friendly Fashion
January 26, 2025 - January 26, 2025
The fashion industry has often been criticized for the environmental effects of production, after all resources are finite. As a designer it is important to consider the environmental effects on fashion. Statistics show in 2009, over 2 million tonnes of fashions were thrown away, items which in average were worn 6 times.
As designers, it is important to consider the resources we use and how to recycle resources while creating new and exciting fashion. Clothing in now cheaper and faster. Quicker productions can often mean a lower quality of products which are easier to discard.
With global issues such as climate and materials and water scarcity it’s important for designers to think about sustainability and the future. Will all the resources in the future be used up? Are the materials we are using safe?
Why does this mater?
“The manufacture of conventional cotton over organic cotton uses more water, releases more CO2 and often puts the cotton farmers at risk. The pesticides used to grow conventional cotton are often dangerous and when these are released into the environment often result in a range of illnesses from numbness of legs, feet to a worse case scenario, infertility, for the farmers and local community.”
– Safia Minney, The Naked Fashion: The New sustainible Fashion revolution.
It is important to consider the following points during garment production:
- The fabrics should be saved, and not manufactured using toxic chemicals.
- The fabric should be able to reused. How can the material be recycled in the future or how can you waste the least possible amount of material? How waste material will be disposed also needs to be taken into consideration.
- How much energy is taken to power the manufacturing process. We can reduce the carbon footprint of garment manufacturing by using hand sewing were possible, or solar powered manufacturing units.
- The quality and quantity of water used.
- Avoiding or reducing the use of synthetic fibres
- Manufacturing must also be socially responsible, i.e how well workers are treated and paid.
When starting out as a designer, you may need to get your resources from countries around the globe. However, for environment friendly fashion it’s worth spending a little extra on resources local to you to cut down on carbon emission.
[1] Safia Minney, The Naked Fashion: The New Sustainable Fashion Revolution
By Fariia Tabassum
