Sustainability in the fashion industry is a hot topic. Plans to curb the spiralling carbon emissions within fashion haven’t yet come to full fruition, at least according to Vogue Business.
It’s unreasonable to suggest the way the entire industry operates will change overnight. The catalyst for change has to come from a shift in attitude, and it would appear that this is happening.
What is ‘slow fashion’?
The damage that ‘fast fashion’ can have affects so many globally. From the impoverished, often-exploited workers in third-world countries to the microfibers infiltrating our water systems from synthetic clothes during washing, fast fashion has many notable negative contributions to society.
However, there is a new wave of conscientious, planet-friendly fashion sweeping over the industry. ‘Slow fashion’ doesn’t follow trends – clothes are made to be timeless, reducing the likelihood that they’ll be thrown out quickly (shockingly, 9/10 items of clothing are thrown out prematurely).
Interest in sustainable fashion has grown exponentially over recent years. For some, sourcing clothes sustainably is the result of everything we hear regarding environmental concerns from climate change. Others might focus on the unethical labour many larger brands facilitate globally. Whatever their reason, ‘slow fashion’ is on the rise.
All materials subscribing to the ‘slow fashion’ movement are sourced ethically and don’t contain any harmful chemicals.
Rather than flimsy pieces that aren’t made to last, ‘slow fashion’ designs focus on superior quality that will stand the test of time. This is one of the goals expressed by the Slow Fashion Movement, the organisation attempting to alter the industry’s approach quickly.
Customer engagement
Listening to the concerns of buyers in the modern day is an ingredient to success when it comes to fashion. Over half of all people want their purchases to be made sustainably.
Of course, there is a balance to be struck for designers. To continue operating sustainably, the companies need to remain profitable. The good news for those looking to get in on the ‘slow fashion’ movement is that sustainability does, in fact, result in customer loyalty a lot of the time.
More than ¾ of consumers prefer purchasing with organisations that have a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) statement and almost ⅔ of customers are satisfied with their new, sustainable buying habits.
Therefore, you can expect to see plenty more ‘slow fashion’ labels popping up thanks to this increased loyalty.
“A stitch in time, saves nine”
If you have a piece of clothing that appears to be damaged, why not try and fix the issue rather than throwing out your clothes and spending money on something new?
‘Slow fashion’ encourages consumers to do this very thing, despite clothes made in a sustainable way having longevity compared to ‘fast fashion’ items.
While the immediate cost of ‘slow fashion’ pieces might be slightly more than ‘fast fashion’ items you’d find on the high street, the savings over time could make it beneficial to buy sustainably.
When you consider how long a shirt or dress will last, it makes sense to spend a little bit more on a sustainable item so that you won’t need to make another purchase soon.
With the benefit of knowing that all components during the creating process are harmless, you can be very satisfied that you’re making a positive contribution when making your clothes choice.
