The world of fashion thrives on upcoming trends and keeping up to date with the latest styles that have taken the world by a storm. But keeping up to pace with the fashion industry ends up costing us dearly. Brands manufacture products at the expense of human lives and the planet. Weaving fabric and dyeing threads uses massive amounts of water resources and toxic chemicals. These chemicals run off into clean water bodies and contaminate them, making textile dyeing one of the leading causes of water pollution. Besides the obvious peril the production of clothing is putting our environment under, it is also a danger to the social environment. Poverty stricken individuals are made to labor under inhumane conditions and underage children are exploited and forced to work for ridiculously low wages. This global epidemic of materialism and consumerism has made this planet go into a major crisis that has been growing rapidly as the fashion industry continues to boom and stick to its old ways.
The introduction of sustainability in the fashion world
The effects of the fashion market and the devastation it has led to globally has become more than apparent now. And in the wake of this realization, consumers have become more socially responsible. Re-using and thrifting has become a common trend amongst youngsters. With an increased environmental and social awareness, they have modified their lifestyles in a manner that does not contribute to the planet’s downfall. But this revolution is not just a one-man job. These consumers have directed their concerns to the brands that they engage with, which has propelled them to make amendments to satisfy their customers and play their part in recovering the Earth from the catastrophe it has already been plunged into due to their sheer negligence.
These brands have made drastic alterations in how they function by manufacturing high quality apparel with enduring and long-lasting materials so that the customers aren’t driven to purchase them repeatedly. They have shifted their fabrics to recycled materials which includes wool, polyester, and nylon. They have discontinued the use of down feathers and wool and if they are used, they make sure that they are recycled. Many leading brands have started advertising in a way that prompts the consumer to think twice before making an unnecessary purchase and they encourage them to return old worn-out apparel back to the stores so that they can be processed and converted back into new clothing.
Other than focusing on reuse and recycling, brands have also reconsidered how they manufacture the product. They are using more ethical replacements for animal hides and making use of substances that are non-toxic, cruelty free and biodegradable during the crafting process. The labor conditions are also being transomed with constant checks that the work force is not underpaid or constrained to work in strict and harsh settings.
Clothing manufacturers will harness an innovation skill set within their hierarchy by climbing up the sustainability ladder quickly as consumers are switching to this lifestyle more swiftly than ever before. According to innovation experts, this approach is what every fashion company requires to fortify its economic future.