Environment Sustainability by the Fashion Industry

Environment sustainability has become the buzzword in the apparel and fashion industry in recent decades. Research by McKinsey claims that the fashion sector is responsible for a shocking four to ten percent of global greenhouse-gas emissions every year. 

Do you know that 2700 liters of water is required to produce a single cotton t-shirt, and 1,800 gallons of water are needed to manufacture a single pair of jeans? In addition, the dyeing process usually involves more than 1600 different chemicals.  

Considering the factors involved, there’re still a few brands out there currently tackling all of these complex issues. Read on to know how the fashion industry is embracing environmental sustainability. 

What measures are taken by the fashion industry to become Sustainable?

• Resource Consideration

Brands are now avoiding the fabrics made from fossil fuels or those that consume more water, land, and energy resources. For example, Inditex, the owner of Zara, was using 90% sustainable cotton as of 2020 and pledged to make it 100% by 2023.

• Waste Considerations

The fashion industry dumps one garbage truck of textiles in a landfill every second, and this is expected to grow by 4% every year until 2025.  Keeping this into account, certain brands are now inclining to eco-friendly packaging and opting for fabric that can be recycled. Jeans Redesign Project is adopted by over 53 brands, including Tommy Hilfiger, Gap, H&M, and more.  

• Second-hand Shopping

Brands, nowadays, are promoting second-hand shopping to save resource consumption. According to ThredUp, the second-hand clothing market is valued at $24 billion as of 2018 and is projected to hit $64 billion in the coming decade. The luxury clothing brand, Eileen Fisher, embraces this approach by purchasing the gently used clothes of their label and selling them again at a lower price.  

A Guide To the Sustainable Fashion Brands

Here’s the rundown of the fashion brands committed to environmental sustainability. 

• Petite Lucette

Founded by French sisters, Petite Lucette is a sustainable and circular fashion brand launched with the mission of creating an organic line of products. They will launch a clothing line made entirely from the recycled yard in Summer 2022. Petite Lucette has recently partnered with Kids O’Clock to close the loop of a garment’s lifecycle while reducing the amount of new clothing. 

• United By Blue

It is yet another sustainable brand that has pledged to remove a pound of trash from the ocean with each item sold. They put holistic accountability for their operations and products into action. This brand was recently committed to zero plastic in 2020. Their EcoKnit collection is manufactured in an OCS-certified factory using sustainable fabrics like hemp, organic cotton, and yak. 

• Affends

Affends uses 100% sustainable fibers to create every range and create durable and timeless designs to make them a long-wearing staple. This brand has been producing eco-friendly packaging made from non-toxic and 100% home compostable corn starch since 2014. Moreover, their product swing tangs are also made from 100% recycled materials contributing to their zero-waste initiative. 

• The Pearl Source

This leading fashion accessory brand has pledged to support women’s issues. They provide a percentage of sales to non-profits who support women’s causes.