Sustainable Clothing Production
Sustainable clothing production is about producing clothing while affecting the environment as little as possible. This is done by using natural and organic materials. This also incorporates the working conditions in the factories where these clothes are being created. The working conditions must be adequate for employees and the emission of pollutants must be low. In a traditional fashion supply factory, more than 8,000 chemicals are used, and the working conditions are often dangerous. Not to mention the massive amounts of water that are wasted in the process of clothing production.
Fast Fashion vs. Sustainable Fashion
Fast fashion is about making clothing as quickly as possible without worrying about how they are made or what materials are used to make them. They don’t consider waste or factory conditions as their only goals are to make clothes quickly, cheaply, and in large quantities. Fast fashion makes it possible to shop at significantly lower prices because it takes less time and labor and more environmental resources. This clothing is usually trendy cheap clothing that people don’t want to spend a lot of money on because it will likely be out of style in the near future. People often only wear the pieces a few times and then get rid of them so they look for cheaper products. There are benefits to fast fashion but most of them are external. Consumers get their clothing quickly and there are normally more pieces produced. Alongside the pros, there are many cons to fast fashion besides the fact that it is bad for the environment. Fast fashion is often produced under poor working conditions. The wages for these workers are very low because the products they are selling are so cheap and the factories are normally run down and dangerous. Along with the working conditions, the clothing itself is often poorly made. They are not spending money on good-quality fabrics and threads, so the clothing is likely to rip and tear shortly after purchasing.
In order for clothing to be considered sustainable, it must be produced in a way that protects the environment while following fair working conditions. Sustainable fashion aims to produce products that offer a timeless appearance and durable materials. The consumer gets more original pieces that will last much longer. These pieces have much less of a carbon footprint which means they use less environmental resources making for a strong replacement rate. Sustainable fashion offers a proper work environment and good wages for the employees that are creating the clothing. Fashion is one of the largest pollutants to the environment and shopping sustainably can contribute immensely to creating a better future for our ecosystem.
Examples of Fast Fashion
There are many fast fashion companies that offer cheap and trendy clothing. In fact, some of your favorite places to shop could be considered fast fashion, hiding right under your nose. Here are some common fast-fashion brands to look out for and avoid.
