It’s easy in this age of fast fashion, consumer culture and a multitude of colours and patterns to get caught up with knee-high boots and a variety of patterns. The fashion industry pollutes the earth second to only the oil industry. Fast fashion is not cheap. According to WFF, one cotton tee shirt requires 2,700 litres. Consider that just one of these flimsy shirts printed with “YOLO to the death” or similar slogans costs 2,700 litres. Ecouterre claims that we not only buy 60% more clothes, but we also keep them for half the time we used to. ABC’s War on Waste reported that Australians discard 6,000 kilograms (or more) of textiles and clothing every 10 minutes.
Ethical Fashion Forum states that the terms “do no harm” and “ethical fashion” are often used by people to appear sophisticated and important. However, these terms cover a wide range of aspects in the fashion industry, including the design, manufacture and sourcing that maximises benefits for consumers and communities while minimizing the impact on environment. The Ethical Fashion Forum describes ethical fashion as a “doing no harm” method of creating clothing. This is an approach which aims to minimise the environmental impact, while maximising benefits to people and communities.
Sustainability and ethical fashion are closely related. Eco-friendly fibres such as hemp, bamboo and organic cotton are used in sustainable fashion. Instead of using chemicals, natural dyes are preferred and the water used in the production process is closely monitored. Workers are provided with a safe, healthy working environment. There is also a great deal of transparency between companies and consumers, starting from the design phase, through to production and distribution. We need to stop our fast-fashion mentality. Our clothes can last longer if we choose quality over volume when shopping. We are supporting good products and helping the environment. Repair, restyle or rework clothes without having to throw them away. Look at labels, buy second hand, support small businesses or shop our friends’ wardrobes.
