Why is Sustainable Fashion Important
What is sustainable fashion
The term "sustainable fashion" refers to items, processes, actions, and players (companies, customers) that are working toward a carbon-neutral fashion sector based on equity, social justice, animal welfare, and ecological integrity. This sector would be based on the principles of sustainable fashion. The use of eco-friendly materials and accessories are just two aspects of what constitutes an eco-friendly wardrobe. It describes the who, what, how, when, where, and for how long an item of clothing is meant to be worn before it is discarded in a landfill. Also included is the length of time it is intended to be used. The goal of the sustainable fashion movement is to lessen the negative impact that the fashion industry has on the natural world by combating the enormous carbon footprint that fast fashion has left behind in the form of problems such as air pollution, water pollution, and climate change.
How does sustainable fashion work
Sustainable fashion makes use of textiles that are manufactured, sewn, and disseminated in a way that reduces the amount of harm done to both human health and the natural environment. This should, ideally, take place all the way through the manufacture of a garment and even after it has been discarded. Design professionals who are really aware of the influence they have on the world are aware of the need to be attentive to both the materials they use in their work and the treatment they offer to the employees who manufacture their goods.
This is great and all, but why is sustainable fashion so important? Well, it’s because sustainable fashion is the opposite of fast fashion, which has many adverse effects on the environment. The sustainable fashion industry aims to make fashion and clothing that have no adverse effects on the environment or on humans. Here are just a few of the reasons why sustainable fashion is so important:
Sustainable Fashion reduces Carbon Footprints:
The yearly emissions of greenhouse gases from the global fashion industry are large, and as a result, the industry is actively and considerably contributing to the hastening of the warming of the planet. The vast majority of our most beloved fabrics, such as polyester, acrylic, and nylon, are derived from petroleum and, as a result, require the use of fossil fuels in the production process. The amount of energy required to produce these materials is much greater than the amount of energy required to make items manufactured from organic fibers or fibers that have been recycled.
Sustainable businesses, on the other hand, have a tendency to select materials that are made from organic or recycled textiles and require little to no chemical processing, in addition to low levels of water, energy, and fertilizers or pesticides. These materials also tend to be more environmentally friendly. The vast majority of organic textiles can also be broken down by natural processes. These eco-friendly materials are kind to the planet and have the potential to be excellent long-term replacements.
Fast Fashion is Rapidly Filling up Landfills:
The average consumer purchases 68 new articles of clothing each year. Before being given away, an article of clothing is worn just seven times, on average, before it is discarded. When people have finished using their clothes, they need a place to keep them until they are used again.
Over 11 million tons of clothes are thrown away by Americans over the course of a year. Approximately 85 percent of all apparel is discarded by being sent to landfills or incinerators. In spite of the fact that this was not their trash to begin with, the Global South often ends up with the lion's share of the responsibility for disposing of unwanted clothing. For example, in the Atacama Desert in Chile, wastelands of unwanted fast fashion are stacking up in the desert. Clothing is not permitted in municipal landfills due to the presence of chemicals and the fact that it is not biodegradable. Because of this, about half of the 59,000 metric tons of clothing that are imported into Chile each year end up polluting the deserts of the nation.
The difference is that sustainable fashion is recyclable and doesn’t fill landfills. Recyclable clothing doesn’t even have to be some weird brand of pineapple leather, almost all textiles made from or derived from organic material like organic cotton and linen are recyclable.
Sustainable Fashion also Works for Worker Rights:
The majority of people who work in the garment sector in the fast fashion business face the reality of a low income (if they get any compensation at all), excessive hours of labor, insufficient health and safety standards, and a restriction on workers' unions. To add insult to injury, a significant number of firms continue to condone the practice of verbal and physical harassment and violence. A number of documentaries have been made that focus on the fast fashion industry and aim to bring awareness to the negative effects that the industry has on society.
When it comes to their workforce, sustainable fashion businesses are steadfast proponents of providing above-average benefits, which may include a reasonable salary, health care, and working conditions, among other things. They often display a more lofty objective, such as eradicating poverty by giving people in need access to various economic opportunities. Everyone wants to look and feel good in the clothes they wear, and part of achieving this goal is being aware of the manufacturing process behind the products they wear. Isn’t it right that it is just as vital to safeguard the health of individuals who are involved in the activity as it is to preserve the earth and the people who live on it?