Fast fashion is costing us our planet.
Whether you love taking your best friend on a much loved shopping date down the street or just simply love online shopping for women’s clothing, ethical and sustainable clothing is not just a trend anymore here in Australia.
Over 66 per cent of women stated that they would pay more for ethical & sustainable fashion.
And there are good reasons to join the movement:
- The fashion industry is the second biggest polluter in the world, just behind oil!
- Fast fashion is costing the planet – a humble T-shirt alone requires three years worth of drinking water to produce the cotton needed for its production alongside heavy pesticides.
- Not only does the fashion industry guzzle up water, creating environmental disasters where it’s produced, it also pollutes it.
- It is estimated that 20 per cent of water pollution comes from the treatment and dyeing of textiles with harsh chemicals. The carbon footprint isn’t pretty either, 10 per cent of global carbon emissions can be attributed to clothing production’s long supply chains, and cheap synthetic fibers emit gases like N20—which is 300 times more damaging than CO2.
- An average Australian buys 27 kilograms of new textiles every year and then discards 23 kilograms into landfills, mostly cheap fabrics made from petroleum that further pollute the environment when incinerated.
Shop What Matters to you with Elves in the Wardrobe
Despite all the positive changes and the new 'Ethical Shopping Wave',
in the world of online shopping the focus on fast fashion and consumer culture remains strong when browsing for women's clothing.
Not getting caught in an overwhelming flood of colours, patterns and cute sandals isn't an easy task.
But we all do have a choice to decide how our clothes are made.
Doing something as simple as purchasing from ethical brands, with known high standards for manufacturing, can play a part in changing this world one piece of clothing at a time.
Here are some tips from our Elves on what to look out for,
when buying your next outfit:
The United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights affirms that everyone who works has the right to just and favourable remuneration ensuring for themselves and their family an existence worthy of human dignity. Living wage conditions ensure that workers are paid a wage sufficient to cover basic necessities while also generating some savings, particularly to protect their families against economic shocks.
By purchasing products that provide a living wage you are helping workers to afford shelter, food, healthcare and other basic necessities.
2. Eco-Friendly
Eco-friendly certification ensures that the producer of the products you buy does not adopt practices harmful to the environment. In this way, these products are to be considered “earth-friendly.” Production practices seek to conserve energy and water, while at the same time limiting pollution of water, land and air by not using toxic materials, like pesticides and herbicides. You can trust that your purchasing of Eco-Friendly products will ensure human safety and won’t be depleting natural ecosystems. This includes organic, natural, upcycled and recycled products.
Fair Trade certified products ensure that producers abide by 10 principles that extend to ensuring opportunities for disadvantaged farmers, fair payment, protection of basic rights, rejection of child and forced labour from supply chains, decent working conditions and respect for the environment. When you buy Fair Trade you are helping to challenge the culture of exploitation so evident in the manufacturing industry today and ensuring that the lives of all the people who help to produce your clothes and accessories are cared for and respectfully supported.
Fashion is a big part of everyone’s life, whether following the latest trend or choosing not to, clothes are an essential part of our every day's life and is almost a form of self-expression without having to speak!
How do you like expressing yourself?
We love to hear from you.
Verena
Elves in the Wardrobe