Eco Fashion

We all have to wear clothes and an increasing number of people are trying to make a difference in terms of the health of the planet through their choices of garments. Eco fashion is a broad concept but in general it means clothing lines that source their materials from sustainable sources (pesticide-free cotton, for example), organic and recycled materials and sweatshop-free companies.

There’s a very good reason to choose eco-fashion when we buy new clothes (of course, buying vintage also qualifies as eco fashion since it decreases demand for new materials). According to Earth Pledge, at least 8,000 chemicals are used to turn raw materials into textiles and 25% of the world’s pesticides are use to grow non-organic cotton. The spread of the concept of fast fashion and disposable garments, whereby young shoppers buy off-the-peg, virtually disposable pieces featuring the latest trends for a few dollars, has been a major booster of environmentally unfriendly clothing. Eco fashion is about putting the planet first and choosing quality over quantity.

There are many eco fashion companies working to market the idea and make it more popular. Some established designers have also embraced the idea as well. British Katherine Hamnet, who in the 1980s became popular with her slogan T-shirts worn by pop stars such as George Michael, is one whose ethos is entirely steeped in the eco fashion concept. In fact, her website even includes information about renewable energy and other pertinent green issues.

Eco fashion is starting to get more organized as well. The National Association of Sustainable Fashion Designers was created to help entrepreneurs dedicated to environmental respect and social change. Elsewhere, Sustainable Designers focuses on education, training and access to tools and industry resources to help the industry advance.