Evolving Trends in the World of Fashion
According to the Pulse of the Fashion Industry report, published by Global Fashion Agenda, the climatic impacts of the fashion industry are expected to rise by 49% by 2030 and its carbon footprint is said to rise by 2.8 billion tonnes per annum.
The Worldwide Fashion platform Lyst report shows a 47% increase in shoppers looking for sustainable, ethical and slow fashion.
Clearly enough, and despite the continuing dominance of fast fashion, there is a growing desire and trend towards eco-friendly and sustainable fashion. In what follows, we discuss some of the crucial aspects of sustainable fashion, alongside some of the other evolving trends in the fashion industry.
Sustainable Fashion
Primarily, sustainable fashion aims at imparting greater ecological integrity to the production process. In other words, the intention here is to bring about a holistic change in the outlook of the fashion industry. In general, any eco-friendly, socially and ethically conscious strategy of production, as well as consumption, is a step towards the sustainable fashion industry.
According to Green Strategy, there are seven different aspects of sustainable fashion:
- On-demand manufacturing process
- High-quality and timeless design
- Environment-friendly processes
- Ethical considerations
- Repairing and redesigning
- Handing over old clothes, borrowing, swapping or charity
- Buying of second-hand and vintage clothes
Obstacles for Sustainable Fashion
The delay in the mainstreaming of sustainable fashion, despite the glaring evidence in its favor, is enforced by a range of factors:
#1 To put it honestly, the industry itself isn't mature enough for this massive adoption. Although there’s a significant rise in innovations in this area, the desired and necessary efficiency is yet to be achieved.
#2 Products of sustainable fashion are usually more expensive than those of mass-produced fast fashion. Obviously, this acts as a major deterrent.
#3 Brands often exploit the working conditions of developing nations to produce unsustainable products while maintaining a handsome profit margin.
#4 The shift to sustainable fashion involves manifold complexities, which cannot be handled solely within the industry. Ideally, the government, the industry, and consumers must work together to ensure a change.
Fortunately, even with all these obstacles, we still see passionate and responsible brands and designers determined to make a difference to influence the market by providing ecological fashion options for shoppers to make a conscious choice.
Slow Fashion & Ethical Fashion
Slow Fashion is a holistic concept - fully aware of the existing relationships and balance between raw materials, human labor, and the environment. It breaks apart from the existing norms of focusing on the quantity of purchase. Slow fashion is a counter-cultural trend in the fashion industry that inspires customers to ask compelling questions, thereby slowing down their “shopping spree” and allowing them to consider product quality over purchase quantity.
Ethical fashion may be regarded as an umbrella term that refers to ethical designs of fashion, production, retail, and purchasing. It takes a number of considerations such as the labor’s working conditions, practices of fair trade, sustainable means of production and consumption, the environmental aspects and the welfare of animals.
So, the inclusion of three crucial values of social good, planet friendliness and restraint from animal-cruelty, are the essential qualities of the system of ethical fashion.
The Similarities Between Slow, Sustainable and Ethical Fashion
Despite the subtle, technical differences, slow and ethical fashion may well be seen as routes to the overarching goal to protect the best interests of the ecosystem. Their target is to make fashion more eco-friendly and to minimize wastage.
How to engage with sustainable fashion on a consumer level? Here are some of the ways to get you started on your green journey to make a difference:
- Avoid purchasing products of fast fashion
- Buy quality products which last longer
- Look for brand transparency
- Consider buying from smaller, local brands
- Choose carefully to avoid being green washed
- Consume timeless designs and seasonless trends
Basically, the idea is to buy only those products which you’ll love (in the long run), and treat them as indispensable. Alongside, trying to recycle your unwanted purchased products as much as possible, either by donating or any other means.
Conclusion
In times of rising environmental concerns and diminishing resources, individuals and industries alike have to take up the remedial responsibilities. Owing to this realization, among other factors, the recent trends in the fashion industry have focused upon more eco-friendly and sustainable means of production, as well as, consumption.
To shop sustainably and live consciously.
We want to create a world where fashion does not need to cost the planet nor does it have to cost you. Here at 22 Factor, most of our products are made of 100% upcycled yarn; our pieces are carefully thought out and put together, making it a beautiful reminder to live more fully and consciously.
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