an actual risk to our health, too, as the skin absorbs anything we put on it, including the chemicals found in our clothing.
7. Sustainable Fashion Doesn’t support Child Labour
About 170 million children are involved in some type of Garment Work , according to recent statistics from UNICEF, which is defined as ” “work for which the Child is either too young or is not of the Minimum Age Required – or work that, due to its harmful nature or conditions generally considered to be unacceptable for children and is therefore prohibited”. This is a huge red flag and the idea that children are sent to factories and Perform Work That Reminds Of Modern Day Slavery To Meet the demands of fashion in the Western World Is Simply Unacceptable.
8. Sustainable Fashion teaches us how to Love Our Clothes Once More
It’s so easy to look at a beautiful piece of clothing In A Shop and not realize that there is a story and the life cycle behind it. The truth is, we are Exiled from the Industry because it encourages Us to Be This Way. But being aware of the negatives of this industry will hopefully lead to more mindful consumption. One that Is Planet, Animal & People Friendly.
It’s time to recognize the Effects of Our Purchases. It’s not just a minor aspect of our modern lifestyles that changes with each season It’s a matter of environmental and Human Responsibility that could greatly impact the future of Our Planet. At the End of The day, we can choose whether we want to be A Part of the Problem or a part of the solution. And to quote Anne Lappe “every Time You Spend money, You Cast A Your Vote for the World You’d like to live in”.
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