What Is Sustainable Fashion? A Comprehensive Guide

The style police don’t police vogue the place it issues, so it’s as much as customers to know what constitutes really sustainable vogue.

In fact, with expansive provide chains and the subjectivity of ethics, there are not any straightforward solutions and generally, tradeoffs must be made.

For instance, artificial fiber fill on your coat could also be higher from an animal ethics standpoint, however animal-based down or wool insulation that’s compostable is healthier from a sustainability one. In these cases, we as customers should weigh out private values and steadiness the scales as greatest we will.

At SJ, we contemplate over 22 standards once we fee vogue manufacturers (and different non-fashion shopper manufacturers) on their sustainability credentials. These standards embody the next (not exhaustive):

• Sustainable supplies
• Provide chain and labor practices
• Carbon discount and commitments
• Inexperienced enterprise practices
• Inclusivity and variety
• Group & charitable giving

1. Sustainable Supplies

Supplies decide nearly all of a garment’s impression, so it’s no surprise sustainable materials are our first and most necessary consideration.

There’s loads to debate right here, so right here’s a fast abstract of what to search for in vogue supplies:

• Pure, natural supplies in pure blends, rendering completed clothes compostable
• Synthetics (if used in any respect) which might be recycled and recyclable
• Match for function (i.e. sturdy)
• Secure and non-toxic dyes
• Certifications to again up natural, recycled, or non-toxic claims

Sustainable fabrics usually fall into one in all three classes: pure, semi-synthetic, and recycled artificial.

Pure Fibers

These are pure fibers with minimal processing, like cotton—although we don’t embody historically grown cotton for apparent causes already talked about.

• Organic Cotton: Grown and processed with none pesticides and artificial fertilizers, requiring as much as 91% less water and 62% much less power than conventional cotton.
• Recycled Cotton: Repurposed cotton from post-industrial or post-consumer waste. Whereas it makes use of different landfill-bound materials, there’s no technique to organically certify recycled cotton as a result of we simply don’t know.
• Hemp fabric: One of many oldest fibers, requiring 50%+ much less water than even natural cotton and no pesticides.
• Linen: Like hemp, however derived from the flax plant.
• Bamboo fabric: Bamboo is likely one of the most sustainable pure sources on earth, however its material kind can go one in all two methods. Uncooked bamboo linen is made mechanically, which isn’t to be confused with chemically-processed bamboo rayon.
• Protein fibers: These are all animal-based fibers and are thus not for vegan vogue, like ethical wool, down, silk, angora, alpaca, llama, cashmere, mohair, camel, and down. Whereas earth-safe and minimally processed, it’s necessary to supply these both recycled or from licensed humane sources (i.e. ZQ Merino, Responsible Wool Standard, and Responsible Down Standard).

Cellulose or Semi-Artificial Fibers

These are based mostly with pure fibers (often wooden pulp) transformed into a cloth through a chemical “plasticizing” technique.

Artificial materials are tough, as a result of relying on this processing is completed, they’re both fairly sustainable or removed from it.

For instance, conventional viscose fabric makes use of caustic chemical compounds (like sulfuric acid) to show wooden into one thing you’d wish to put on—or not, understanding that.

Nevertheless, some types of viscose (like lyocell) make the most of much less poisonous solvents and apply them in a closed-loop system that recycles these solvents and water.

It’s because of this (and subsequent greenwashing) that bamboo is so bamboo-zling. Chemically-processed bamboo can both be made like conventional viscose or like lyocell.

Listed below are the semi-synthetics you may contemplate a part of your sustainable wardrobe:

• TENCEL™ lyocell fabric: Wooden pulp (specifically eucalyptus, however others, too) from sustainable sources transformed right into a fiber through non-toxic cellulose solvents (like amine-oxide) reasonably than sulfuric acid. All water and 99% of the chemical compounds might be recovered and reused.
• TENCEL™ modal fabric: Beech tree pulp changed into material utilizing an analogous closed-loop manufacturing course of to lyocell.
• Bamboo lyocell: Made utilizing a chemical manufacturing course of however in a closed-loop system the place the chemical compounds are re-used time and again. Earlier than shopping for bamboo lyocell merchandise, examine with the model to know their sustainability metrics.
• Choose vegan leather: Some vegan leathers are literally simply plastic (PU and PVC), however some rework plant-based supplies right into a leather-like substitute. Examples embody Piñatex (pineapple leaf byproduct), Bananatex® (banana trade byproduct), and apple leather (apple juice trade waste). Simply make sure the model doesn’t add a plastic coating.

Recycled Artificial Materials

There are various improvements occurring within the Waste-to-Wardrobe world, together with recycled materials for all main petroleum based mostly materials: polyester, nylon, spandex, acrylic, polyethylene, and polypropylene.

Since they’re nonetheless plastic, recycled synthetic fabrics might not have an incredible finish of life end result as biodegradable materials, however they’re higher than virgin counterparts.

Utilizing present plastic that in any other case pollutes our waterways is a win.

Some notable recycled artificial fibers are:

• Recycled PET (rPET): Often constituted of different textiles or recycled plastic bottles and infrequently utilized in sustainable activewear.
• ECONYL: Comprised of recovered ocean plastics comparable to ghost nets, or deserted fishing nets which make up a tenth of all ocean plastic. You’ll often discover it in sustainable swimwear.
• Spanflex: The one GRS and bluesign® licensed recycled spandex different, but it surely’s nonetheless very uncommon to search out it in use for unknown causes.

As with all artificial materials, microfibers from these recycled supplies are nonetheless a serious concern. Our perspective is that these supplies ought to be restricted in use and at all times washed with a Guppy Bag or filter.

Certifications For Supplies

We wish to make sure the materials are what they declare to be in our sustainable clothes, that means we search for third-party certifications.

Whereas there are numerous to talk of, listed here are probably the most regularly seen in vogue:

• Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS): Upholds moral and ecological standards for fibers, which should be produced 100% biologically from seed to shelf. No chemical compounds, pesticides, fertilizers, or machine harvesting is allowed at any stage.
• OEKO-TEX: Ensures materials & processes don’t include any poisonous chemical compounds like heavy metals, colorants, preservatives, and formaldehyde. This certification can apply to both uncooked or completed supplies, however not essentially each, which leaves some room for greenwashing.
• USDA Organic: Says one thing was made with USDA-certified natural crops, however says nothing of the processing past that.
• Forest Stewardship Council (FSC): Regardless of scandals in forestry certifications, it’s meant to make sure vegetation are harvested utilizing sustainable strategies from well-managed forest to reduce deforestation and endangerment of animals and ecosystems.
• bluesign®: Focuses on wholesome, eco-friendly manufacturing strategies by accounting for water conservation, dye toxicity, and chemical publicity each for staff and clients.
• Better Cotton Standard (BCI): Whereas imperfect, it’s the biggest cotton sustainability program on this planet, awarding certification based mostly on seven social and financial sustainability principles.
• Global Recycle Standard (GRS): Establishes a minimal recycled content material (50%) for shopper merchandise so you understand a model claiming to make use of recycled supplies is extra than simply 2%.

Virtually all of those certification schemes have, in some unspecified time in the future, been embroiled in greenwashing accusations.

For instance, GOTS lately got here beneath hearth for giant quantities of fraudulent organic cotton coming from India on account of their third-party inspection businesses (like Ecocert) certifying farms that weren’t utilizing natural practices in any respect.

Does this imply we shouldn’t use certifications?

Not essentially. Certifications are nonetheless very helpful instruments to find out whether or not a vogue model is sustainable. It simply means they need to be regarded (as with every sustainability declare) with a wholesome diploma of scrutiny.

Eco Pleasant Cloth Dyes

Even when you’ve got a very natural cotton t-shirt, if it was dyed with poisonous dyes and extreme water use, it’s not so sustainable.

Moreover, firms might declare their materials are biodegradable, even when dyed with poisonous chemical compounds that may contaminate wherever it degrades into.

Fortunately, sustainable dyes are enhancing, as are the processes by which we apply them.

On the very least, dyes ought to be azo-free. Whereas not all dangerous, some azo dyes can kind fragrant amines stuffed with carcinogenic compounds.

Higher nonetheless are plant-based dyes or different pure choices like these by Colorifix, that are non-polluting, non-toxic, and use 10x much less water.

For the dyeing course of, look out for closed-loop and/or waterless strategies comparable to AirDye® or CO₂ dyeing.

2. Provide Chain & Labor Practices

We even have to make sure the social facet is moral throughout your complete provide chain, searching for:

Small, Managed Provide Chains

Smaller provide chains imply extra management and fewer unknown variables for firms. Some good indications an organization has a deal with on their provide chain:

• Merchandise are made of their base nation (i.e. made-in-the-USA)
• Merchandise are made in developed international locations, the place office well being and security codes and wage necessities are extra strictly enforced.
• Small product line: The bigger the choices, the bigger the provision chain. Strong manufacturers don’t want to supply an enormous array of clothes, just some easy issues made very well will do.
• Use of small, family-owned factories or artist cooperatives
• Common third occasion audits and model visits to their factories
• Third occasion memberships or certifications

Transparency

Bigger manufacturers with big product traces possible can’t preserve the whole lot traceable, so we’d like them to be as open as doable about sourcing and manufacturing.

We wish to know precisely the place issues have been made, what protections are in place, and what staff are paid (we ideally wish to see all staff paid a living wage).

Transparency results in accountability, which ends up in CHANGE.

That is the pondering behind the Vogue Revolution Transparency Index, a yearly evaluation of 250 main vogue manufacturers on provide chain transparency.

Within the 2023 Transparency Index, the typical transparency was a dismal 26%, (up simply 2% from 2022) and solely 2 model scored above 80%.

Labor Practices

As soon as an organization has disclosed their sourcing and enterprise practices, we will contemplate in the event that they’re doing all they’ll from an ethics perspective.

One baseline moral commonplace is the Social Accountability Standard International (SA8000), although “honest remedy” of laborers is loosely outlined and solely encompasses large points like no baby labor and minimal wage pay (which isn’t value any gold stars in creating international locations.)

Moral Vogue Certifications

One of the best ways to know an organization isn’t BS-ing you is to search for voluntary certifications obtained by way of third-party audits.

There are various sourcing and manufacturing certifications, however right here’s a pattern, beginning with probably the most trusted and complete:

• B-Corporation: To get this certification, a enterprise’ complete provide chain should meet excessive requirements throughout 80 “impression areas” each environmental and social yearly.
• Fair Trade: There are various completely different certifying honest commerce entities, just like the World Fair Trade Organization together with particular person chapters such because the North American Fair Trade Federation, Fair Trade USA, Fair Wear Foundation, and Fairtrade International.
• Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production (WRAP): Holds factories to 12 labor rules, together with no compelled labor, no baby labor, no harassment or abuse, pretty restricted work hours, non-discrimination, wholesome and protected office, and utilization of sustainable practices.
• International Labour Organization (ILO)
• Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI)
• Business Social Compliance Initiative (BSCI)

3. Carbon Discount & Commitments

Commitments in the direction of carbon neutrality have been as soon as seen as one thing “good” for sustainable manufacturers to have.

However in gentle of the rising local weather change disaster, this must be thought of needed amongst sustainable vogue practices.

Lowering and offsetting an organization’s carbon footprint is on the core of what’s required to be thought of a sustainable vogue model, that means:

• Carbon discount dedication: We ideally must see all manufacturers (sustainable or not) have an express dedication to decreasing carbon by investing in power efficiencies. For larger manufacturers, we wish to see some Science Based Targets, or one thing holding them accountable.
• Proof-based carbon discount outcomes: Manufacturers should display steady enhancements and precise reductions (not simply unfulfilled targets listed yr in, yr out.)
• Carbon offsets: Carbon offset are a helpful technique to counter the emissions a model can’t utterly scale back (and there’ll at all times be some), but it surely’s straightforward to assert you carbon offset with none actual proof of doing so. We want revealed proof of offsetting efforts and their numerical impression—as a result of not all have a everlasting impression and “additionality” (one which couldn’t have been achieved with out the offset).

tentree, Allbirds and Reformation, are setting a great instance with their clear carbon offset efforts.

Nonetheless, we’d like extra like Patagonia with formidable carbon targets and a strong plan to get there that contain decreasing emissions, not simply paying to retroactively counter them.

4. Inexperienced Enterprise Practices

As necessary as product impression is, we additionally want to concentrate to operational impression.

Additional sustainability issues embody:

• High quality merchandise: Sustainable clothes ought to be made with sturdiness in thoughts. Search for manufacturers utilizing high quality supplies and backing them with a lifetime guarantee (a great indication they’re assured within the high quality of their product).
• Finish-of-life end result: Not the whole lot is compostable and never everybody composts, so firms that provide restore, resale, or recycling applications are taking preemptive steps towards full life cycle duty for his or her clothes. You too can search for Cradle to Cradle (C2C) certifications.
• Handmade manufacturing: Much less equipment means much less power and machine emissions. Handcrafting additionally creates extra jobs and helps protect historic cultural methods.
• Deadstock waste: How do they deal with it? The best is for firms to not have any leftover clothes in any respect, by way of small-batch or made-to-order manufacturing. For unavoidable offcuts, we search for manufacturers repurposing them into different merchandise.
• Useful resource administration: From renewable energy to water and waste discount or recycling practices, there are numerous inventive methods eco-friendly vogue firms can put an eco-friendly spin on the method of textile spinning.
• Workplace insurance policies: Acutely aware firms function low waste themselves, implementing workplace recycling and composting and eliminating as a lot waste as doable.
• Sustainable packaging: Search for recycled or compostable delivery supplies, tags, sleeves, and many others. Or can the packaging be returned to be reused once more?
• Delivery: Transportation (each of supplies inside the provide chain and remaining product to customers) accounts for lots of GHG emissions. Greener firms keep away from delivery by air, use freight ships when delivery by sea, and offset their delivery emissions.
• Different sustainability certifications: Some companies have their services licensed for issues like power effectivity. One such certification is Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED).

5. Variety, Fairness & Inclusion

Moral vogue manufacturers might supply extra inclusive merchandise like plus-size clothing (and no, XL doesn’t qualify) or non-binary clothing to suit all our bodies and identities.

Numerous possession, senior staff and board members is one other signal {that a} model could also be extra inclusive. And we prefer to see advertising and marketing and imagery that features a wider vary of individuals.

6. Group & Charitable Giving

Group minded manufacturers display it’s about greater than the underside line however as a substitute the triple backside line: individuals, planet, then revenue.

Sustainable vogue manufacturers ought to use their earnings to raised the world ultimately, from giving cash to charities to organizing occasions and initiatives.

The 1% for the Planet Program (based by Patagonia’s Yvon Chouinard) is likely one of the most respected give-back applications. Being a member holds moral manufacturers accountable for reinvesting 1% of annual earnings into the surroundings.

As nice as giving is, simply concentrate on firms hiding unethical enterprise practices with well-promoted give-back schemes.