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There is a good chance that you love clothes or knows someone who loves fashion? I "like" clothes but I don't go out shopping for clothes. I don't like shopping. I think it has something to do when I was a child and my mom would drag me around for hours in the mall. I much rather going golfing with my dad instead! But also being in the pageant industry, I am always in the fashion bubble. Always needing to have new competition clothes or fancy clothes for this event or for that pageant or for this special occasion gets expensive! So let's talk cost and sustainability in the world of fashion!
Sustainable clothing is defined as "thrifting, swapping, sharing and renting." There are tons of great online sites and community stores to do just that! Check out Queenly or Poshmark, both online and with apps; or check out Plato's Closet or a second hand store, thrift shop, or Goodwill. Saves you money and helps the planet because you are giving gently used clothes a second chance.
FACT: 10% of GLOBAL greenhouse gas emissions comes from the fashion industry.
So what is sustainable fashion? It is defined as the products, processes, & people aiming to achieve a carbon-neutral fashion industry built on equality, social justice, animal welfare and ecological integrity. That is A LOT to focus on, but hey, someone has to do it!
Here are five reasons why I think you should care about being informed about sustainable fashion:
1. Creates less waste
FACT: One garbage truck of textile waste are dumped into landfills or burnt every second.
We do a pretty good job of creating waste on our own so we don't really need help with textile waste. No wonder some clothes & accessories are so expensive! I'm all in favor for reducing waste!
2. Ensures fair wages & proper working conditions
FACT: Fast fashion brands produce garments in developing countries where workers are underpaid and they use child labor.
This is part of the equality and social justice that sustainable fashion rests on. It's important to respect the worker's time and energy as well as provide them proper breaks, facilities, and more. You wouldn't want to be mistreated and not paid fairly, right?
3. Reduces CO2 & Other greenhouse gas emissions
FACT: Fast fashion clothes are made from petroleum based materials.
I am more aware of what I put in my body and on my body because I read labels and go the extra step to understand the ingredients but not everyone does that. But I do know that I do NOT want to be covered in petroleum! I do the same with beauty products and skin care products. Sustainable fashion utilizes bio-degradable materials from natural or recycled fabrics so little to no chemical treatments are used along with less energy & water being used and no pesticides.
4. Saves H20
FACT: 2,720 Liters of water are use to make ONE cotton shirt while 7,000 liters of water are used to make ONE pair of jeans. Toxic chemicals pollute our freshwater in the production phase.
Sustainable fashion sets water budgets and uses textiles made from linen, hemp, and organic cotton, which use little to no water during the production phase.
5. Saves Animals
This one is easy because sustainable clothing is cruelty-free and vegan.
To date, 90% of clothing brands continue to use plastics & non-biodegradable fibers causing environmental damage. On average, in a year, 70 million barrels of oil are used to make polyester fibers that end up in our oceans, killing animals or people because they enter the food chain as microplastics.
So what can you do? Simple.
Reuse your clothes and accessories for as long as you can.
Donate gently used items to second hand sites
Share or swap with friends
Buy smarter. That means reading labels and buy sustainable clothing. Informed consumers know that you don't have to spend a million dollars on sustainable items.
Stop buying a new outfit for every item on your calendar. Upcycle your clothes or buy second hand.