There is no denying of the fact that the climate is changing and the need of the hour is to protect our planet. It is crucial to raise awareness and encourage the masses for sustainable fashion. The need of the hour is to make more conscious purchasing decisions.
Sustainable fashion is one of the steps taken by the fashion industry to reduce the carbon footprints in its domain. According to the United Nations, the fashion industry accounts for 8–10% of global carbon emissions, that is more than the combined emissions of the shipping and aviation sectors.
Recently, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi turned heads donning a sky-blue ‘sadri’ jacket that was created using recycled plastic bottles. This step was widely appreciated by everyone for promoting sustainable fashion.
What is sustainable fashion?
Sustainable fashion aims to promote not only the well-being of the environment, but also the happiness of people and communities. It is a movement within the fashion industry that seeks to create clothing using environmentally and socially responsible production methods.
The process involves procuring sustainable materials, reducing waste and pollution during production, and creating products that are designed to last longer and have a lower impact on the environment.
Sustainable fashion aims to address the negative impact that the fashion industry has on the environment, such as the excessive use of water and energy, greenhouse gas emissions, and waste generation. It also seeks to address the social impact of fashion production, including labor rights, fair wages, and working conditions.
Some examples of sustainable and eco-friendly fashion practices include using organic cotton, recycled materials, natural dyes, and reducing water usage during production. Sustainable fashion brands also prioritize fair labor practices and ethical production methods to ensure that their workers are treated fairly.
Who started sustainable fashion?
Well, the idea of sustainable fashion was initiated in the 1960s to promote environmental awareness. It was introduced by the garment-making industries in 1980s as a part of their environmental policy. Today, many leading global brands and designer houses like Nike, adidas, Prada, Gucci, Stella McCartney, etc. have introduced recycled plastic into their products as a part of their environmental policy.
What are the benefits of sustainable fashion?
Eco-friendly or sustainable fashion promotes responsible consumption and production, and encourages individuals and businesses to make more environmentally and socially conscious choices. Some major benefits are listed below:
Reduced environmental impact:
The aim is to reduce carbon footprints in the fashion industry through better practices. Reduced water usage, lesser greenhouse emissions, and waste generation are some of the steps of the company’s environmental policy.
Preservation of natural resources:
Sustainable fashion promotes the use of sustainable materials like organic cotton and recycled materials, thus helping in the preservation of natural resources.
Improved worker conditions:
Sustainable fashion also aims to promote ethical production methods. One of its objectives is to ensure that each and every worker is treated fairly and provided with safe working conditions and fair wages.
Increased durability:
Sustainable fashion focuses on creating products that are designed to last longer and are of higher quality, reducing the need for frequent replacements and reducing waste.
Better for consumers’ health:
Sustainable fashion often uses natural, organic materials and dyes that are free from harmful chemicals and toxins, which can be better for consumers’ health.
Supports local communities:
Sustainable fashion supports local economies and communities as it relies primarily on locally sourced materials and production methods.
Celebrities endorsing sustainable fashion:
There are many celebrities who are promoting sustainable and eco-friendly fashion, using their platforms to raise awareness and encourage consumers to make more environmentally conscious choices. Here are a few examples:
Emma Watson:
The actress and activist has been a vocal advocate for sustainable fashion. She wore eco-friendly and ethical designs to red carpet events and promoted sustainable fashion on her social media channels.
Stella McCartney:
The designer has long been a champion of sustainable fashion. She uses recycled, organic materials and promotes ethical production methods.
Leonardo DiCaprio:
The actor and environmental activist has supported sustainable fashion through his foundation. He donned eco-friendly designs on many red carpet events.
Greta Thunberg:
The young climate activist has made several headlines for her commitment to sustainable fashion. She was seen quite often wearing the same outfit.
Pharrell Williams:
The musician, fashion designer has partnered with sustainable fashion brands as well as launched his own eco-friendly clothing line. He is promoting the use of recycled materials and ethical production methods.
How individuals can contribute to the environment:
Well, common people like us can also contribute towards reducing carbon footprints. Just a change in our shopping patterns is all you need to achieve our environmental goals.
Some of the steps that everyone can take are listed below:
Recreate old clothes:
Suppose you have two old T-shirts of different colors. You can recreate them by making some design modifications. For example, just recreate by changing the sleeves of both tees, or give an entire new look by layering.
Nothing is wrong with buying second-hand clothes:
Well, you may not be extremely comfortable with the idea of wearing used clothes. But nothing is wrong with it. Actually, it is a smart investment decision, as you save around 70 percent of your hard-earned money. This decision saves energy, resources, and labour.
Cloth swapping:
Another step that anyone can take to promote sustainable fashion is cloth swapping. You can form a small group where you can do this task. It may sound vague, but it makes for a nice idea.
Use Rented Apparels:
If any special occasion is fast approaching and you are surfing popular e-commerce sites for a new dress. Instead of investing in a new dress and burdening your finances, you can easily get a rented dress. This step not only saves a huge chunk of your hard-earned money but also makes for a great step towards sustainable fashion.
Go for natural fibres:
You can also contribute towards environment-friendly or sustainable fashion by opting for natural fibres and avoiding synthetic fibre.
Conclusion:
Nothing is wrong in saying that everyone must take environment concerns more seriously than ever. Sustainable fashion is an important step towards better future and if we fail to understand the importance of sustainability, we will surely exhaust our natural resources.
Not only celebrities but everyone is responsible to raise the awareness about sustainable fashion and make out planet a better place to live. Style with a Conscience. Wear your values. Sustainable fashion is the way.
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