Myths about Eco-friendly Fashion (Part 1)
As eco-friendly fashion is starting to gain popularity, there seems to be an equal amount of confusion regarding the subject.
“It’s too expensive.”
“They’re so ugly and boring..”
“The more expensive the product, the more sustainable it is, right?”
Those are just a few of the misconceptions that come up often. Fashion and sustainability is a complex, nuanced, and perhaps sometimes frustrating issue. Greenwashing in marketing campaigns further complicates the facts behind living more sustainably. Such widespread misconceptions about sustainable living and ethical fashion could make consumers shy away from making the right decision.
Here are a few of the misbeliefs we hear over and over again, that we would like to put to rest.
Myth 1: Cotton is a Sustainable Material
There’s a common train of thought that, if a fabric is derived from natural sources, then it must be sustainable right? Unfortunately, that’s not the case with resource-hungry crops such as cotton. The problems with cotton cultivation are:
Hefty Water Consumption
Cotton is one of the thirstiest crops on the planet. As half of all textiles are made of cotton, cotton farming accounts for more than 3% of all of the world’s water consumption used in agriculture. Producing only one cotton t-shirt demands 2,700 litres of water, which is enough water for an average human to drink in three years!
Ample Chemical Usage
Since cotton is considered the world’s most profitable non-food crop, farmers would use excessive amounts of pesticides to ensure a good deal of harvest. This results in soil degradation and water contamination.
Soil degradation results in expansion into new areas for farming, destroying natural habitats in the process.
Contaminated water pollutes connecting rivers, lakes, wetlands etc, poisoning wildlives.
Poor Working Conditions
Cotton farmers, majority of them in developing countries, rely solely on cotton production for their income, and thus live in hardship. When challenges present themselves, such as climate change, poor prices for seed cotton, competition from highly subsidised producers and so on, these farmers are unable to break out of the poverty cycle.
Forced and child labor practices are reported in cotton production, and is alarmingly common in the industry.
The fact that there are literally millions of cotton farmers, many of whom are smallholders, makes addressing these problems in the cotton industry much more complicated. Furthermore, the cotton supply chain is notoriously complicated, with major differences from country to country.
However, fret not as there are better alternatives like organic cotton, recycled cotton, and Better Cotton (cotton produced under The Better Cotton Initiative, the world’s largest sustainability programme).
Myth 2: Sustainable Fashion is Only for the Privileged
One of the biggest misconceptions about sustainable fashion, is that it only caters to the wealthy. Yes, it is undeniable that sustainable brands are more expensive than fast fashion brands. However, it is also important to note that fast fashion prices are abnormally cheap, as the low price point indicates unethical practices and corners being cut.
The question we need to ask ourselves is, why do we think that anything costlier than typical fast fashion prices is expensive? Over the decades, we as consumers have been conditioned to think that way, with the rise and availability of fast fashion everywhere. Dig deeper into the reasons behind the cheap price tag, and you’ll find horrific working conditions, polluted waterways, unpaid labour, and so on.
For sustainable apparel brands, their top priority is to produce well-made products out of eco-friendly and sustainable products, while providing employees with safe working conditions and fair wages. Such brands also work closely with local communities to ensure sustainable sources of raw materials, in addition to providing living wages and benefits to workers, while actively trying to reduce carbon footprints through the entire supply chain. Essentially, what you purchase from those brands are durable pieces that take into considerations of people and the planet; which results in higher-priced items. However, the unfortunate truth is, not everyone can afford it. Thus it isn’t fair to ask everyone to buy from sustainable brands and abandon everything else, neither is completely dismissing sustainable brands for their higher price point.
The main takeaway from this is that we should move away from the all-or-nothing mentality, that perpetuates the notion that someone is either living 100% sustainably or not. Sustainability isn’t a competition; it’s something we can all contribute to whether big or small. What matters is to make better choices for the people and the earth, when you can afford to do so.
There’s more than one way to be sustainable, buying a new piece from a sustainable brand isn’t the only option there is. Before purchasing something new, you might want to consider looking for what you need through second-hand shops or apps. Thrift stores and apps such as ThredUp and Depop makes it so much easier to find affordable pieces minus the environmental impact.
Myth 3: As long as I recycle, I can buy as much as I like
We hate to break this to you, but the unfortunate truth is that most fabrics are incredibly difficult to recycle. For one, most fabrics are made from blends of two or more fibers (of polyester, cotton, and spandex, for example). Those fabrics have to be separated if the material is to be manufactured into a new piece of clothing.
In the US, only a measly 13.6% of discarded apparel and shoes end up being recycled. Globally? That figure drops to 12%. It’s rather challenging to increase the amount of clothes getting recycled because currently, most recycling facilities don’t have the technology required to separate these fibres; and the ones that do, comes at a hefty price.
Even natural fibres like linen and cotton undergo chemically intensive processes that make them unsuitable for recycling and reuse. Toxic dyes and finishings, embellishments and the use of animal-based textiles further complicates the matter. So only a small percentage of recycled clothes are used to create new garments, as the recycling process also stretches and weakens the fibers alongside the separation and cleanup process.
And what about the excess recycled clothes? Our recycled purchases may not always have a smooth-sailing second life. Oftentimes excess garments get shipped to developing third world countries, pushing them ‘out of sight, out of mind’. Those clothes then trickle down into secondhand markets, where they are sold for pennies. Surplus recycled clothing actually hinder developing countries from building and sustaining local textile and apparel industries.
Having said that, our recycling efforts aren’t totally futile. By being aware that not every article of clothing we recycle ends up being transformed into a new product, we can do our part by being more conscious about what and how much we buy. Let’s not justify buying that new shiny suit just because we can always put it away in a donation or recycle bin, where it doesn’t always end up where it should be.
Myth 4: Sustainable Fashion is Hard to Find
Decades ago, this myth could be true, because no one’s talking about sustainability back then.
Fast forward to the 2010s and the appetite for cleaner, ethical fashion is growing as people are starting to wake up from their mindless consumer habits. That paved the road for the birth of sustainable and ethical apparel brands to cater to eco-conscious shoppers. Along came a slew of criticisms targeted towards fast fashion brands for their unethical practices. However, fashion mammoths like H&M, Adidas, and others are making strides against their fast fashion reputation, from rolling out garment recycling programs to sourcing sustainable materials for their products.
Adidas’ collaboration with Parley for the Oceans, their partner for recycled plastic sources.
The rising trend of thrifting has also spawned online thrift and consignment shopping apps, which makes sustainable fashion shopping so much easier and accessible. With increasing consumer demand, up-and-coming brands are taking steps to be more sustainable, from material sourcing to packaging. Browse around for local designers, they could be sustainable too, plus shopping locally reduces carbon footprint from shipping.
In the near future, you might just notice stores from every other corner is totally ethical and sustainable.
It is near impossible to live an entirely sustainable lifestyle with a closet full of sustainable garments; as every single piece of clothing, footwear, or accessory made has an impact on the planet, no matter how miniscule the impact. Being mindful, conscious, and making meaningful decisions for the better however, can lead to the right change.
We hope we’ve dispelled some myths which could be lingering in your mind regarding eco-friendly fashion! In the meantime, keep an eye out for our next post which is a continuation of this article!
If you’re looking to revamp your clothing or textile manufacturing into a more sustainable process, we are more than happy to lend a helping hand! Shoot us a mail and we’ll work it out!
