Tomorrow April 24 is the Fashion Revolution Day , on April 24 last year in fact 1133 people lost life in the collapse of a production complex in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
We take the opportunity to talk about ethical and eco-sustainable fashion. Ecofashion.
We found inspiration by an article on TreeHugger by Margaret Badore, here the original. The author responds to criticisms that evidently have directed her, on eco-sustainable fashion. She agrees with many readers of TreeHugger, the magazine she writes for, that thrift stores are the most eco-friendly choice of all, and there are often also designer clothes.
However, thrift shops cannot be the only solution, if anything, “a bridge to achieve sustainable fashion, but not the destination”, which should be produced in an alternative way. It is for this reason, she says, that she writes about green fashion, she refers to brands like Nau, Alternative or Amour Vert.
The issue is interesting, because more and more often we talk about sustainable fashion, but we rarely go beyond the labels and think about the topic. This article, on the other hand, has interesting ideas.
What would it be like? In my ideal world, the production of clothes would be local, organic, in natural fibers that would be collected and spun, in accordance with the cultural needs of the area, colored with non-toxic dyes. These manufacturing processes would create beautiful, multifunctional and long lasting clothes. These clothes would be designed and sewn by people who would be paid a fair income, they would be part of the community choosing the goods they would produce … We wouldn’t need many items . These clothes would last a long time, but not forever. They would still become worn out, too loved to look professional, too full of holes to keep us warm enough. Perhaps these clothes would find a second life as patches or blankets, but even when these small fragments would no longer be useful for a long time it would not be serious, because the fibers would be biodegradable. Well … we are a long way from this ideal. At the moment the fashion that dictates the law is fast, style and commerce have led us to treat clothes like candy paper. The weight that the fashion industry has in global pollution is crucial. (…) We certainly need to buy fewer clothes and accessories. We need to wear them longer, pay more for them. You don’t need much . You don’t need to buy a new item for several years. I don’t think about this when I write about a new season or a nice collection. (…) But sometimes we need to buy something new. (…) If so, I hope people have better options than the big fashion brands. You can support a brand that shares your values.
In the course of her interview work with designers and fashion brands she has learned, she says, that there are many challenges to making environmentally sustainable clothes and accessories. There is no one who totally corresponds to the ideal presented at the beginning of her post but, she says, many companies are approaching it and it is clear the commitment they put in to be more and more sustainable, and in any case show a way towards a better world. So let’s buy cheaply and well!
