When we talk about sustainable clothing, it\u2019s important we understand what that really means. Beyond the buzzwords and green-washing of unethical, fast fashion conglomerates who earn billions of dollars for their CEOs while sending tonnes of clothing to landfill all the time, there are genuinely important, eco friendly messages of justice. Messages that exist to change the world, not to produce profit.<\/p>
Sustainable fashion is not only that which is environmentally friendly, but it is ethical fashion. Ethical fashion is that which produces conscious clothing, that is made by people who are treated fairly and with respect. Ethical fashion is that which is not made from the skins and bodies of animals. This more intersectional approach to what sustainable fashion truly means is important, and it is the future of ethical clothing.\u00a0<\/p>
This idea of eco-conscious, ethical fashion is one which is deeply important to us as a brand. We seek to produce the most ethical fashion pieces we can, working with animal-friendly materials that have a far reduced environmental impact, and paying our bag creating artisans a fair, living wage.\u00a0<\/p>
Though similar in principal, each one is unique, but all are an alternative to another phrase you might\u2019ve heard\u2014fast fashion.<\/p>
Fast fashion is just what it sounds like. Rather than sticking to the historical model of a few seasons per year where it took months (sometimes years) for items to go from design to reality and from the catwalk to a local department store, the fashion industry now expedites the process to get more clothing in the hands of consumers faster. It results in close to 52 fashion \u201cseasons\u201d per year, with new items coming in all the time.<\/p>
In order to meet such high demand, something must be sacrificed. Unfortunately, that sacrifice is often related to the quality of the garment, its affect on the environment, and the human lives involved in the production process.<\/p>
Countless fast fashion retailers take advantage of cheap labor overseas, manufacturing their garments in sweatshops with little to no regard for the working conditions of the laborers and the negative impacts chemicals and other elements have on those workers and the environment.<\/p>
Ethical, slow, sustainable, and fair trade fashion are all reactions against the fast fashion industry.<\/p>
Here\u2019s a breakdown:<\/p>
Fair Trade fashion<\/strong>\u00a0is perhaps the most narrow of the terms. It focuses specifically on the working conditions of the laborers and in order for an item of clothing to be considered Fair Trade, it must be certified by Fair Trade.<\/p> Sustainable fashion<\/strong>, also called eco fashion, focuses more on the environmental impact of the clothing. It focuses on how different fibers and production methods negatively impact the environment, and seeks to create circular system that lessens the human impact on the environment through the consumption of clothing.\u00a0<\/p> Ethical fashion<\/strong>\u00a0is more or less a combination of both Fair Trade and sustainable fashion. It focuses on both the social and environmental impact of fashion, seeking to improve the working conditions of laborers, along with the environmental impact of the clothing production process.<\/p> Slow fashion<\/strong>\u00a0is the direct opposite of fast fashion, focusing on creating garments with quality and longevity in mind. Though slow fashion is not by default sustainable, ethical, or Fair Trade, many slow fashion brands create with these principals in mind. By creating garments with quality and longevity in mind, it reduces the strain on workers, as they aren\u2019t pressured to meet the insane deadlines and demands perpetuated by the fast fashion industry, and it reduces the strain on the environment, as the higher quality items last longer, which means they don\u2019t need to be replaced as frequently as items of a lower quality.<\/p> Where you can buy second hand, thrift or even just reuse or swap what you have.<\/p> If you do need something new then make sure it\u2019s from and ethical brand, like Happi Inc!<\/p>","urlTitle":"ethical-fashion","url":"\/blog\/ethical-fashion\/","editListUrl":"\/my-blogs","editUrl":"\/my-blogs\/edit\/ethical-fashion\/","fullUrl":"https:\/\/happi-inc.co\/blog\/ethical-fashion\/","featured":false,"published":true,"showOnSitemap":true,"hidden":false,"visibility":null,"createdAt":1622402297,"updatedAt":1622402834,"publishedAt":1622402834,"lastReadAt":null,"division":{"id":137838,"name":"Happi Inc"},"tags":[],"metaImage":{"original":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/37hkot0gufayhmamhjcwahovliajwv18m0bb8jldcqxpuqqy.png","thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/37hkot0gufayhmamhjcwahovliajwv18m0bb8jldcqxpuqqy.png.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/37hkot0gufayhmamhjcwahovliajwv18m0bb8jldcqxpuqqy.png.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"metaTitle":"","metaDescription":"","keyPhraseCampaignId":null,"series":[],"similarReads":[{"id":22481,"title":"Take Back Friday","url":"\/blog\/take-back-friday\/","urlTitle":"take-back-friday","division":137838,"description":"The Issue\nLess than 1% of the world\u2019s clothes are recycled back into new clothes once they are worn out. We need to make a change. Happi Inc was designed to solve this crisis.","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/gexydyemez3amgntncbaeqacer77wws0r06fdov5pfzacvxg.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/gexydyemez3amgntncbaeqacer77wws0r06fdov5pfzacvxg.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"hidden":0},{"id":10968,"title":"Reasons to shop ethical fashion","url":"\/blog\/reasons-to-shop-sustainable-ethical-fashion\/","urlTitle":"reasons-to-shop-sustainable-ethical-fashion","division":137838,"description":"The fashion industry is known as one of the most polluting industries in the world. Making a conscious decision to shop with sustainable and ethical brands will make a difference to the planet and the people within it. Here are four reasons why you might want to make the shift to sustaina","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/dgizfrwini1bipdmlfa32lbcmlrsfmemzwb5s5k61tepr7jm.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/dgizfrwini1bipdmlfa32lbcmlrsfmemzwb5s5k61tepr7jm.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"hidden":0},{"id":10966,"title":"10 Facts about Fair Trade","url":"\/blog\/10-facts-about-fair-trade\/","urlTitle":"10-facts-about-fair-trade","division":137838,"description":"Fairtrade has been around for 25 years, which means 25 years of Fairtrade products in the UK and 25 years of positive impact for farmers, workers, and communities around the world. Here are 10 facts about Fairtrade you may not know. 1","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/txysngpwd1ukni5wzhz0fl6ojxim1jojqul7tvn65tani8d3.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/txysngpwd1ukni5wzhz0fl6ojxim1jojqul7tvn65tani8d3.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"hidden":0}],"labels":[]}