Conscious consumer behavior means knowing what brands are practicing sustainability.
The rise of fast fashion gave birth to a plethora of micro-trends that made waves in the industry. From graphic T-shirts with obscure prints to faux designer goods, fast fashion brands continues to rise and show no indication of stopping soon. With seemingly affordable prices, accessible deliveries, and a multitude of sales, fast fashion brands encourage their consumers to overconsume clothes at a rapid rate.
In a carousel post made by @Environment on Instagram, the account exposed the reality of fast fashion. Overconsumption leads to overproduction, and overproduction of clothes based on micro-trends leads to the creation of unused clothes discarded in landfills. Unused clothes that end up in landfills create mountains and mountains of waste in the Chilean desert.
Due to the multitude of fashion garbage in the desert, the mountains of unused clothes from fast fashion brands are branded as The Great Fashion Garbage Patch. Spanning over an estimated 741 acres of clothes from fast fashion companies, the Atacama Desert becomes a landfill. Aside from the quantity of discarded waste, the harmful chemicals from the fabric treatment and coloring of some of the clothes also affect the environment.
What is sustainable fashion?
Consumers can help stop the continuous overproduction of clothes by shifting to a more conscious and sustainable way of shopping. Kate Fletcher, a designer and design activist, defines sustainable fashion as “fashion that fosters ecological integrity and social justice.” Sustainable fashion is the direct opposite of fast fashion from materials to labor ethics— sustainable fashion emphasizes consciousness and purposeful creation.
These are the brands that purposefully practice sustainable fashion.
Stella McCartney
The eponymous brand puts a fun twist on sustainable fashion. Stella McCartney creates clothing that isn’t the run-of-the-mill sustainable fashion, the brand experiments with colors and different techniques to produce fun yet sustainable pieces.
Veja
A shoe brand that focuses on conscious consumerism, Veja establishes itself as a sustainable fashion brand with its classic shoe designs. The brand also helps incarcerated individuals get back on their feet.
Chloé
Founded in 1952, the brand exudes femininity with clean and free-spirited designs. It is considered sustainable because of its use of low-impact materials on every product they release.
Mother of Pearl
A contemporary brand designed with consciousness and sustainability in mind, Mother of Pearl pushed sustainability from within. The brand changed the entire supply chain, by integrating natural fibers, open-source production, and vendors who act responsibly.
Banner photo by Ksenia Chernaya via Pexels.
