Why Sustainability and Fashion?

Written by: Cady Ghandour | Design by: Izzy Critchfield-Jain | Photographed by: Andrew Logue

How to Dress Sustainably While Still Looking Good and Keeping Your Bank Account in the Positive

A quick glance back through history shows us that humans most likely began wearing clothing after the most recent ice age—animal skins and furs were used as protection from the cold climate. Eventually humans learned to weave, knit, and spin to create textiles and fabrics. As evolution goes on, ways of dressing became more and more intricate and complex. As civilizations began developing, access to certain fabrics and clothing styles became associated with wealth or poverty, and dress evolved from being a means of survival to a symbol of status.

The ancient Chinese story of silk tells it best: in 2460 B.C., the Chinese empress Xi Ling Shi was playing in the garden of her palace where there were many Mulberry trees. By way of pure coincidence, she drops a cocoon into hot water and finds she can unwind the “shimmering thread.” Hundreds of years passed until someone outside of the royal family was allowed to wear silk. This story may have occurred hundreds of years ago, but the concept of using clothing to create visual distinguishers of wealth remains prevalent.

Luxury fashion brands persist with their high price points because they are aware that a huge part of their products’ allure is the aspect of exclusivity. The consumer of such designer brands is made to feel that purchasing products at higher price points will set them apart from lower-paying consumers, that the brand’s product will signal to society that the customer is wealthier than others. Why else would the fake-designer product industry remain afloat? Everyone wants to achieve the look of being rich; after all, it is the image the media tells us is attractive. But not everyone wants to or is able to pay the price. It all comes down to wanting to fit the status quo. A feeling we don’t all admit to, but nonetheless is automatically embedded into our mindsets.

Consumerism, which is defined as “a social and economic order that encourages the acquisition of goods and services in ever-increasing amounts,” took off with the industrial revolution as goods began being produced at a faster rate than customer demand. This left manufacturers with many products, and consumers who had no need for them. To combat this, manufacturers used advertising to manipulate consumers into believing they have a need for more products (the basis of consumerism), as well as planned obsolescence, which is purposely producing low-quality products or things that become obsolete, thus ensuring re-purchasing. These sales techniques are easy to spot even today, with a new iPhone emerging every September and consistent “updates” rendering our current phones obsolete—it makes perfect sense that an Apple customer should want to “upgrade” to the new release. Clearly, the advertising agents of the 20th century struck gold; advertising content which attaches positive connotations to products or services make us intrinsically believe that the product will somehow improve our life—but we are dissatisfied customers. Hence the need for more and newer, regardless of what we own.

Similar to the rat race on which capitalism feeds, is the fact that with consumerism you will always be chasing to fill a void. The act of constantly adhering to new trends, and purchasing new clothes to stay with the times is never ending. New trends will always appear, in fact, with the emergence of social media trends regenerating at a quicker rate than ever. All Kendall Jenner has to do is wear a claw clip, and suddenly we’re all sold and the mass production of plastic claw clips surges.

Like life and most things in existence, fashion operates in a cyclical nature. If 70s Bell Bottom pants and corduroys, 1800s puff sleeves, chunky sneakers from the 80s, or silk scarves from the 50s trending today doesn’t tell you this enough, now more than ever we find ourselves digging through our parents’ and grandparents’ old clothes to find 2021’s “vintage” treasure. At surface level, old clothes becoming relevant seems like a path towards sustainability—we could envision ourselves stocking our wardrobes with vintage clothing and family hand-me-downs. But the reality is that most consumers’ purchasing habits are keeping up with the constant new developments of the fashion industry. As a result, in 2018, almost 17 million tons of textile waste ended up in landfills, taking over 200 years to decompose. Unsurprisingly, the clothing waste issue has gotten worse over time—just in the last 20 years the amount of clothing waste Americans throw away has doubled from 7 to 14 million tons.

The trigger behind this? Fast fashion. With its catchy alliteration, the term is straightforward and addresses the issue behind the industry: production at a faster rate and lower quality, meaning less durability and thus shorter product lifespans. Inevitably leading to more clothes being thrown away. Moreover, what happens when such large volumes of clothing are being produced at very low costs? Labor is likely to be exploited by underpaying workers, and human rights are violated with unethical working conditions.

As customers, it is satisfying to purchase a product for a low cost which achieves your desired look; however, once you understand the origins of your new buy, you may be looking for eco-friendly alternatives. The over 6.3 billion dollar sustainable and ethical market might be your place. Centered around the concept of producing fashion which “is kinder to us and the earth,” sustainable fashion means clothes that are made with ethically sourced materials, low to zero waste production processes, fairly paid workers, and more. An example of what ethically sourced fabrics means: organic cotton as opposed to regular cotton. Organic cotton can be grown using 98% less water than non-organic cotton, and this is because organic cotton is rain-fed, not irrigated. This means that there won’t be any strains on local water supplies; the benefits of organic cotton are plentiful, as are the positives of shopping ethical fashion.

Before you begin purchasing, the first step to crafting a more sustainable wardrobe is to really understand and assess what you already own. The best option is to work with what you have, getting creative with re-imagining your clothing, and seeing how you can get more wear out of it. If once you’ve had a thorough look through, you conclude that you’re in need of some items, you now have the ability to be a more intentional shopper.

While it may seem like any regular task, shopping is an emotional experience. Some people are impulsive buyers, some love the momentary relief of retail therapy, whereas others may restrict themselves and be careful shoppers. At the root of it, how you approach shopping stems from your mindset in life and how you view material items. There are times when we enjoy treating ourselves, and other times when shopping is a necessity—regardless of the reason, purchasing isn’t leaving society anytime soon. Consumers are constantly targeted by advertisers to fall into their agendas, but, as the saying goes, ‘we vote with our dollar.’ Essentially, we can make statements with our spending—in real life terms, this means, if able to, contributing to clothing waste and exploitation by investing in good-quality, ethically-made pieces. They may cost slightly more, but their craftsmanship means that they will last longer than any fast fashion piece, and thus save you more money over time by eliminating the need to repurchase items.

Another tip: look into the origins of your pieces, do research into where they come from, and verify what the story is. With entrepreneurship on the rise, there is a huge amount of small businesses and minority-owned businesses, which not only create more unique pieces, but invest more time and attention into their products. If you’re ready to start shopping sustainably, our online article "Dressing Sustainably and Fashionably” offers a variety of options, and if you’re looking for an even more personalized experience, doing your own research and finding a brand that’s mission resonates with you, is part of the shopping process that is unique to ethical and sustainable brands.

It’s important to highlight that dressing sustainably should not mean sacrificing a love for fashion. Style is a form of expression for many of us, while for others it’s about feeling one with society and blending in. Staying up to date with your clothes can seem to represent your part as a functioning member of society. But what happens when our desire to fit in overshadows our awareness about the effects of our needs? What happens when we prioritize our own wants over the health of our planet? The growing awareness surrounding issues like climate change and labor exploitation offers hope for the fashion industry; there are certainly designers and forward-thinkers who are working tirelessly to give options for those who are open to positive change. Change can begin with a simple shift in perspective and growth in awareness. These are more than enough to plant a seed towards a more considerate future for the planet and for ourselves.