THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO

LIVING SUSTAINABLY

The Ultimate Guide To Sustainable Fashion

by Amo Modise

Sustainability. A term that has taken a few liberties over the past decade. The real question remains, what is sustainable fashion and do I practice it in any way? It’s more than just thrifting or a tag that says “green” on the inside of your favourite sweater from your so-called “sustainably made” stores.

It is the umbrella term that entails clothes produced and consumed in a way that can literally be sustained while protecting the environment and the people involved in production. I know you’re thinking, here she goes again with the umbrella terms but really, sustainability is more than just clothes that leave less of an environmental footprint. The core aim is structured to build a carbon-neutral fashion industry that practices equality, social justice, animal welfare and stays within the proximity of ecological integrity, of course.

Fast fashion is a highly exploitative business model for cheap, trendy clothing to mimic runway looks, transporting garments into high street stores at the speed of light to meet consumer demand. This occurs through the mass production of clothing. As a result, child labour and worker exploitation cases pile up, which could be avoided if laws against such business practices are implemented. An immense amount of fashion houses produce clothing made from petroleum-based materials such as nylon, polyester, acrylic etc., which require significant energy consumption for production. Sustainable fashion would utilise biodegradable fabrics instead, meaning no pesticides, less energy, less water pollution and certainly no mistreatment of workers.

If you are quarter to flipping this page, hold on, this affects you too. Taking aim at matters that pertain to C02 emissions, reducing pollution and waste, ensuring that garment workers earn fair wages and enjoy ethical working conditions is definitely not a PR stunt. It is no secret that the effects of human activity on climate change have exacerbated the problem. The dystopia future generations are headed to should be the reason to get involved actively—immediately. Though a sporadic amount of detrimental damage is irreversible, we still have an opportunity to lessen the planet’s deterioration.

“the dystopia future generations are headed to should be the reason to get involved actively—immediately.”

It begins with re-evaluating our purchasing habits and the way we consume clothes. Here is how we can be better at practising sustainability:

• Thrift second-hand and vintage pieces and shop with online thrift stores such as Better

Half, Grow Your Own Funk, A Thrift in Jozi and more. • Invest in brands that are fashion sustainable.

Nothing beats supporting a designer/brand for the cause. Follow brands such as the Mohair Mill Shop, Me&B, The Changing Room etc. • Oppose greenwashing. New term alert!

Greenwashing entails a brand falsely suggesting that it is eco-friendly to mislead consumers. Nobody likes a poser. • Know your fabrics. Having “natural” in front of the fibre does not mean it is always sustainable. Organic cotton does not use harmful pesticides and utilizes less water than conventional cotton. • Be more conscious of vegan fashion. Start looking into Mylo leather which originates from mycelium (roots of fungi). Vegan alternatives often hold synthetics that can also be harmful to the environment. • Treat your clothes like they are your babies.

Lowering your environmental footprint may include not over-washing your clothes and repairing them as opposed to discarding them. This ultimately contributes towards reducing the clogging of landfills. • Lastly, buy less and buy better.