Sustainable Fashion

Sustainability:

To begin with- Sustainability is a concept of balancing our choices in order to   sustain the world we live in. It’s about everyone on this planet being able to enjoy the same things we do, today and tomorrow.

We can divide it into three categories:

Environmental– depending on the weather conditions of the place you live in

Social– depending on social and cultural aspects of your community

Economic– depending on the socio economic structure of your country

 Our values– solely depends on what you believe in 

So there’s no one universal definition of the word sustainability.

What is Slow Fashion?

Basically, for a garment or a fashion trend to be considered ‘sustainable’, it should be 

Eco-friendly: No part of the production process harms the environment

Fact: Majority of fast fashion garments are made of artificial materials and dyes which not only cause skin disorders but also adversely affect the environment. 

Ethically-made: The brand/fashion house follows fair trade practices and treats their labour force more humanly. 

Fact: Most of the fast fashion brands outsource the garment manufacturing process to economically backward countries and the factories in that country exploit their workers. Workers aren’t paid enough dues and have to work long hours without using the toilets. Have you ever wondered how a garment can cost less than a sandwich? If not then now is the time. 

Lasting, and accessible: Unlike the fast fashion outfits which are prone to untimely wear and tear, sustainable fashion garments should be able to last longer because of the quality of materials used and should also be easily accessible to everyone. 

Fact: Polyester, which is one of the key materials of fast fashion garments is extremely harmful for the environment and the human body. The production of polyester uses harmful chemicals, including carcinogens, and if emitted to water and air untreated, can cause significant environmental damage. It isn’t long lasting at all. 

I could make a longer list of different definitions of sustainability and slow fashion, but to cut it short I look for the above-mentioned qualities while purchasing any garment. 

I will be doing another post on where to find such slow Indian brands which stick to their principles without compromising on any of the sustainability components. So come back for my next post.

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