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Sustainable Fashion Future
- 26 February, 2021
- Academy of Fashion Design
We live in a fast-paced world, products are made quickly, cheaply, and are upgraded what seems like mere minutes after they are released. Fashion is no different and has become the second most pollutive industry, only behind the oil industry. Fashion went from having two seasons a year, spring/ summer and winter/ fall, to having 52 micro-seasons. Fast fashion companies release a new micro-collection every week, designed to make you feel like you are behind the trends. This consumer-driven world we live in is quickly killing the environment, the average person garbages 70 pounds of clothing a year and big fashion brands are burning and disposing of tonnes of unsold garments. This constantly changing fashion world treats clothing, and sometimes the people who make them, as disposable.
With individuals around the globe becoming more conscious about the environment and the rights of workers, there has been a push to eliminate fast fashion. This concept is being replaced with a slow fashion movement. Slow fashion is the idea that puts more focus on the story behind the garment, rather than the cheap price. This movement is encouraging people to purchase clothing that is ethically and economically made from environmentally friendly fabric. These garments should be long-lasting and support a quality over quantity ideology.
As designers, it is important to also support the slow fashion movement. We should strive to use fabrics that are environmentally friendly. These fabrics include recycled cotton, organic linen, wool, Tencel, and organic hemp. Unlike polyester and other synthetic materials, these fabrics will bio-degrade quickly. Another thing designers can do to help fashion become more sustainable is to use their fabric wisely. On average 15% of the fabric from a garment is discarded in scraps. We should plan our projects to utilize the most of our fabric and any scraps we do have should be kept to use for smaller projects. These projects could include matching scrunchies or bags. Lastly, work to educate your customers on why sustainable fashion is necessary in our world.
We also should incorporate sustainability into our own cloth shopping. A great way to do this is to buy garments you know you will be able to wear for many years and donate, re-sell, or repurpose any garments you no longer wear. To prolong the life circle of clothing we should shop at thrift and consignment stores. Another way to support slow fashion is to buy fewer garments but ensure they are quality. Here are some great sustainable Canadian brands to support!
Cedar and Vine
Cedar and Vine is a Saskatchewan-based company that was founded by a former student of the Academy of Fashion Design. They help women build minimalistic and sustainable capsule wardrobes.
Londre
Londre is a swimwear and loungewear brand that is made from materials made from recycled bottles. They also use their business to raise awareness and funds for women's health and environmental initiatives.
Rock and Prarie
Rock and Prarie is a brand based in Calgary that creates sustainable wardrobe staples in sizes 4- 24.
There are so many wonderful sustainable brands and as the push to take care of the environment and each other we will start seeing more eco-friendly brands being created.
