Sustainable Fashion Helps Heal the Planet

by Isabella Peng

Sustainability is something that many more people are beginning to practice, especially amidst all the climate change and environmental degradation that our modern world faces. So you might be wondering, why fashion? The fashion industry is responsible for a large percentage of our carbon and greenhouse gas emissions, about ten percent (which is a lot when you think about it). Cotton production and cotton based materials require a ton of water to manufacture. Jeans are the worst offender, taking as much as 20,000 liters of water to produce 1 pair. Furthermore, not only is fast fashion bad for the environment, but many of the companies that produce such apparel often employ immoral working conditions and unethical labor practices in sketchy factories located in foreign countries to cut a few dollars. About 80% of these garment workers from developing countries are women and they are often paid close to nothing, and many are abused but can’t do anything about it since they need a job. Human rights violations seem to be a trend, especially where fast fashion is concerned.

We’ve now established that we can all benefit from being more aware of the background behind our clothes, accessories, and shoes, but how to? There are tons of great companies such as Adidas Parley For The Oceans and Reformation that use recycled fabrics or even plastic bottles to produce their fashion. However, there’s a small problem- many of them cost far too much for a broke student like me. One possible way to finesse this slight complication and be boujee on a budget is to thrift. “OMG EW, dis-gus-ting,” you might be thinking. “I don’t want to wear some crusty old granny slacks that look as if they’ve been run through an acid trip and the Ironman Challenge.” But alas, how wrong. Assuming you have the time and patience, there are a lot of great finds in thrift stores, and good news for the wallet, very cheaply as well. Some companies, such as Patagonia’s Worn Wear, have even taken it a step further and created their own resale shop where you can buy lightly used apparel that are still in very good condition. In addition to this, they will repair your broken jacket for you so that it stays in circulation for a longer time and won’t be chucked into a landfill.

In summary, there are many different angles to consider when trying to decide whether an article of clothing is sustainable or not. Of course, it’s really difficult to determine every single aspect, but it’s good to try and check a few boxes. Things you can take into consideration include: the brand itself and where their factories are located and how they treat their garment workers, how long the article will last (i.e. quality of fabric, stitching, color), how often you will wear it and how well the piece fits into your wardrobe, type of fabric or material; the list goes on and on. We can all do our part to make the world a little greener and this is just one of the baby steps that will lead to a healthier planet!