When we think of pollution, we typically picture large oil firms and coal mines. But the fact is fast fashion is one of the world’s major polluting businesses. The creation of too many clothes hurts not only the environment but also farmers and other producers because of the chemicals and waste that are being used in the process of making fashionable clothes.
Each year an unbelievable 100 billion or more units of apparel are produced annually. Out of these, only a small portion about 20% are recycled, with the most going to landfills, waste incineration, or shredders. Additionally, the fast fashion business produces a lot of pollution and frequently confronts some ethical problems like putting workers in risky conditions which harm them.
Consumers are becoming more conscious, due to which the majority of industries are being forced to evaluate their processes for making the environment clean and go for the production of eco-friendly fashion clothes.
Thankfully, there are lots of eco-friendly clothing brands which are taking the initiative of using eco-friendly manufacturing processes. The best organic and sustainable clothing is produced by these manufacturers using organic cotton, upcycled natural materials, and low-impact dyes.
Fashion Brands That Are Sustainable And Eco-friendly
Outerknown
Innovating using eco-friendly materials to make coastal cool clothing more sustainable is surf superstar Kelly Slater’s second act. Outerknown was established in 2015 and expanded into women’s clothing in 2019.
The company uses organic fabrics, sources its materials ethically, and operates transparently. Econyl, a nylon fabric made from recycled fishnets that was used to construct coats, watchbands, and flip-flops, caused a stir.
It also created Ocean works buttons from recycled plastic garbage that washed up on beaches all over the world. Additionally, it’s S.E.A. The denim collection, which debuted in 2019, is guaranteed for life as part of the brand’s dedication to keeping its products out of landfills.
Mate The Label
MATE the Label based on a manufacturing score it developed that measures water and chemical use as well as carbon emissions, the Label founder Kayti O’Connell Carr specializes in “clean” fashion. The company offers elegant designs in soft, sustainably sourced textiles for the entire family.
Imagine your favorite sweat suit dressed up with wide-leg cropped pants and crewnecks with rounded hems. We like Move by Mate, the brand’s 92% organic cotton leggings, shorts, and sports bras that are perfect for working out.
Vuori
Vuori creates eco-friendly and cozy performance wear. The Californian company, founded by Joe Kudla, is outspoken about its ethical values (responsible sourcing and labor, verified climate neutrality, etc.), but goes above and beyond with its Eco-Happier collection.
The range of sweatpants, activewear, and casual clothing for men and women is made from recycled materials that have been redesigned to be supple, stretchy, and ready for action.
Levi’s
The creation of denim is extremely harmful to the environment since toxic chemicals are used to create that stylish distressing, but iconic jean manufacturer Levi’s is making efforts to improve. The company has big goals, promising to source all of its cotton sustainably by the year 2025 and drastically reducing its environmental impact.
You may learn more about Levi’s eco-friendly initiatives up to that time by checking out Waterless, an open-source production technique created to consume less water, and Secondhand, a recommence and buyback programme launched in 2020.
Patagonia
Patagonia has been dedicated to minimizing its footprint for decades and was environmentally friendly before it was popular. The company’s environmentally friendly policies and lobbying efforts earned them a spot on the UN’s 2019 list of Earth Champions.
Since becoming a registered B Corporation in 2011, Patagonia has improved upon its efforts, which include ReCrafted, a line under its Worn Well secondhand store that employs fabric remnants to create unique iterations of traditional fashions.
Adidas
At the UN headquarters in New York, adidas unveiled the first adidas x Parley running shoe in 2015. It was built from recycled plastic waste that was collected from beaches and coastal communities.
Since then, adidas has actively worked to reduce plastic usage and has added recycled polyester to all of its product lines. Adidas plans to use entirely recycled polyester starting in 2024. Over 90% of the polyester used now is recycled polyester.
Utilizing repurposed materials is only the beginning. Adidas is also aiming to reduce waste by recycling materials and taking back worn products in order to extend product lives through re-use and re-commerce to save the environment.
Christy Dawn
Look as lovely as the fields you play in with Christy Dawn, an Instagram favorite. In collaboration with seamstresses and manufacturing facilities in India and California, the Los Angeles-based DTC company creates its dreamlike gowns using organic cotton and deadstock materials.
The company’s elegant gowns can cost more than $500 (41,360 INR), so they are investment pieces, but Christy Dawn upholds artisanal processes (and wages) and a dedication to deliberate design. In May, it will release its farm-to-closet line, which will include fabrics manufactured with recently harvested regenerative cotton and a four-acre farm in southern India.
H&M
H&M has made a terrific start in terms of sustainability. The company revealed in December 2020 that it would invest £72 million in its Planet First programme, which “seeks to identify planet positive solutions that will not only look at the circular economy and climate change, but also study all parts of earth’s natural support systems.
It offers conscious collections produced from sustainably sourced materials and goods returned to in-store recycling bins, and it incorporates eco-friendly materials like organic cotton and recycled polyester in its products.
Tentree
This clothing line honors its dedication to the environment by producing items that are ethically made and sustainably developed. For every item purchased, ten trees are also planted.
Tentree, who lives by the philosophy “Buy one, plant 10,” thinks that changing the world doesn’t need being a committed environmentalist. In order to reach its objective of planting one billion trees by 2030, the company has already planted over 42 million trees worldwide.
Wrapping up the article you go through some of the above-mentioned brands who opted for an eco-friendly manufacturing process to save the environment and leading to change the fast fashion industry and helping to make a better world to live and wear.