What is Sustainable Fashion?
As the word suggests Sustainable Fashion advocate long term value addition in our life and consider the impact, instead of reaping only benefits. It focuses to optimize fashion and minimize the stress caused to the nature.
Background
20th century was the century of great changes, bringing revolution in our life and aspirations. Mechanization were done for fast result without concerning about impacts. Textile industry was not untouched and started functioning in a way to make immediate & cheap products.
Mechanization had instigated the resource utilization beyond threshold & causing pollution. All the chemical treatment for immediate finishing not only cause stress to nature but also on the people involved in value chain, producer to consumer.
In last some decades, marketing & consumerism has changes the way we shop & dress. The focus has shifted from value to volume and from style to trends, exploiting natural & human resources.
Some Aspects of Sustainable Fashion
Sustainable fashion doesn’t have one defined process and parameter but account for some important aspects which are
- Value chain and life cycle products: How & from where the clothing is coming from and how it will be processed after us
- Raw materials: Fibers (Natural or synthetic) which has been used to make textile to the other finishing treatments. Natural fiber have minimal stress (almost negligible ) on the environment while synthetic fibers proved to be harsh at each level of value chain
- The nature of decomposition: It is important to understand the nature of decomposition of textile & its impact. Micro plastics formed after degradation of synthetic fabrics can’t be decompose and harmful for all of us
- Circular economy: If the fashion products can be upcycled or recycled into new range thus minimize the textile waste and return to biosphere safely after its use.
Small steps toward sustainable fashion
- Choosing consciously handmade clothing: Meticulously crafted handmade products range go through manual process and hand work that do not have negative outcome. Handloom fabrics are made on loom that doesn’t requires power consumption, neither produces hazardous waste.
- Knowing the value chain: The knowledge of value chain helps us to take better decision. It also helps us to ask better question from the brand regarding products & process
- Optimizing the fashion consumption: Very important aspect of sustainable fashion is to minimize the consumption through versatile styling , better quality over cheap products, repetition of dresses and thrift shopping
- Mind set of prioritizing the impact over immediate benefit
- Building style over trends: We are all on the journey of self-learning.. and part of this journey also include how you want to express yourself externally. It is amazing to understand that expression & develop your individual style which is not only unique like but also sustainable as you get into mindful shopping due to self-love , not due to trends instigated by market
- If required, never hesitant to ask question from the brands.
So whenever you shopping next time, online or offline pay attention not only on the clothing or accessory but also from where it is coming along About the values of that product & brand & the kind of impact it is generating or may have in future. This small steps will help our nature heal for our future generation.
