Photo by Financial Times.
Why The Idea of Sustainable Fashion Isn’t Really Sustainable.
If you’ve ever come across the thousands of brands on a social platform like Instagram that market their ideas of sustainable clothing as the new ‘wave’ of fashion (which you probably have), then you may feel a little bit under pressure to keep up with the times.
Does Sustainability Always Come With A Price?
Now don’t get me wrong, the idea of sustainability through clothing and the fashion industry is definitely a brilliant push in the right direction, especially during these times of a global pandemic. With more and more consumers gaining a wider sense of eco-consciousness, sustainability couldn’t be more necessary. But should that necessity cause such a big stir in your wallet?
In a time like this where the uncertainty of one’s next paycheck is dictated by a global pandemic, it could be considered impractical to spend more money on fashion items over basic survival needs.
Accessibility Has Never Felt So Far Away.
The impact that fashion has on a cultural scale has heavily influenced how consumers see and buy clothing, especially online. Brands like Asos have built impressive e-commerce revenue over the last few years, as well as Instagram’s new shop feature that makes it unbelievably easy to shop as you scroll. But with the efficiency of marketing these days, one could argue that sustainability is slowly but surely being used as a watered-down tactic, and here are a few reasons why:
- The generalisation that sustainable fashion products are for ‘people’ by ‘people’ when there seems to be a premium price tag placed on sustainable fashion. There is never any emphasis on what kind of people they’re talking about.
- The exclusivity of sustainable fashion seldom seems to stretch far enough to meet the plus-sized community, those from largely diverse backgrounds, and consumers who just can’t extend their paychecks to buy a dress more expensive than the average cost for your utility bill.
- And all in all, sustainable fashion is just simply not sustainable sometimes. People don’t always have access to sustainable clothing that is tailored towards their target audience, therefore lessening the powerful impact sustainable brands could potentially create, simply because they lack inclusivity.
People have different reasons for buying fashion items, some have them as investment purchases (sneaker collecting, for example), some for their desired aesthetic, and some simply because they want clothes that last for a long time. In the age of technology that we live in, the lengths to which clothes and fashion can be remade, reused and recycled are endless. And because the fashion industry by itself is responsible for 10% of global carbon emissions according to the BBC, both business owners, as well as consumers, must make a conscious effort to produce sustainable clothing as eco-friendly as possible. Some may argue against that even being possible.
If The Brand’s Vision is Sustainable, Their Clothes Just Might Be Too.
Overall, the societal consensus is that sustainable fashion is possibly one of the only ways we can reinvent fashion to adapt to the world's changing climate. And we can’t discredit brands that have genuinely considered the longevity of how they would produce and promote sustainable fashion. Brands such as Ninety Percent Clothing added a fun and conducive twist on their company name by actually giving 90% of their profits to a selection of charitable causes. While some may consider this a high-risk decision, it certainly proceeds to immensely impact the world of sustainable fashion. Another brand that strategically emphasizes being sustainable and bringing awareness to the way fashion impacts the earth currently is ADOT SHOP, which allows the customer the choice of a charity to support at the checkout. The purpose that these brands effectively place on their brand image already paints a brighter picture for the future of sustainable fashion, one that would give the consumer more of a reason to support them and their goals. Rather than their clothing just being marketed as a ‘trend’, it’s placed on a higher pedestal where people are given more awareness of what they could actually invest money into.