Sustainability and eco-friendliness have been trending topics in the fashion industry. As a fashion lover, you’ve probably heard people say they prefer buying sustainable fashion items. However, you might not know why buying from brands that practice sustainability matters.
You cannot decide to buy sustainable fashion unless you understand what it is. This article will take an indepth look at everything you should know about sustainable fashion. It will explain sustainable fashion, why it matters, how it helps the environment, and how to practice it.
Here’s everything you should know about sustainable fashion.
What Is Sustainable Fashion?
Understanding sustainable fashion will make it easier to practice it. But let’s clear things up before going deeper into this topic. People use sustainability and eco-friendly interchangeably, but they are different. But then, the difference between them is slight; no wonder the confusion.
Eco-friendliness in this context means using fashion in a way that doesn’t harm the planet. It means using production techniques that aim at protecting the environment. This goes further to the environmental friendliness of the packaging material used for shipping.
Conversely, sustainability takes a broader scope and looks more into the future. It means sustainably using fashion items. For instance, wearing clothing for a longer time rather than disposing of it quickly. This also applies to shoes, jewelry, and any fashion item you own.
This doesn’t mean sustainability doesn’t look into production. It also focuses on production’s short- and long-term impact on the environment. Traders in the fashion industry aim to ensure they sell fashion items whose production has little to no environmental impact.
That’s why jewelers are considering lab manufacturing. Lab-grown diamonds are becoming more popular in the world today. The question “are lab grown diamonds real?” is now too common. Yes, the diamonds made in the lab are real, sustainable, and eco-friendly.
Lab grown diamonds are an alternative for diamond lovers who are skeptical about buying diamonds. This is because of the influx of blood diamonds in the industry. Many people still prefer lab grown diamonds although there’s an assurance that blood diamonds have declined.
Why Fashion Sustainability Matters
You might be wondering why sustainability is essential in the fashion industry. There are many reasons to consider investing in sustainable solutions. This is especially if you would like to put your money into the fashion industry as a jewelry dealer, either in wholesale or retail.
The environment is the biggest beneficiary of sustainability. The fashion industry can be a significant source of waste if left uncontrolled. The best way to ensure less pollution is by encouraging people to practice sustainability. Doing this throughout a product’s life cycle will be helpful.
The jewelry industry should be top among the sectors that require control. Most precious stones are sourced through mining. Mining has a massive impact on the environment. It can help to ensure mining activity isn’t hazardous to the planet. Diamond and gold traders must work with sustainable producers and suppliers.
If it’s about clothing, you can switch to sustainable materials. Natural fabrics that quickly degrade can be worth considering. Non-sustainable fabrics, primarily artificial, might not be a good option for someone promoting sustainability.
Ways to Practice Sustainable Fashion
There are various ways to ensure sustainability in the fashion world. You can promote it whether you are a manufacturer, wholesaler, retailer, or fashion consumer. It all starts with knowing the role you can play in ensuring sustainable fashion keeps growing.
1. Buy Less, Wear More
It is critical only to buy fashion when you seriously need it. Do not buy new clothes when you have some that can be wearable if you repair them. Buying new clothes means you might have to dispose of what you currently own. Unless you donate clothes, throwing them away will harm the planet.
2. Embrace the “Pre-Loved”
Many people don’t think about buying second-hand items. However, this is one way you can contribute to sustainability. Buying clothes that would have otherwise been disposed of in the environment contributes to conservation and plays a role in securing the future.
3. Choose Sustainable Brands
There are various brands available in the market today. You need to choose sustainable brands if you want to contribute to conservation. This will ensure you stock fashion items that people will be interested in buying. In the end, you’ll build a reputation for your fashion business.
4. Try Renting
Renting is another viable alternative to buying. To ensure sustainability, rent your wedding gown and other fashion items you won’t wear daily. This will make it easier to protect the environment and contribute to sustainability and eco-friendliness.
Why Fashion Brands Need to Be Sustainable and Eco-Friendly
As we stated before, sustainability looks into the future. If you run a fashion brand, you must focus more on the future. Otherwise, building a brand that will thrive into the future can be tricky. It would be best to focus on providing sustainable solutions to your customers.
So, how will sustainability benefit your brand?
Well, it will help you build trust and credibility. People are becoming more conscious about the environment. They want to do all they can to protect the planet from pollution. This includes buying fashion items such as jewelry, clothing, and shoes from sustainable brands.
Sustainability and eco-friendliness will shape the future of the fashion industry. Many brands are heeding the call and focusing more on providing sustainable solutions. This includes working with producers who use eco-friendly procedures like the Kimberley Process for diamond mining.
There also is a need to ensure sustainability when manufacturing diamonds in the lab. One way manufacturers do this is by using a modest amount of electricity. They also ensure they get the electricity from renewable sources to protect the environment and ensure efficiency.
In short, there’s a lot that sustainability can do for your brand. Being sustainable means that you cater for even the unborn generations. This might impact the public’s perception of your brand. In the end, more people will be willing to transact with your fashion business.
It Is Time to Invest in Sustainable Fashion
Sustainability and eco-friendliness are undoubtedly critical topics in the fashion world. Now you know why sustainable fashion matters and can start practicing it. It would be best to start by identifying jewelry and other fashion brands that practice sustainability and make them your go-to stores.
If you are a retailer, you will have made immense contributions to the push for sustainability. It will also be easier to build customer trust and increase revenues if you focus on making your business sustainable. The tips shared above should help you do this effortlessly.