Sustainability is the way to move forward for a better world around us. We have seen environment-friendly/green products become quickly popular in almost every group of products. This concept is now equally important in the fashion industry.
Clothing is a fundamental life necessity. As much as the population is rising, the number of garments produced and disposed of has also increased. This poses a threat to environmental safety. To save the bad impact of your clothing wastage on the atmosphere, sustainable fashion is important.
What is Sustainable Fashion?
In the fashion industry, sustainability is a broad term. It involves the whole process, from the products used for creation, the workforce involved, the consumers, and the disposal of worn garments, to be eco-friendly. The goal is to reduce the waste load on the environment, conserving resources, and living a better life.
An example of sustainable fashion is slow fashion. It is the nemesis of the trending fast fashion. Slow fashion involves taking time on production, usage, and the lifetime of clothing articles. Reusing garments, donating, or renting them extends their lifetime. Similarly, producing a high-quality fabric that doesn’t end up in dumpsters after a couple of months also means slow, sustainable fashion.
Why Sustainability is Essential in the Fashion Industry?
The fashion industry produces more than 10% of the global carbon dioxide waste. It is also a major contributor to plastic. The excess use of fossil fuels also endangers environmental safety. All these factors lead to a bad-quality atmosphere where health will be a myth. The answer is sustainable fashion, and the following benefits it contributes;
1. The Fair Wages And Labor Practices
Fashion industry is one of the most notorious marketplaces for exploiting its workers. Fast fashion promotes this practice indirectly. When large amounts of garments are needed in at short time, the brands put an extra load on their labor. Also, fast fashion involves low-cost products. To comply with the budget, brands cut the wages of the workers and ask them to overwork.
Sustainable brands, on the other hand, prefer quality over quantity. They hire workers for each production phase, give them justifiable deadlines, and pay them on time. This results in fair wages and care for workers.
2. Reduced Environmental Damage
Extra waste, plastic, and carbon dioxide damage the environment. The fashion industry is a prominent contributor to these harmful substances. By going sustainable, all these waste products can be reduced.
Another bad environmental practice is the high use of renewable and non-renewable natural sources. Sustainable apparel manufacturing is done with the minimum use of such gems. It involves less use of water, reusing wastewater, selecting less synthetics, limiting plastic, and reducing air and water pollution. In short, the result will be a minimum carbon footprint.
3. Economic Benefits
Sustainability can be a significant driver of economic growth and innovation. By investing in sustainable practices, companies can reduce costs, increase efficiency, and create new business opportunities. It produces a circular economy that tackles inflation. In short, sustainability provides a cash-saving option for developing countries.
4. Controlling Waste
The clothing industry produces large sums of waste that go to landfills each year. As these fabrics are not disposable, municipal landfills don’t take them. In turn, all these wastes are either shipped to low-economy countries or end up in the environment. You may have read how deserts, plains, and rivers are getting burdened with so much waste.
Sustainable fashion means the use of natural, reusable fabrics. These won’t clog our natural systems. It also means using quality garments that last longer, eventually reducing waste production.
How Can I Promote Sustainable Fashion?
Every person can contribute to sustainability in the fashion industry. In fact, it’s all in our hands! Below are some of the things we can do to value healthy living;
- Reuse clothes, cut and sew them in different styles
- Buy high-quality clothes in limited amounts
- Invest in sustainable fashion organizations
- Boycott brands with unethical practices
- Check greenwashing labels before buying clothes
- Fix minor defects and wear your clothes instead of throwing them away
- Rent clothes and give them up for renting
- Donate garments instead of throwing them in the trash
Conclusion
The fashion industry has a significant impact on the environment, society, and economy. The industry is responsible for producing a vast amount of waste, using non-renewable resources, and causing pollution. Therefore, sustainable apparel manufacturing is crucial to go forward.
Promoting sustainable fashion organizations is essential to reduce environmental damage. It is also better for the consumers, the labor force, and the economy. Choose sustainable fashion production in Pakistan by quality brands like Orient Apparel and play your part in promoting a healthier world.
