Sustainability: More Than Just a Trend
There are a lot of misconceptions about the word “sustainability”, and in my opinion, I think that it is because the concept is so vague. Nowadays, companies love to slap the word on their packaging whenever they can, sometimes without it meaning anything at all. The concept can also be alienating, with people feeling so hopeless about their consumption habits that they believe they will never truly be “sustainable,” so they don’t even try. However, there is more to sustainability than the pessimism or the greenwashing (greenwashing def. when green PR and green marketing are used to make a company seem more environmentally friendly than they actually are).
The good news: sustainability is currently the only sector of the fashion industry that is growing. Thrifting and secondhand apps like Depop or Poshmark have experienced a huge boom over the past few years. People are realizing how incredibly fun and rewarding finding secondhand or sustainably made products are. A lot of brands are shifting to environmentally focused practices, with even big corporations like H&M starting their own green line of clothing. However, my concern with situations like that one is that those corporations are only capitalizing on sustainability’s current popularity, and not on actually making a difference in their chain of labor and supplies. Its current popularity may be due to climate change making its way more into the public eye, and companies and workers finally beginning to take action against unethical and highly unsustainable practices. Though all of that is amazing, it is important to keep in mind: sustainability is far more than a trend.
The journey towards sustainable fashion is undoubtedly intersectional, and it is narrow-minded to consider it without also thinking about the labor law inadequacies, racial and gender implications, and the economic strife that it has caused. In order to help you all on your sustainable fashion journey, we wanted to include some resources to refer to and how they can help!
FOR WHEN YOU WANT YOUR BUSINESS MORE SUSTAINABLE BUT YOU DON’T KNOW WHERE TO START (CONNECTING YOUR BRAND WITH SUSTAINABILITY EXPERTS): Global Fashion Agenda
The Global Fashion Agenda is based out of Copenhagen, and is dedicated to helping brands find solutions and new business models that make them more sustainable and innovative. They have worked with big names like Target and ASOS, but are also highly impactful for small businesses as well.
TO FIND A SUSTAINABLE FASHION BRAND: Good on You
Good on You is known for their brand ratings, which they do by judging several criteria: a brand’s impact on workers across the supply chain (like child labor and safety), resource use and waste management, and animal welfare. They do research about companies so that we don’t have to. Use this as a reference to see how your favorite clothing lines rank!
TO JOIN THE FIGHT FOR ETHICAL LABOR AND SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES: Fashion Revolution
Fashion Revolution week commemorates the Rana Plaza Collapse every year with a week of events, speakers, and suggestions on how to create their own community to start a conversation with. Essentially, they provide a wealth of resources, from how to host your own clothing swap, to a fashion transparency index. Though they are most known for their annual event, they are putting in the work all year long, and help you do so as well!
TO EDUCATE YOURSELF THROUGH CLASSES: Fashion and Sustainability from the Long College of Fashion
This free course from Future Learn is six weeks long, and averages about 3 hours a week. This is perfect if you benefit more from structured learning, even if you aren’t trying to get into the professional fashion world. However, it is especially beneficial for small (or large!) business owners and designers, as it covers sourcing materials and creative possibilities that come from informed decision making. Take advantage of this amazing free class today!