Lately much is being spoken about sustainable fashion, yet the concept surrounding is shrouded in myths. Many brands these days advertise their products as sustainable- but are they providing what they are claiming?
Before delving deep into the topic of why sustainable fashion matters, let’s understand what is sustainable fashion. It is referred to as elevated style and beyond. Specific criteria, which benefits the environment – ingredients ideal for reducing carbon footprint and toxic chemical load.
Innovation in sustainable practices has been playing a pivotal role in the fashion landscape. The fashion industry is the world’s second-largest polluter and has been slow in adopting a sustainable approach.
Research shows that even when a person adopts a more sustainable lifestyle — whether they are more aware of it or not– fashion is usually the last thing they will change.
The following statistics are alarming and shows the urgent need for a shift.
- An average t-shirt requires 400 to 600 gallons of water for production (that’s equivalent to 7 to 10 full bathtubs)
- The fashion industry uses 1,600 chemicals in their dyeing processes, only one percent of which have been approved by the Environmental Protection Agency
But it’s not just the industry that’s at fault; consumers play a part, too. Our choice of fast fashion dictates that we consume over 400 percent more clothing today versus 20 years ago. An average garment is only worn seven times before it gets thrown out. After all, no one wants to be photographed in the same outfit!
Also Read: Our Story of being thoughtful, responsible, sustainable
Moving forward, we need to create a sustainable wardrobe. Our resources are limited, and wasting them any further is going to leave our future dry.
It’s the small changes that will add up to a big difference. It time for apparel companies to shift to a more sustainable future.
Do you think that the Indian fashion industry is ready for a sustainable approach? How essential do you think sustainable fashion is? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.
