A Definitive Guide To Sustainability

There is no denying that “Sustainability” is a hot topic. With consumers demanding transparency from brands, and the stark reality of the fashion industry becoming more and more apparent, sustainability is quite frankly the new leopard print when it comes to what is trending in the industry today. But with multiple brands, the media, and eco-warriors creating an overwhelming wave of information, it can become difficult to really know what sustainable fashion looks like. 

From fast fashion, greenwashing, microplastics, all the way to fair trade, deadstock and minimalism, here is a definitive guide to every question you might have had about sustainable fashion.

No, Greenwashing does not mean washing your clothing in eco-friendly detergent (although this is highly recommended to protect our water systems).

Greenwashing is defined as “Spending more time and money claiming to be “green” through advertising and marketing rather than actually implementing business practices that minimize environmental impact.”

It is easily identifiable when an aforementioned fast fashion brand starts releasing “eco-friendly” collections or claim to be “Conscious”. 

The best way to avoid being caught in the web of a greenwashing spider is to do your research. If you can trace the efforts that the brand is making to change their own system and create a more sustainable future, you can probably trust them a little more. However, if the claims are superficial and you can’t actually find what the brand is doing to make a positive impact or reduce their own impact, then it’s, unfortunately, most likely that you’ve been tricked. 

So why do brands claim to be green and eco friendly when they actually aren’t? Simply put, it’s because they know that they’re part of the problem and they’re trying to put a band-aid over the wound they’re contributing to. If they can be grouped under the brands that are trying to make an effort to create positive change, then hopefully they can get away with the realities of their manufacturing practices and impact. That being said, studies have shown that the younger generations are willing to spend more on products labeled as sustainable and eco friendly - so if they can raise their prices (even if it means lowering their morals), even better!

Terminology aside, let’s talk about the terms that we’ve seen popping up under the guise of sustainability.

While this term does prevent you from wearing or consuming any man-made chemicals or Genetically Modified goods, it does not necessarily mean that the product you have bought is actually good for the environment, or benefitting it in any way. The USDA Organic Certification does not control the impact that these products have on water consumption, the use of plastic or other non-recyclable materials, the consumption of fossil fuels, or the transportation surrounding the product. These are all factors that need to be considered when ensuring that a brand is sustainable.

Upcycling is the practice of taking a product that you otherwise have no use for and repurposing it to extending its lifecycle. This is a practice that has become increasingly popular recently, with many designers reviving old items of clothing found in thrift stores. Upcycling can take the form of creating a new clothing item out of something old or repurposing the item of clothing into something entirely new, such as a decorative cushion or an apron.

Recycling, as a general definition, refers to converting waste into reusable material. This differs from upcycling largely on the basis that the original product is often broken down into a smaller form that is easier to reconstruct, as opposed to mostly being upgraded (as is the case with upcycling). 

When it comes to clothing and textile recycling, this difference is easier to understand. Upcycled textiles are often cut, resewn, bedazzled, embroidered, and largely superficially modified. Recycled textiles on the other hand are quite literally broken down into their smallest form, often by shredding or deconstructing it down to the simple fibers - to be respun again into an entirely “new” textile. Oftentimes, the shredded scraps that cannot be reborn into new threads are still made useful by means of stuffing a mattress or filling the padding of cushioned furniture.

It is important, however, to recognize greenwashing when it comes to recycling clothing. Many brands have implemented clothing recycling bins in their stores with the promise that the donation of clothing made to their stores will become something entirely new - thereby easing the consumer guilt that shoppers might feel for supporting such labels. However, these promises may often be empty, misleading and superficial - as the clothes do not become something “new” but are in fact sent to other countries to be resold. And, with the unfortunate reality that many items are in no condition to be resold, these bins of donated clothing commonly arrive in landfills or amongst a heap of other textile waste being set alight. This further impacts the atmosphere and environment in adverse ways.

Ethical Fashion refers to the treatment of the people within the manufacturing chain, their working conditions, how much they are paid, and their well-being. This also refers to the treatment of any animals that might provide raw materials for the products being made, as well as the use of animals in product testing.

Eco Fashion on the other hand ensures that the manufacturing practices do not negatively impact the immediate ecosystem, or the wider environment. This also includes the sustainable use of resources, as well as the longevity and manner of disposal of the products.

Another form of deadstock is fabric that is damaged in some way or does not meet the standard of quality of the original manufacturer. This can therefore not be used by the original manufacturer, causing them to sell the fabric to another manufacturer who will be able to use it despite the damage or quality. While this also contributes to a reduced amount of waste in the industry, it does mean that the products made with this fabric will not be of good quality, will quickly deteriorate, and therefore form part of the unsustainable fast fashion life cycle.

Microplastics are minute pieces of plastic that come off our clothing when they are washed, or other products that have contact with the water cycle, and get swept into the waterways and into the ocean. This can include the microbeads found in beauty and health products - such as face washes and exfoliants. Considering that we are facing a global plastic pandemic, a conscious effort should be made to reduce, if not avoid, the use of plastic in our lives. Simply reaching for products without microbeads, or investing in a wash bag that can catch your microplastics when doing laundry, can make more difference than you might realize. Initiatives such as Humble Bee Ltd’s endeavors to create solutions to the plastics pollution are at the forefront of cutting edge textile technology.

Water is essential to all life on earth. Many of us might underestimate how much water is used in production, or how badly the water can be affected and even damaged during and after product manufacturing.

In fact, around 79 billion cubic meters of water is used by the fashion industry per year, with a predicted 118 billion cubic meters expected by 2030. This includes the cultivation of the crops from which the fibers are sourced, the processing of raw materials, the washing and dying processes, as well as the subsequent cycles through washing machines after purchase. One of the most notably water heavy crops is cotton, with a significant 20,000 liters of water being used to produce 1kg of cotton. To put this into perspective, this is equivalent to just one t-shirt and pair of jeans. Thankfully, as strenuous as this is on the water usage of our globe, cotton is a durable textile that can withstand many years of use when cared for appropriately. So instead of swaying away from the classic cotton tee, in favor of something less draining of our water supplies, remember that investing in a high-quality pure cotton shirt, that will last you years, is always the better option. 

On that note, did you know that jeans should not be washed after every wear?