( That I know, lol )
'Sustainable' and 'Ethical' recently, have become popular words in the fashion industry. Every fashion brand, producer, consumer, right about anyone involved in the process of creating fashion is urged to practice sustainability or put ethical practices into use.
But what exactly is sustainable fashion?
According to the UN Report to World Commission on Environment and Development Sustainability is, 'meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of the future generation to meet their own needs.'
i.e we conduct our business- production, marketing, transportation etc in such a manner, that, the resources we are using benefits us, without the risk of exhausting it for the future generation.
Sustainability in any industry depends on the three very significant pillars - Economic, Environmental and Social.
Also called the triple bottom line.
An industry can be regarded as sustainable only when it not only takes care of its economic progress and growth but also the social and environmental effect and wellbeing.
So when we refer to ethical fashion we also are taking into account the same values as sustainable fashion.
From the cultivation of the cotton crop, for example, if is it free from pesticide and insecticide? is water management practiced?
and when the cotton goes in for the dying process and other treatments, are the dyes organic? how is the wastewater treated? etc, is it chemical free?
and then the actual process of garment making, where is it made? is it a safe and clean place for the workers? are they paid fair wages? are they exploited? is child labor involved? what is done with the production waste? are the garments made to last?
And at each level fair wages have to be paid.
So in the entire process, not only is the economic aspect to be looked at but also the socio and environmental aspect have to be also taken care off in order for the business to be ethical.
These practices have become a very important cause of the pollution it causes which is greatly affecting the environment. Did you know the fashion industry alone contributes to 10% of global water pollution, which affects the marine lives as well as humans equally.
It was a wake-up call for the entire world, when the world 4th largest lake, Aral sea reduced to 10% of its original size cause of the cotton cultivation that started along the bank.
In order to practice responsible business in the entire fashion industry, as a whole,
In order to practice responsible business in the entire fashion industry, as a whole,
the Ethical Fashion Forum has put forward 10 criteria which define as ethical fashion and addresses the 3 pillars of sustainability.
A very interesting thing to note is the concept of sustainability and ethical Fashion is open to interpretation. It isn't rigid, in the sense, that only if the above-mentioned criteria are fulfilled by the company or factory or producer doesn't become an Ethical Brand. Fashion Organisations can adopt different ways to be Ethical, be it with respect to minimizing waste or minimizing environmental pollution by doing small and local business, etc.
A brand, if it decided to go ethical can also consider incorporating the following steps into its practice.
An organization can choose to take these small steps in its functioning, if not all, cause we understand that everything can get a bit overwhelming and considering that our economy isn't sustainable yet, very expensive as well. Nevertheless, any step towards sustainability or ethical fashion should be always welcomed and appreciated.
All the given points cover the three pillar of sustainability, economic, environmental and social.
What they choose to follow, be it just one or all, is up to them, the producers.
We, as consumers, on our part have the responsibility to #ask the producer to be transparent about their practice.
Tell their consumers about how are the garments produced? how are the materials sourced? and what are the materials sourced? about worker well fair.
Ethical Fashion has to be a 2-way street,
the producers need to take responsible steps and
the consumers practice responsibly.
- Countering fast, cheap fashion.
- Fair Trade.
- Supporting sustainable livelihoods.
- Addressing toxic pesticide and chemical use.
- Using and/or developing eco- friendly fabrics and components.
- Minimising water use.
- Recycling and addressing energy efficiency and waste.
- Developing or promoting sustainability standards for fashion.
- Resources, training and/ or awareness raising initiatives
- Animal rights
A very interesting thing to note is the concept of sustainability and ethical Fashion is open to interpretation. It isn't rigid, in the sense, that only if the above-mentioned criteria are fulfilled by the company or factory or producer doesn't become an Ethical Brand. Fashion Organisations can adopt different ways to be Ethical, be it with respect to minimizing waste or minimizing environmental pollution by doing small and local business, etc.
A brand, if it decided to go ethical can also consider incorporating the following steps into its practice.
- Employing women or certain ethnic groups
- Donating part of the profits to a charity
- Handmade
- Contributing to preserve traditions of an ethnic minority.
- Revealing manufacturing locations and workforce policies
- Natural Dyes
- Use of discarded fabrics.
- Upcycling of used materials.
- Made with recycled fabrics
- Garments made to last for a long time.
All the given points cover the three pillar of sustainability, economic, environmental and social.
What they choose to follow, be it just one or all, is up to them, the producers.
We, as consumers, on our part have the responsibility to #ask the producer to be transparent about their practice.
Tell their consumers about how are the garments produced? how are the materials sourced? and what are the materials sourced? about worker well fair.
Ethical Fashion has to be a 2-way street,
the producers need to take responsible steps and
the consumers practice responsibly.
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