Sustainable Fashion – From Waste to Wardrobe
From Waste to Wardrobe – Sustainable Fashion
By: Aaron Newport
It should be no surprise to anyone at this point that the fashion industry is producing astronomical amounts of waste to be dumped in landfills. Many fault the “fast fashion” trend for the hike in waste and honestly that sentiment is hard to argue against. Of course the “fast fashion” trend never could have been successful without a demand and support form consumers, so manufacturers and consumers alike should take responsibility. The good news is it seems as though they have. A recent study shows consumers are demanding better quality, longer lasting garments. Retail shoppers are not only searching for better quality garments, but garments made of natural or recycled materials, which seems to be the new trend taking the fashion world by storm. As a result, designers, manufacturers, brands, etc. are working to turn things around for the fashion industry. This sustainable fashion trend seems to suit everyone much better, we like it quite a bit.
Varying approaches are being taken to achieve a more sustainable fashion industry. Adidas has recently released a line of shoes partially manufactured using recycled plastic from the ocean. This is seen as being one of the most revolutionary concepts in the sneaker industry in a long time. Where will Adidas take things next?
Levi has partnered with Evrnu, a textile technology company out of Washington, to begin producing jeans from post-consumer garment waste. The prototype was created using five old cotton t-shirts that were to be thrown out. This revelation is tackling multiple problems at once. Not only are they preventing additions to these massive landfills, Levi claims they use 98% less water with this method, opposed to using virgin cotton.
It is not just big brands taking a stand for sustainable fashion. In fact, they may just now be catching on. Braintree moved from Australia to the UK more than 10 years ago to launch their brand and have been making and selling garments using natural products ever since. Their collection of garments is incredible and if you have not checked them out, make sure to do so.
Designers like Kriti Tula and her company Doodlage are calling their style “slow fashion” to contrast with the downward trending “fast fashion”. Doodlage is making handmade garments, using 100% of their fabric, resulting in zero waste. Their garments are made using high quality and some recycled fabrics, assuring long lasting sustainable garments. Not to mention how perfect all of their designs are, definitely worth poking around their site.
While Doodlage is producing zero waste, other designers like Dona Bela and her company Dona Bela Shreds are upcycling textile remnants to reduce waste entering landfills and create their beautiful handmade scarves. Dona Bela Shreds also donates a percentage of all sales to various environmental causes. I stumbled upon these works of art at the Kansas City Holiday Boutique, where I couldn’t help but purchase a couple for Christmas gifts. They are simply excellent designs and its really wonderful work they are doing over there at Dona Bela Shreds. Make sure to shop around their site when you have a chance.
These are just a handful of brands making a difference in the sustainable fashion world. The Sustainable Apparel Coalition is a entire organization compiled of brands, designers and manufacturers constantly working to improve the world of fashion. Patagonia donated 100% of their Black Friday sales to environmental causes in 2016. Various sustainable fashion shows, or zero waste fashion shows have popped up over the last few years, and keep an eye out for the next Green Fashion Week, which aims to shine a light on sustainable fashion and promote those designers who are working to improve the industry. It is exciting to see all of these groups come together to create a more sustainable planet for future generations.
That is why we do what we do at GreenEarth Cleaning, to provide a sustainable future. Not only is GreenEarth environmentally non-toxic and completely odorless, it is also the most gentle process for cleaning your clothes. The gentle GreenEarth Cleaning process will result in longer lasting garments; reducing landfill waste and prolonging the life of your favorite outfits.