How consumers can drive eco-friendly fashion choices – ET BrandEquity

Over the years the fashion industry has evolved massively to be easily accessible, especially with the advent of fast fashion in the country. One must be living under a massive rock to not already realize that a) climate change is real b) the fashion industry is the topmost polluting industries globally and a large part of this is driven by how we consume it. As per Earth.org, Fast fashion brands are producing twice the amount of clothes today than in the 2000s. However, much of this shift can be attributed to the changing dynamics of fashion consumption. Have we ever paused to contemplate how we transitioned from investing in timeless, classic pieces to amassing more and more, only to leave them forgotten? The reality is quite stark: according to the UNEP, people are now buying 60% more clothes and wearing them for only half as long.

Fast Fashion and the social media

Blink, and a new fashion trend has entered the scene, blink and it becomes obsolete. The role of social media in this hoarding culture is massive. There is a section of people who flaunt getting a ‘dopamine hit’ with every new parcel that’s coming to their doorstep. The pattern is most visible in the buying behaviour of the current generations where we’re so pressed to look trendy, following latest fashion and hence, an addiction to fast fashion is not the end of the world for them. As per thredUP, ‘One in three of Gen Z feel addicted to fast fashion and one in five feel pressured to keep up with the latest trends and buy, buy, buy.’ And are they even to be blamed? They’re the most vulnerable to the bombarding digital marketing around “fashion trends” and the furthering of fast fashion in their faces.

What’s the roadblock?

Long story short: the root cause lies in a lack of awareness. The extensive content and focus on fast fashion have relegated eco-friendly options to a niche market. It is imperative that we:
1. Discuss in mainstream channels: There needs to be more discussion around sustainable fashion alternatives and the environmental consequences of accumulating clothing items. With COP27 and India’s pledge to achieve net-zero emissions by 2070, we have already initiated efforts. The present moment calls for a shift in the dialogue toward fashion consumption as well.
2. Accept That There’s Limited Availability & the Cost is High: It’s true that there are limited options for sustainable fashion and not at a competitive rate. The shift must be towards people going back to classics and choosing quality over quantity. It will be slow but we must start
3. Learn the Societal pressure: There is an increasing amount of pressure on putting your most fashionable foot-forward with absolutely no information on how the product was made or the harm it’ll cause once its dumped.
Another very important phenomenon is ‘greenwashing’ by the brands. This simply means that the brands further their products labelling them to be ‘organic’ or ‘eco-friendly’ without authentic certifications, therefore, misleading the consumers. This deception can manifest in several forms, with only a limited number of items being genuinely sustainable, if any at all. Alternatively, brands may emphasize sustainability programs without substantial action, failing to comprehend the effect this has on consumers.What can we do as consumers?
Buying less, choosing well summarizes it all but let’s dive into how we can drive consumers into making healthier options.
1. Upcycle, Recycle: About time we stop procrastinating and learn the ills of using & buying clothes irresponsibly. Before discarding any cloth item, we must either donate them, upcycle them or recycle them. Basically, avoid dumping them into the landfills and aggravate the environmental pollution.
2. Thrift it: It’s heartwarming to see many thrift stores that have come up and are dedicating efforts towards upcycling clothes, restoring their quality, and reselling them. This is a win-win situation on reducing waste.
3. Research, Question: How to protect yourself from greenwashing? Look for third party authentication and seek correct information. Pay extra caution on the materials being used and abreast yourself with healthy material options.
4. Pricing: If it’s too good to be true, when it comes to sustainable options, it’s mostly untrue. Some compromise has been made and the aim is to avoid that.
5. Community: Join a community to learn more, start an initiative at a personal level and then scale it. Talk to more around you and promote sustainable practices as much as possible. Find the best way we can create more impact.

From Fast to Sustainable

The responsibility doesn’t alone lie with consumers, it’s as much on the brands as on the buyers. However, the readiness to accept this shift must begin with a general awareness for all the stakeholders involved. Brands could offer repair services and help consumers revive the current pieces. Brands could incentivize recycling and upcycling their garments – as a conscious effort too. There could be an effort towards making prices competitive or creating brand evangelists. There are umpteenth things we can do to safeguard the planet, but the moral of this story is that we need to know climate action is no more an option, but a necessity and the change must start by seeking it, now more than ever.

At a factory in Zhejiang province on China’s eastern coast, two mounds of discarded cotton clothing and bed linens, loosely separated into dark and light colors, pile up on a workroom floor. Jacket sleeves, collars and brand labels protrude from the stacks as workers feed the garments into shredding machines.

Fast fashion retailer Shein said it would invest 250 million euros (USD 271 million) over five years in the UK and Europe as the company battles criticism of its model based around flying cheap clothes and accessories from factories in China direct to shoppers worldwide. Shein, which is preparing for a possible London listing, already sources some clothes from factories in Turkey, although the vast majority of its products are made by around 5,400 suppliers mainly in Guangzhou, China.

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