While the challenges of achieving sustainability goals may appear daunting at first, individuals can do so much to encourage sustainability in the fashion industry.
Repair, Reuse, and Repurpose Garments When Possible
One way that consumers can make an impact in the fashion industry is by changing their own consumption habits around constantly buying and discarding clothing.
Fast fashion is relatively new in human history. Before mass-produced clothing, the textile crafts of handmade artisan products required specialized skills, such as fabric dyeing and handloom weaving, that reflected the fine arts and identity of makers and their cultures. The traditional arts of handmade and hand-dyed clothing reflect the beauty and storytelling power of “slow fashion.”By taking care of garments — repairing them when they need support, reusing them rather than buying the latest trends — consumers can get more use out of their clothes, reducing the demand for fast fashion. Additionally, taking care of clothes can offer opportunities to reflect on the cultural heritage of the products they own and the identity of the clothing makers and their communities.
Demand Transparency
“Greenwashing” is a marketing tactic that brands use to deceive the public into thinking that products or policies are environmentally conscious. For example, a business could open a store called the Green Fashion Shop that sells only unsustainable clothing.
“The companies claiming to be sustainable or [that] use other terms such as green, eco-friendly, or other social initiatives, unless transparent with their goals and progress, are just doing lip service,” Pasricha warns.
Consumers should ask questions about the brands and companies they buy from:
- “What makes this company green, ethical, or sustainable?”
- “What evidence does this company have to support its claims?”
- “How open and honest is this company about its production processes, workers’ pay and work conditions, and its organizational structure?”
Hold Companies Accountable
The public should hold garment manufacturing companies, suppliers, and retailers accountable for improving their practices. “Each stakeholder has to play a role in real action,” says Pasricha. Today, many nonprofit organizations shine light on unethical company practices. Oxfam, for example, ranks brands according to “good” and “bad” sustainability habits and provides links to company Instagram pages and websites where consumers can voice their concerns.
Apps like Good On You also investigate and score brands based on sustainability practices, which can empower ordinary people to make informed choices about the companies they support.
Learn Sustainable Fashion Design
When asked what she loves to teach, Pasricha recalls the hands-on classes she teaches at St. Kate’s. “My favorite project is from my course Sustainable Product Development (SPD), as it looks at a holistic approach using circular design and the economic framework of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation.”
In a real-world, client-driven project, students work collaboratively in teams to design a sustainable product. They must consider every aspect of the supply chain (design, materials, labels, packaging, labor, shipping, energy, community engagement, end-of-life strategies, and so on), keeping the price point and company price levels in perspective. In Spring 2021, students developed cost-effective face coverings for the apparel company No Ordinary Journey.
Students were asked to explain how their product contributed to sustainability factors, including equity and inclusion, zero waste/reduced waste, carbon neutrality, and the well-being of people and the planet. “I am excited that SPD is required for the new Sustainability Studies minor,” says Pasricha.
