FAQs - sustainable Fashion

WHAT IS SUSTAINABLE FASHION?

It is defined as clothing, shoes and accessories that are manufactured, marketed and used in the most sustainable manner possible, taking into account both environmental and socio-economic aspects involved in its production lifestyle stages.

WHAT IS ETHICAL FASHION?

Garments and accessories that are produced in safe working conditions by people who earn a living wage or higher. They are not forced to work and are free to unionise. Not all ethical fashion is sustainable.

WHAT IS FAST FASHION?

Fashion that is mass-produced at a fast turn-around to fit fleeting trends. It comes in many forms, but it is almost always cheap and low quality. The business model relies on exploitation of labour and the environment to fulfil consumer demands. Examples of fast fashion include H&M, Dolls Kill, Walmart, Youvimi, Shein, and more.

WHY IS MOST FASHION BAD FOR THE ENVIRONMENT?

There are many ways in which fashion poses a threat to the environment. The fibres are often grown with pesticides and massive quantities of water, or made from plastic. Fabrics are bleached and dyed with chemicals that are dumped in the factories’ local waterways. Garments are overproduced unsold stock is sent to landfill or incinerated which releases harmful chemicals in the air. To learn more about why fashion is unsustainable, start out with this article by Good On You.

WHY IS MOST FASHION UNETHICAL?

To keep the price of fashion low, the vast majority of workers in the fashion supply chain are either enslaved or paid below the poverty line. They are expected to work up to 16 hours a day in unsafe working conditions that cause illness, injury, and even death. Attempts to unionise or negotiate better conditions are met with violence and legal action. To learn more about the ethical issues in the fashion industry, check out the Garment Worker Diaries.