Source / Unsplash

According to the United Nations, we have got less than a decade to prevent irreversible damage to the earth due to climate change. We haven’t got a lot of time. Could sustainable fashion stop this time bomb? 

NASA estimates that if no serious action is taken, the global temperature will continue to rise by an average of 10.8 Fahrenheit. Scientists worry that the rising temperature may push Earth past another tipping point.

As humans, we have caused massive changes to the environment through greenhouse gasses. Even if we stop now, it will take decades for the planet to heal itself. Is there anything we can do or is it too late already?

Before you can understand what to do, acknowledge what you are doing and how that’s accelerating the damage caused to the planet. 

How traditional clothing is accelerating the damage?

Source / Unsplash

Sustainable fashion can cost more than fast fashion, so it is not feasible for many people with a less disposable income. According to earth.org, fast fashion brands are not only the second-largest consumer of water but also one of the biggest contributors to global carbon emissions.

If you think about it, it doesn’t feel right to be a part of something that is damaging our environment. Especially when we don’t have a lot of time.

Generally, there are 3 main drivers of pollution in fast fashion: dyeing and finishing (about 36%), fiber production (about 15%), and yarn preparation (about 28%). While consumers like you and I cannot directly reduce the damage caused by these components of the fashion process, we can opt for sustainable fashion which eliminates the use of certain damaging components. You could choose digital clothing, 3D printed fashion, or support brands that have made sustainability a priority. 

What are some innovative options to be dress sustainably?

Sustainable fashion includes practices that preserve ecological integrity without compromising on style. Sustainable fashion does not mean that you have to wear kraft paper bags; it simply means choosing fashion that doesn’t do more damage to the environment.

Sustainable fashion includes digital clothing, 3D printed clothing and manufacturing practices that use recycled materials to produce garments and accessories.

Digital clothing 

Source / Tribute Brand

If you’re an influencer who’s constantly on the hunt for good styles, try digital fashion next time instead of investing in physical ones. It will reduce the demand for fast-fashion. 

Today, there are around 40 million [Mediakix] social media influencers who are using garments and accessories that add to the overall pollution. By choosing digital clothes for social media, you can cut down the number of traditional clothes manufactured every year. It would make a huge impact if most of those 40 million social media influencers just decided to use digital clothes on the platforms rather than actual clothes. 

Digital clothing brands like Tribute, The Fabricant, Carlings, and DressX are aiming to create digital clothes that can make sustainable fashion an easy choice. 

3D printed fashion 

Credits / SCRY 3d printing shoes

3D printed clothes reduce the waste produced during traditional garment mass manufacturing. It doesn’t bring down the greenhouse effect to zero, but it does reduce it to some extent. 

3D printed clothes use filaments (recycled in many cases) instead of conventional raw materials. This creates less waste during the production. Additionally, traditional garments like cotton take a lot of water to produce. Whereas 3D filaments do not require much natural resources for production. 

Online resources for sustainable fashion shops

If you’re looking to shop for everyday and be more practical with your purchase, go explore online! There are many credible websites like Good On You and B Corporation that provides in-depth information on brand’s ethical and sustainable ratings without you having to do the research. Here are some of our favorite brands that you can support this spring and summer. 

Stella McCartney

Source / Stella McCartney

Stella McCartney vows to ethically source wool and uses no leather or fur in its designs. The company is known to use recycled textiles and re-engineered cashmere. Additionally, the brand is a pioneer in creating and using alternative materials and innovative technologies to create fashion. 

Eileen Fisher

Source / Eileen Fisher

This environmentally-conscious designer likes to work with a circular model rather than the linear production model. The circular model ensures that the garments are recycled and reused. The designer is known to recycle all of her garments to create luxurious clothing. She has a dedicated department to address sustainability, and human rights. Her 2020 vision initiative was specifically dedicated to achieving sustainable fashion, and with her Horizon 2030, the designer aims to set up metrics that would reduce carbon emissions. 

Kotn 

Source / Kotn

Kotn is a Toronto-based brand that offers ultra-soft Egyptian cotton. The brand is known to create all of its garments in fair and safe environments for both the planet and the workers. The brand is helping its suppliers switch to organic materials and has actively funded farms in order to promote environmental friendly practices. 

Additionally, brands like Adidas, Nike, Allbirds, and designers like Iris Van Herpen, SCRY, and Julia Daviy are opting for additive manufacturing that will reduce the global impact of carbon emissions due to fashion manufacturing.

Becoming a conscious consumer is easier than you may think. By choosing the clothing brands who promote sustainable fashion and actively choosing alternative options like digital clothing, you’re also giving earth a chance to breathe. Try innovative ways to shop for sustainable fashion this Earth Day with your friends! If you need to learn where to shop for emerging 3D printing designer clothing, check out here.