Sustainable fashion. What is it and why is it important?

Two words seem to be everywhere these days. Sustainable fashion. They are part of your favourite instagrammer’s long posts, they are in YouTube videos, and they are on TV.

But what exactly is this? And why should you consider investing in clothes produced by it?

The fashion industry brings happiness and inspiration to a lot of people around the world. But that’s sadly just one aspect of its impact. At the same time, it can be rather harmful.

This business pollutes and dries up waters. It produces a lot of waste and uses plastics that end up in nature. It can be cruel to animals. What’s more, shockingly the industry is responsible for astounding 10% of carbon emissions.

And that’s why sustainable fashion is of real importance.

What is sustainable fashion?

This is a movement that aims at changing the ways of the industry and deal with all of the aforementioned problems. The brands that practice it are dedicated to making clothes ethically and being environmentally friendly.

Its beneficiaries are more than just nature though.

The movement also fights social injustice. A sustainable fashion brand would also pay a just wages to its workers. The working conditions would also be safer.

Here’s more on its positive impact.

What are some of its benefits?

In this article on sustainable fashion, we will only talk about the environmental changes it brings. There are some quite important consequences for nature in dedicating to better practices. As we mentioned earlier, the Earth is in dire need of change in the ways of our beloved industry.

Let’s examine them in detail.

Saves natural resources

The fashion industry drains natural resources at frightening speed. Water used for growing cotton dries up the Earth. Oil is extracted for the creation of synthetics. Land for growing fibers threatens biodiversity.

Scarily, this is just scratching the surface.

Sustainable fashion designers tackle this by using recycled materials for their creations. Opting for deadstock is another approach that lessens the negative impact on our planet. The brands that are dedicated to change aim at producing longer-lasting pieces that won’t be thrown away after a season or less of wearing thus reducing consumption and in turn – the need to use more natural resources.

Saves animals

Hundreds of millions of animals are killed each year for the production of fur and leather clothes, accessories, shoes.

Sustainable fashion combats this by using alternative materials, mainly recycled plastics, to create items of similar feel and quality.

By designing clothes with a longer lifespan, this movement reduces the pollution that poisons animals’ habitats.

Reduces carbon footprint

Fashion brands use a lot of synthetic fabrics for their clothing. The reasons vary – from price to durability. But the result for the environment is sadly similar – they contribute to massive carbon footprint.

The reason for this is that they need a lot more energy to be produced. Also, they are made from oil and fossil fuels, too. Their extraction results in heavy pollution as well.

On the other hand, sustainable fashion relies on natural and recycled materials. Thus reducing significantly the harmful emissions.

Requires less water

Allow us to expand a bit on what was said earlier.

In order for just one piece of cotton clothing to be produced, thousands of liters of water are needed.

This adds to the ever-increasing problem of water scarcity on our planet.

Sustainable fashion brands use organic cotton which requires less H2O, recycle water or exchange it for alternative methods in the production process. As mentioned, they also use recycled materials, contributing in another way to the saving of this precious resource.

Why should we care?

We will take the liberty to be rather laconic here.

Sustainable fashion aims at righting the wrongs of the industry that destroy our planet and may ultimately lead to worsening the quality of life of every one of us.

What are some examples of sustainable fashion?

There are different types of brands operating on this market.

Some of them are ethical and fair-trade. They aim at fighting the miserable conditions for workers in the industry. They are concerned with the topics of labor rights, safe working environment etc.

Then there’s green, vegan and cruelty-free companies.

They basically fight the problems we discussed here. The negative environmental impact of clothes manufacturing. The first are concentrated on the soil, water etc. And vegan and cruelty-free work in the field of animal welfare.

Slow fashion is an answer to fast fashion.

The producers here take an artisanal approach focusing on quality over quantity. They are aided by upcycled fashion which works on another problem of the fast fashion industry. It reuses materials, reducing waste and carbon footprint.

But it’s not only about the producers.

Consumers need to realize the importance of sustainable fashion and the impact their own buying choices have on the planet.

How can they change?

Support sustainable fashion brands. Invest in long-lasting and timeless pieces. Repair and pass down their clothes.

Saving the planet is a shared effort.

And we are proud to say we play our part in it. D2Line is a company that designs contemporary, ethically made garments that remain timeless favourites, year after year.

How about you?