Did you know Bollywood heartthrob Katrina Kaif sported environment-friendly outfits in her film ‘Jagga Jasoos’? Apparently, she is not the only one who advocates sustainable fashion. From Alia Bhatt and Rihanna to Shahid Kapoor and Brad Pitt, several celebrities from the glamour world are flag bearers of eco-friendly products.
Today, sustainability is a mass movement in the fashion industry. Its genesis began two decades ago when apparel brand H&M and designer Stella McCartney started campaigning actively about conscious fashion.
Social media has also played a critical role in sensitising people about the adverse effects of the fashion industry on the environment. Sustainability is still evolving in the fashion industry. But it has already established its roots. If you are someone who would love to make a difference to our planet through green fashion, here is all you need to know.
Sustainable Fashion: Not a Trend, but a Need That Matters
Doesn’t it feel amazing to flash the latest fashion trends and turn heads in your direction? Unfortunately, this fashion is harming our environment. These alarming statistics from The World Bank will show you how:
- The fashion industry is responsible for 10% of global carbon emissions, which will surge to 50% by 2030.
- The annual consumption of water by the fashion industry is equivalent to the need of five million people.
- 87% of total fibre input in the fashion industry is incinerated or disposed of in a landfill.
- Fabric dyeing and treatment are responsible for 20% of wastewater generation.
All these factors further lead to issues such as natural resource depletion, air, water, and land pollution, habit destruction, climate change, and food security. The mistreatment and killing of animals for fur, feathers, leather, wool and other materials are other horrific consequences of fashion.
So, dear fashion divas, if you think the growing popularity of eco-friendly products is just vogue, you need to rethink. It is a conscious fashion choice to protect people and the planet. It is a revolution in progress. So, sustainability in fashion has never been more vital than now.
Sustainable Clothing Brands: The Green Crusaders
Several brands are encouraging sustainable living through fashion. Here are a few ways how some brands are making sustainability their mission.
- Making clothes from eco-friendly materials such as organic cotton, bamboo linen, hemp, vegetable-tanned leather, recycled cotton, coconut fibres, apple leather, etc.
- Procuring materials and equipment from local suppliers as much as possible to reduce fossil fuel consumption.
- Advocating circular fashion through designing clothes that have a longer shelf life or their materials can be recycled or repurposed.
- Using biodegradable packaging materials such as corrugated bubble wraps, recycled cardboard, packing peanuts, bio-plastics, etc.
Sustainable Fashion Brands for Your Shopping Cart
Next time you go shopping, you might want to check out these top organic fashion brands from India:
Maati by Neha Kabra
A PETA-verified fashion label, it makes its garments from natural, ethically produced and upcycled fabrics. Its sustainable collection comprises tops, bottoms, dresses and accessories for women.
No Nasties
When you log on to this brand’s website, you can filter your options by zero waste, circular, fair trade, and upcycled.
The Summer House
This brand manufactures women’s outfits from high-quality and responsibly-made fabrics.
Sui
This brand puts nature first by crafting its women’s apparel from hand-spun and hand-woven organic cotton, hemp, organic cotton, and recycled fabric.
Ed-A-Mamma
Founded by Bollywood actress Alia Bhatt, this children’s wear brand uses natural and biodegradable fibres and safe dyes. The buttons are plastic-free, and fabric scraps are repurposed to make hair bands and potli bags!
B Label
B Label is a forward-looking fashion brand that makes vegan cruelty-free clothes from organically cultivated hemp.
Earthy Route
This brand promotes sustainability by manufacturing clothes from linen and lyocell fabrics. It also follows a zero-plastic packaging policy and upcycles factory waste to make lifestyle accessories.
Nicobar
The core clothing line of Nicobar is made from organic cotton, bamboo fabric, cupro, modal, and other nature-friendly materials. It also uses corrugated sheets, egg trays, crumpled paper, and shredded paper for packaging.
Want more recommendations? Well, here are a few more fashion-conscious brands:
- I was a Sari
- 11.11 / eleven eleven
- Doodlage
- Grassroot by Anita Dongre
- The Terra Tribe
Cool Hacks to Make Sustainable Fashion Your Lifestyle
Do you think that a green fashion lifestyle is a challenge? Here are some easy-to-do wardrobe changes for an eco-friendly life:
- Buy less but better because high-quality clothes last longer.
- Buy clothes from eco-conscious fashion brands.
- Do not hesitate to buy pre-loved (second-hand) apparel. Vintage is classy!
- Show some TLC to your clothes to extend their lifespan.
- Rent, repair, repurpose, donate, or mix and match clothes.
- Wash clothes with cold water to prevent the release of microfibers or plastic in water bodies.
- Check labels on fashion brands to ensure they are not fooling you with false sustainability claims.
Our Environment Appreciates Sustainable Fashion Too
When you switch your fashion choices to eco-friendly products, you play a vital role in saving our planet. Let’s tell you how.
- Organic and natural materials reduce greenhouse emissions and the carbon footprint of clothes.
- These materials need less water to make clothes. So, you can help conserve water and natural resources.
- These materials take less time to decompose than synthetic alternatives, which safeguards biodiversity and reduces toxic waste.
- Cruelty-free clothes are another aspect of sustainability in fashion. It means that animals are protected against assault and slaughter.
- Sustainability teaches us to repurpose, recycle, or upcycle our clothes so they don’t unnecessarily end up in landfills or oceans.
The Changemaker: Be a Responsible and Sustainable Fashion Consumer
While you are doing your bit to embrace environment-friendly fashion choices, you should also practice responsible consumerism.
It means you should also educate friends, family, and others to raise awareness about environment-friendly clothing. You can promote conscious fashion labels on your social media accounts.
Conclusion
The fashion industry is at a juncture where sustainability has become paramount for a greener future. As fashion consumers, you must make conscious efforts and commitments to make sustainable choices.
We at Beco are on a mission to make environment-friendly products accessible to people. We offer a wide range of sustainable and chemical-free home care products made from bamboo and other natural elements. Shop now for these eco-friendly bamboo products from our website.