Eco Fashion: Are We Making A Difference?
Apr 15
I just wanted to take a moment to check in with you. Yes, you, the readers of this blog who represent a good slice of the eco fashion heads in the United States. I imagine you not only read In The Loop, you are in the loop on greener garment trends. Some manufacturers like Natural High Lifestyle and Patagonia, as well as customers of hemp designs and vintage clothing stores, have been leading the eco fashion pack for at least a decade or more. Most of the sustainable fashion designers and junkies in the U.S. just realized very recently what a huge impact the clothing industry has on the world at large. From the destruction of ecosystems through cotton pesticides to the abuse of children in foreign sweatshops, what we buy, sell, design, or manufacture has a massive ripple effect on society and nature. It turns out that shopping does matter after all. So as Earth Day 2008 approaches, we must pause to ponder the question…Are we making a difference? Do you notice major changes in the availability of ethically-made garments and fabrics in your neck of the woods? Do you see any improvements in the communities and ecosystems most effected by the apparel industry?
This is the beginning of a conversation with the fashion industry-those who buy, make, and sell clothing-to suss out if all this hoopla of green fashion shows, eco haute couture designs, benefits, speeches, books, blogs, podcasts, and changes in consumer habits have made a damn bit of difference. Please leave a comment below and let us know what you see happening (or not happening) with eco fashion in your area…and your closet. Or, if you’re feeling super spunky, send us your perspective with a few photos and we’ll post it here on In The Loop.
Seriously, leave a comment, don’t be afraid. It’ll take two minutes and we’ll love you for it. The Comments section is just below this photo, right down…there↓. Thanks.
One serious sign of improvement I’ve seen: the organic cotton industry has grown by 53% in the last two years…http://thegreenloopblog.com/2008/01/the-organic-cotton-market-grows-and-grows-and-grows/
Nice topic to broach Jenn, especially in light of many articles I have read recently that question how much good any type of consumption can be for the environment, even if it IS green. So here are my thoughts here…as wandering as they may be.
We have to start somewhere in addressing the morass of environmental nightmares we have created, and from where I sit, we have started. Commerce is the largest part of the global economy, and commerce has been a part of every economy since man became upright. It’s how most of us pay the bills, feed our families, get health care and ultimately survive. Sure, in an environmentally ideal world, we would all wear homespun, farm our backyards, and walk everywhere we need to go. But is this the ideal quality of life we seek? Does it have room for art? Personal expression? Creativity? Yes, you could carve wood scraps, paint hand stretched animal hides (sorry vegans) and the like. But the wow factor here for many is just not there. Sure, fashion can be shallow, catty, wasteful and downright ugly…in more ways than one, but the bottom line is that fashion is a large part of this commerce system that supports us. At the same time, it serves as an outlet for creativity and self expression – both on the part of the designers AND the wearers. Throw in there the fact that MOST of require clothing of some sort of function in modern day society (nudists aside), and fashion doesn’t look to bad. That said, the fashion industry needs to become more sustainable overall- longer lasting garments, eco-friendly textiles, protection of human rights, end of life product planning, efficient, clean manufacturing, and what have we seen? Just that. Since I launched Greenloop in 2004, at a time where just finding enough designers to fill out our offerings was a nearly insurmountable challenge, I have seen this industry explode. At this point, I receive between 10-20 new product submissions a week and MOST of them are authentically green, operating in a sustainable fashion in every capacity they can. Of course, there are a few posers in there…there always will be those trying to jump on the bandwagon without making any true commitment. We call it ‘green-washing’, and it is something we do need to watch our for. Despite this, awareness is growing; demand is growing; third parties are getting involved to ensure products are as green as they claim to be; availability of more sustainable textiles is growing; and soon, sustainable practices in the fashion industry will be a requirement for doing business. I’d say we’re doing good.
Enough rambling for now…
I say “bravo” for the companies who have changed, and “pick up the pace” for those who have not.
Another environmental note is the production of garments and accessories made from endangered species: Siamese crocodiles and pythons. Tis a shame to sacrifice one species just to hold your cell phone and wallet when going out, etc.
Thanks for starting the fire, Jenn! Measuring results of the burgeoning eco-fashion movement will take time as we make wholesale reevaluations of how we operate as humans on the planet. I became interested in fashion because when I stripped it down to a ‘no matter what happens’ scenario, food/water, shelter, clothing and art were what I was left with no matter what we are in for on Earth. Fashion is accessible because we all (well most) wear clothing every day, all day and we obviously purchase a ton of it. If we can get people across the globe to question where garmets are made, what their social/environmental impacts are, where profits go, are companies living up to their claims, are they good ‘corporate citizens’ with giveback and community programs etc., then I feel these questions have the potential to awaken us to ask those kinds of questions across the board about every aspect of our lives. I feel that the more people ask these types of questions of themselves, the less we will ultimately consume.
I started EcoNouveau http://www.EcoNouveau.com with the intention of artfully showcasing sustainable designers and artists/filmmakers concerned about the environment and social issues that could help us to see the world in a new way. I chose Gary Harvey to be the headliner b/c he’s a couture designer (the first international couture designer to show during LA fashion week no-less!) who works with ALL found materials. I thought this would make a powerful statement to the fashion world in kicking off LA Fashion Week and be inspiring to designers and fashionistas to see how gorgeous a gown could be using recycled/repurposed materials.
So, I think that we are on a journey here that is based upon ethics and integrity and transparency where sustainability is a process, not a destination. World changes may get a lot more dicey and change the game completely, but at minimum I am personally inspired by how many people are working/dedicating their lives to creating a more harmonious and benevolent global society. As a wise Chinese proverb goes– “we can only move the mountain one piece at a time.”
Organic produce/fabrics/etc are seeming to get closer to the general affordability level. That’s what we want! Hooray! I mean some days I’m at the store and I see organic food the same price as the “regular” produce… it’s going to go this way with clothing I’m sure!
Yeah, good question. I think we are – but maybe not as much as we might like to believe. The vast majority of clothing is produced from ordinary cotton or polyester mix fabrics in average or below average factories. Ethics and environmental issues have been badged as ways to sell premium products. Which is fair enough for those involved, but not great for the rest of the people in the clothing industry and those who can’t afford the premium products.
I think we need a revolution of the way we ‘do’ ethical clothing, perhaps taking inspiration from the way the opensource movement has been able to totally change software.
Hey Joe- Check out Pamoyo and their use of Creative Commons licensing with their designs. Great minds do think alike.
http://thegreenloopblog.com/2008/05/creatively-uncommon-the-designers-behind-pamoyo/
I believe we are making an impact. We at 3 Clothing company certainly see it. We started our company in the fall of 2007. One of our biggest questions is what material we were going to use. We finally settled on organic cotton. Of course the major issue with that was the small number of suppliers. Over the last few months we have gone to “Clean” cotton, cotton that is in transition and sweatshop/child labor free. This has opened up our ability to get supplies. We have also noticed the increase in organic cotton materials.
We are even contemplating going to The Global Eco/Green Trade and Fashion Show in Vegas this year.
3 Clothing Company
“Changing the World in Style”
I definately see an increase in the number of vintage stores opening up–on the internet as well as on the streets. Fashion houses constantly look back to designs of yesterday for inspiration–even the larger chain stores like H&M have a vintage inspired line. If more stores open up, then more people will consider vintage instead of off-the-rack….I hope!
Niche article, thanks you for write this article
Yes, indeed we are moving in the right direction, but with the fashion industry being one of the big culprits I can only admire the big steps that other countries are taking.
“As the Copenhagen’s Nordic fashion week closed on August 10, we are learning about the Nordic Fashion Association, and its goal to expand Scandinavia’s global reputation for healthy living and sustainable energy to its fashion industries.
“The ambition is to become front-runners in this area” said Danish Fashion Institute, Eva Kruse…..”
Please read more: http://www.zoicamatei.com/blog.aspx
Another environmental note is the production of garments and accessories made from endangered species: Siamese crocodiles and pythons. Tis a shame to sacrifice one species just to hold your cell phone and wallet when going out, etc.
so, even though i’m not a big believer in global warming or things like that, i still believe strongly in helping our environment in any way possible. since i’m an avid shopper i figure, why not spend my money on things that do just that. ive recently seen many of my friends wearing Tom’s shoes and i think they’re adorable…so i researched them. what i didn’t know is that they’re for an amazing cause!! now that i know that im most definitely buying multiple pairs. I also plan on putting something about them and the green movement in our school paper. this is the start of a revolution and i think its awesome!
This is a hard question to answer, but I am going to tentatively go with yes. Environmentally responsible companies are both doing good in their manufacturing and sourcing methods, but also acting as ambassadors of sorts about what it means to be sustainable. Whenever I wear some of my (very awesome) eco-friendly clothing I get a question along the lines of “does that actually do anything?” When I can explain what makes the clothes I am wearing different from standard issue, conventional cotton, and people understand it, I get the feeling that, yeah it does. People start to think, “where do my clothes come from” and that’s the start of responsible fashion decision making.
I think that if Fashion finally thinks ecologically sound practices are de riguer, it’s a sign the world is ending sooner than we think.
I think of all the people I’ve known over the years who “did their own thing”, and were “hippie-dippie”, and they were treated like space aliens by the general public. Now it’s trendy to be “green”, and there is such an elitist attitude attached to this grassroots movement. Especially with Fashion.
I work for an Holistic Practitioner in the Chicago area, and most of our clients are horribly allergic to just about anything. We use glass bottle IV’s for our therapies, which are just about impossible to find (and most think incredibly archaic), and many of our clients wear only natural fibers, hemp, organic cotton, bamboo (not wool- too allergenic no matter what people say), and they wear these fibers because their systems just can’t handle the various manmade fibers, harsh dyes, etc. They also spend most of their money on alternative practitioners to treat their host of health problems because most insurances (still) don’t cover them.
I think it’s a bastardization of what is to some, an absolute necessity. On the one hand, I’m glad that the general public’s starting to get a clue, but on the other hand, it turns my stomach. It’s really revolting that so many items being produced are so far out of the price ranges of the people who need, and would appreciate them the most.
I still have my doubts about eco-fashion. I don’t believe the consumer culture really supports anything other than consumption, with waste being the inevitable result.
I have also noticed a big change in the cotton industry. I believe every little bit. A lot of t-shirt companies are now using organic cottons and bamboo and water-based inks instead of the toxic ones. I just bought a tshirt from http://www.casadiculture.com and I feel that its a small step but still something- still better then me buying a t-shirt made with toxic inks and hopefully this purchase will influence other companies to do the same.
Eco-Fashion is certainly making a difference, but there’s a lot of doubt surrounding which methods/products are truly sustainable and which are just green washing. Check out our myth-busting video “What’s Your Big Green Lie?!” which gives a taste of the widespread ignorance of green issues including cloth VS disposable diapers at http://www.biggreenlies.com – you’ll be surprised -
Thanks for the great article.
I think eco fashion do make a difference. Now people are really realising the situation of global warming.
Even on our part of world(in China). The government is taking steps to eliminate emission. I am a product designer, we are also thinking to use eco product design on our door mat product.
Regards,
Steven
Great work, of course were making a difference. If we the consumer insist on organic cottons then eventually more and more clothing designers will step up to fill the demand. I think the big challenge now is to find a more modern line of clothing. Patagonia is great apparel but it seems most times I am just not all that excited about the styles. Check out this post for a interesting read.
http://www.gearupandplay.com/2009/07/eco-friendly-sustainable-fashion/
Yes, eco clothes, eco food and so on are becoming more and more popular lately. Too bad not anyone can afford them.
Sustainable fashion is such a catch 22. On one side you have perceived obsolescence which is at the heart of our capitalist and consumerist society. Trends and new fads pressure us to buy more and more, and thus harm the environment.
But then you have the need for innovation, for change, for personal evolution, which is what eco-conscious fashion companies are striving to provide their customers. Using sustainable materials and responsible practices, many companies are doing what they can.
And then there’s price point. Will consumers pay more for the truly ethical and sustainable products? Or just the seemingly eco-friendly ones that are being mass-produced by the big boxes? Companies are trying to bring down the costs of items, but can the large ones do that without sacrificing other ethics? Like the use of cheap labor, mass production, and international commerce?
I love fashion. I love design. And I love the planet and its inhabitants. But until fashion designers and companies can genuinely change their practices, we’re going to become victims of clever marketing and greenwashing.
These days everybody seems to be trying to do something good for the environment and my family is no exception. We started recycling, using reusable grocery bags, and buying more organic fruits and vegetables. So I shouldn’t have been surprised when my wife started talking about green fashion. While I care about the environment as much as the next guy, that seemed a bit extreme. In my mind, words green fashion conjured up images of potato sack like clothes made of hemp or some such material. But more I learn about green fashion the more I realize that I was wrong. It is possible for women to look beautiful, modern, and chic and care about the world around them at the same time. For example, my wife recently found a site that sells clothes made of organic cotton, http://www.www.luxgreenliving.com. The clothes they sell are beautiful, fashionable, modern looking and best of all very reasonably priced. She just loves it. So I really do hope that we are making a difference by little changes we make in our lives.
We have to start somewhere. I create award-winning “artwear” handbags from existing leather bags and other recycled components. Any consumption that isn’t of newly produced “stuff” helps. REcycling shouldn’t e “dissed” as being 2 shades short of “really green”!
Tracy Penwell
Dressed Up Cat Fashion Re-Fashioned Handbags
http://www.dressedupcat.com
Be my Fan at http://www.facebook.com/pages/manage/#/pages/Dressed-Up-Cat-Fashion-Re-Fashioned-Handbags/43722815736 Follow me on Twitter @DressedUpCat
Hi,
Yes, this post is nice and informative. Thanks for the information shared here. As it is said, wearing the eco clothing is a fashion and supports the earth a lot.
That is an fascinating view you took. When I glance at the title, I immediately had a disagreement of opinion, but I do understand your side.
Appreciating the commitment you put into your site and detailed information you offer. It’s nice to come across a blog every once in a while that isn’t the same outdated rehashed information. Fantastic read! I’ve bookmarked your site and I’m adding your RSS feeds to my Google account.
Dear Greenloop author Jenn Breckenridge : this a great and important blog for the green fashion consumer, for the environment and to inform the general public at large. I want to thank you for your efforts and commitment to the environment and to this very important industry: green fashion. I have been a fan of greenloop for the last 3 years and have cited your blog in some of my personal environmental endeavors and public writings (I’m a marine biologist, an artist and designer)
Please consider Nuvula in the future on your writings and sales of green brands and garments. This is an avant-garde design company committed to sustainability, art and positive change from its founding beginnings, with sustainable fabrics such as modal, micro-modal, bamboo and vegan leathers at the heart of its soul.
You can find more information on the brand at the following urls http://www.nuvula.com
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Nuvula/43985632210?ref=ts
Thanks again for your efforts and beautiful work.
Thanks so much for your green work efforts and commitment to making a change. Your blog is an invaluable source of information for green fashion makers and consumers and, a great contribution to the environmental movement. I have followed the site for the last 3 years and cited your blog in some of my own environmental endeavors and public writings. I’m a marine biologist, artist and designer.
I urge you to look into the brand Nuvula and to perhaps consider some of their products for the sales you do on your site. It is an avant-garde line with sustainable fabrics at the heart of its soul. Modal, micro-modal, bamboo, vegan leathers and low impact dyes are the main fabrics and products used as their aim was, from their founding beginnings, to make “perfectly sustainable high fashion.” They merge art, poetry, theater, narrative, rebellion and original illustration with fashion while trying to effect positive social and environmental change through the illustrations, writings and poetry printed on their garments.
Thanks again for this great blog and your impeccable green ethics.
Sincerely,
Vanessa