Understanding the Importance of Sustainable Fashion

Our planet is suffering and if things don’t change soon, there may not be much of a planet left for future generations. Businesses and individuals alike need to work together to make this change a reality. In fact, most of these individuals enroll in an online MBA in Sustainability so they can equip themselves with knowledge of the principles and perspectives related to sustainability and corporate social responsibility. Many people are now leading a more eco-friendly lifestyle by recycling, not using plastic bags, and saving energy at home. Some industries like the fashion industry are also taking similar steps by going green. As a matter of fact, the fashion industry is responsible for over 10% of carbon emissions which is one of the main reasons behind global warming. This is why many fashion brands are taking steps in the right direction opting for sustainable fashion and creating environmentally friendly clothes. This is a very important step, keep reading to get an idea on how important sustainable fashion is.

Understanding the Importance of Sustainable Fashion

Saving Animals

The fashion industry kills hundreds of millions of animals every year for their fur and leather. People who wear expensive fur or buy branded leather bags may not know that an animal had to suffer and die for it. The fact is, the fashion and cosmetics industries torture animals all the time for the sake of beauty. However, brands that have embraced sustainable fashion have chosen to go in another direction and opt for cruelty-free methods and options. Instead of having to slaughter sheep, goats, or crocodiles, sustainable fashion brands have chosen less cruel alternatives like pineapple leaves or recycling seat belts. Sustainable fashion frees animals from endless suffering.

Reduced Carbon Emissions

As we have mentioned, the fashion industry plays a huge role in increasing carbon dioxide footprint in the air. The reason behind carbon emission is the materials that go into making clothes like nylon, polyester, and acrylic are all made from fossil fuels. The production process of these materials consumes high amounts of energy. On the other hand, sustainable fashion only uses natural fabrics or recycled materials, while requiring the bare minimum of energy, water, and chemicals in the production process. Sustainable fashion brands opt for organic materials like hemp, linen, and organic cotton. The use of anything organic is always better for the environment as it doesn’t harm the planet. If more fashion brands and businesses, in general, opt for organic and natural alternatives, the carbon footprint will be significantly reduced.

Better for the Workers

Sustainable fashion not only benefits the environment but also the workers. The nice clothes that we wear and love are made by workers who earn minimum wages while working for very long hours in dangerous and unhealthy working conditions. Additionally, they are also subjected to physical and verbal abuse on a daily basis. This is why the condition that these poor workers work under is usually labeled as modern-day slavery. Sustainable fashion brands aren’t only cruelty-free and eco-friendly but also ethical as well. They treat their workers the way every person should be treated, as human beings. They provide them with fair pay and safe and healthy working conditions. 

No one should be treated in an inhumane way, can you imagine living like this just because you need money? Child labor is also a big issue in the fashion industry. Any child, no matter what their age is, can get a job in clothing factories and work in the same dangerous and humiliating conditions. Since sustainable fashion brands make the choice to be ethical, they don’t hire children or even support child labor.

Better for People’s Health

The fashion industry uses different kinds of chemicals to bleach and dye the clothes you wear. These chemicals can have severe consequences on the people making the clothes as well as the ones wearing them. For the workers directly subjected to these chemicals, they can cause serious diseases, birth defects, and in some cases, death. You aren’t safe either since by wearing these clothes, your skin will absorb these chemicals. Sustainable fashion brands use little to no chemicals so you can rest easy when you put them on.

No one can deny the importance of sustainable fashion. It is good for the environment, animals, and people. More brands need to consider becoming sustainable, and the consumers have a responsibility as well to push them in this direction. By encouraging sustainable fashion brands and boycotting unsustainable ones, you are telling them that they need to reconsider their methods. People, animals, and the environment shouldn’t suffer for fashion, and thankfully, more brands are aware of that now and  are changing their ways.

Author: Allen Brown