Myths About Ethical & Sustainable Fashion
MYTH: Buying from "eco-conscious" or "sustainable" brands is the best way to reduce your fashion footprint.
TRUTH: To minimize your fashion footprint, focus on buying fewer items. Make the most of your current wardrobe by mending or altering old garments, restyling tired pieces, and trading items with friends or through clothing swaps. If purchasing new, opt for second-hand items. Some companies offer repair programs, like Patagonia's "Worn Wear," or assist in reselling worn items. While researching sustainable brands is helpful, buying new should be the last resort, not the first option.
MYTH: Luxury fashion is inherently more sustainable than fast fashion.
TRUTH: Spending on luxury fashion doesn't guarantee sustainability. Although some luxury brands promote eco-friendly initiatives, the industry as a whole has work to do. Fashion weeks, for example, have significant carbon footprints. Despite efforts by some luxury brands, sustainability remains a challenge.
MYTH: The more expensive the garment, the less likely workers have been exploited.
TRUTH: Workers' rights and conditions can be exploitative across all price points. Many mid-priced and premium labels use the same factories as fast fashion brands. The cost of a garment doesn't ensure fair wages for workers.
MYTH: Donating old clothes is a sustainable way to clean out your closet.
TRUTH: Donated clothes often end up in developing countries' resale markets or landfills. Only a small percentage is sold, and the excess contributes to waste issues. Greenwashing terms like "sustainability" can mislead consumers, and recycling textiles is challenging due to fabric blends and processes.
MYTH: Most clothes can be recycled.
TRUTH: Textile recycling faces challenges, including fabric blends and processes. Only a fraction of clothing is recycled into new garments. "Recycling" often results in downcycling, with garments repurposed for insulation or carpets, rather than upcycling into new clothes.
MYTH: Repairing cheap clothes isn't worthwhile.
TRUTH: Mending fast fashion items can reduce your carbon footprint. Learning basic repairs, such as replacing buttons or fixing zippers, can extend the lifespan of your clothes and reduce waste.
MYTH: Your clothes are from the country listed on the tag.
TRUTH: Garments may be assembled in one country but sourced and manufactured globally. Labels often don't disclose the full supply chain. Encouraging transparency, initiatives like #whomademyclothes? promote accountability and traceability in fashion production.
Source:
From an article produced by CNN Style in partnership with Fashion Revolution, an international non-profit campaigning for a clean, safe, fair, transparent and accountable fashion industry.