Our love of fashion along with unsustainable industry practices contributes to the climate crisis. Here’s how to make your love of fashion more ethical.
Our current climate emergency requires industries around the world to act now, and the fashion industry needs to face the fact that it is one the biggest contributors to pollution and climate breakdown. At the same time, the way we consume clothing is a factor in this crisis. If we want to reduce our impact, we need to reframe the way we view fashion. How we respond to the constant stream of new collections and trends that change every couple of months can be destructive to humans, animals and our planet.
And I’m not just talking about conscious shopping. I’m talking about contacting your favourite brands and requesting more vegan options, asking your favourite fashion influencer to feature cruelty-free beauty, or petitioning local shops to stop selling fur. We have the power to effect change on more than just a personal level.
CHANGE IS IN THE AIR
Many brands have sold faux-leather shoes for years, but now they are marketing them as vegan. This is a testament to how interest for vegan living has grown and evolved. And I believe this is a positive step. Of course, the way many of these brands operate is not ideal on many levels, and we shouldn’t assume their production practices are 100 per cent ethical just because they have a vegan range. This is where our own judgement needs to come into play.
We need to be aware that greenwashing is a marketing strategy for many brands. For example, there is a huge problem with the claim that leather is an eco-friendly choice. Data from the Higg Materials Sustainability Index identifies cow leather as the most environmentally harmful material per kilogram in terms of cradle-to-gate impact (the product life cycle before it is transported to the consumer) – rating far worse than synthetic options, which can also be very harmful to the planet.
The Kering Environmental Profit and Loss Report found 93 percent of leather’s damage to the planet occurs before the tannery stage, due to the environmental cost of raising animals. Beyond this stage, 90 percent of all leather workers in Bangladesh, many of whom are children, die before they are 50 due to exposure to toxic chemicals in the tanning process. And ‘vegetable tanned’ leather doesn’t solve this issue.
Fortunately, it’s outdated to think our only choice is between animal skin and petroleum-based ‘pleather’, both of which have their problems. These days we have plenty of plastic-free options, such as pineapple leather, apple leather, wine leather, mushroom leather, and cork – which isn’t even a new material; it’s been around for ages. With the likes of Hugo Boss releasing pineapple leather shoes and MIMCO creating an award-winning apple peel leather collection, it’s clear that ethical alternatives are hitting the mainstream. Perhaps even more exciting are the innovations that are still under development, like lab-grown leather. Once these become commercial, I believe it will make animal skins completely obsolete.
I predict vegan wool will be the next big thing. Many people are unaware of the cruelty behind the wool industry. Sheep are bred to produce much more wool than they would naturally need, and countless undercover investigations have shown inhumane treatment of sheep during the shearing process. Environmentally, sheep farming contributes to deforestation, desertification and topsoil loss, as well as producing huge quantities of methane gas. Just as with leather, our choices aren’t just between wool or plastic. More sustainable fabrics like Tencel (wood cellulose), hemp, soybean fabric and organic cotton are great wool alternatives. Plus there are some new innovations, including Woocoa, a vegan wool made from coconut and hemp and Nullarbor, an innovation by Australian brand Nanolloose, which uses coconut waste to create a vegan wool-like fabric.
EMBRACING ETHICAL FASHION
A great way to elevate your ethical fashion cred is to follow influencers and brands who focus on sustainable vegan clothing. In recent years, smaller ethical labels have also started paying more attention to design, resulting in beautiful vegan fashion options, something that we didn’t always have. These brands are the heroes of the movement in my opinion – the owners of these companies really pour their hearts and souls into making a change and creating durable, viable ethical alternatives.
I am also a huge proponent of second-hand clothes. This is the most ethical way to shop, and offers options for every budget. You can have great fun discovering options on eBay and via second-hand fashion apps, such as Depop. I only buy vegan-friendly items and I always find what I’m looking for and more. Get lost in the world of online second-hand shopping (it’s a game-changer!).
There has never been a better time to learn more about ethical fashion, and be part of the change. Get in touch with your favourite brands and ask for examples of what they are doing to make the fashion world a kinder place. And not just stances – actual examples. It’s easy to say, “We believe that animals and humans should be treated well”. We want answers to questions such as: Have you stopped selling animal fur? Are you offering vegan-friendly fashion options? Can you tell me where the clothing was made, and how much the people who made it were paid? Asking brands these questions sends a powerful message that consumers care about ethics.
Most of all, find your personal style! I believe in creating a durable, versatile wardrobe that you love, that doesn’t necessarily follow trends. We need to shift our focus from trends to personal style – so, understand who you are, and communicate this with a sense of style that transcends the seasons.
