We live in a world where we are constantly bombarded with choices to make, leaving us with little time and space to thoroughly think through the decisions we make. As human beings living on earth for designated periods of time, we each have a responsibility to take care of the planet that we live on; one way being through the decisions we make concerning the garments we wear, leading us to the topic of sustainable fashion, which fundamental nature is to bring about change in the fashion industry. Change that pushes toward ecological integrity and social justice. Fashion sustainability by definition does not merely regard the garments we wear like many tend to believe. Fashion sustainability involves many proponents and aspects as it really is an entire system that needs addressing. It is a movement we too wish to participate in by bringing awareness to the clothes hanging in your closet and the nature of work it took for them to land in your belongings.
The mother who was paid less than the minimum wage for your favorite dress, while having a family of 5 to feed.
The 10-year-old girl, who had to work under horrible conditions, to make those flattering pants that everyone compliments.
The man who now deals with cancer and several other health conditions, due to dealing with chemicals and poisonous gasses in the making of the jacket that keeps you healthy during the winter months,
And the many who lost their lives making the clothes we wear. As Lucy Siegle puts it;
Fast fashion is not free. Someone somewhere is paying.
This is what inspires us to make a change and make intentional decisions regarding the clothes we wear and the companies we support; making sure that environmentally-friendly care and disposal are at the foundation of the decisions we make concerning our clothes. Thus, sustainable fashion, at its core, is about taking the necessary steps to help alleviate the climate crisis and horrible working conditions within the fashion industry, by reversing the negative effects of fast fashion through a collective effort of citizens, the private sector, and the public sector.
Positive changes
When we speak of sustainable fashion and the changes that are necessary for sustainable fashion to become a reality, we do tend to have a rather negative discourse about the subject, where not much attention is given to the positive changes that have already happened. The fashion industry is largely known for its exploitation of workers, resources, and the environment. Despite its negative impact, historically, we find it important, here at ReLove, to highlight how sustainability has been brought to the forefront in recent years and how this attention has brought about positive change too; an aspect we intend to focus on in this week’s blog post. We bring this to you, hoping it will reignite your motivation to keep moving in a sustainable direction.
Banning of fur
After years of much pressure on the fur industry, the fight has finally brought about positive changes. The Kering Group has agreed to ban fur. This has resulted in big-name brands such as Gucci, Balenciaga, and Yves Saint Laurent banning real fur from their production process.
Increase in usage of hemp
At the recent Fashion Week in Stockholm discussions about hemp textile production were brought to light. Especially the American clothing manufacturer, Levi – world-famous for their jeans – picked up an interest in further exploring the use of hemp fiber in their production, having bought a farm near Byron to bring this idea to life. A big statement made by the creators of the denim jeans!
Minimum wage
hanks to much campaigning, change has finally been made for workers in California. The Garment Worker Protection Act law has been signed, ensuring that 45,000 workers within the production of garments receive minimum wage. Not only are they guaranteed reasonable wages, but they will also receive previous wages that rightfully belong to them. This too is an important change, as the fashion industry is particularly known for its poor treatment of workers and exploitative working conditions.
Seeing how positive changes that have happened in recent years can inspire all of us to keep moving towards greater sustainability. Not only are brands and companies striving to become more sustainable, but consumers now also demand that brands take an interest in producing ethical and sustainable fashion. In the events of 2020 and the corona-virus outburst, consumers have become more motivated than ever to support the rise of ethical and sustainable fashion. So much so, that the sustainable fashion market is predicted to reach $9.81 billion by the year 2025. Especially the young generation has greater demands from brands and companies, hoping to see a lessening of the negative impact of fast fashion. It is clear that Generation y and z in recent years have developed an awareness of the importance of sustainability and have now become a very conscious consumer group. Because of this positive change, we can expect much more change in the coming years!
You are a part of this generation. Each one of us can be a part of making a change and be part of the solution. As consumers of fashion, we all can take steps that lead in the right direction, and for that, you have landed just in the right place here at ReLove. A safe space where we creatively are part of a solution.
Are you ready to make a change?
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