What do you know about sustainable fashion? I have been clueless for a long time until 2 years ago while living in Bali I found out about it.
Basically ;Sustainable fashion is a part of the growing design philosophy and movement towards environmental and social sustainability, the goal of which is to create a system which can be supported indefinitely in terms of human impact on the environment and social responsibility.
The tag on your clothes has a label where you can look for what is best for sustainability. These are the things to look for;
- Anything Recycled or Once Loved. Recycling is one of the most sustainable ways to live, whether it's reusing bags, throwing your paper, plastic and metal into a recycling bin or wearing recycled goods. ...
- Hemp. ...
- Soy Silk/Cashmere. ...
- Organic Cotton. ...
- Linen.
- Viscose
- Wool
There is more out there please do more research.
Polyester however is the worst:What we know now is that every wash releases plastic microfibers into waterways and these persist indefinitely, contaminating lakes and oceans and getting ingested by animals and, indirectly, by humans. NYT writes:
“Even if these microplastics are trapped at filtration plants, they can end up in sludge produced by the facilities, which is often sent to farms to be used as fertilizer. From there, the fibers can make their way into other water systems, or into the digestive tracts of animals that graze on the fertilized plants.”
Verifiable and regulated terms:
- Fair trade certified - Apparel and accessories that have the Fair Trade stamp are made without exploitation of labour and companies who seek the certification must prove that their workers are paid and treated fairly.
- Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) - Products that are GOTS certified are made from organic fibres that have been grown without the use of GMO seeds and are also made on facilities that use water efficiently and treat waste responsibly.
- OEKO-TEX Standard 100 - This testing and certification system is similar to the GOTS and ensures that the product is made with adherence to health standards without the use of harmful substances and chemicals.
- European Eco-Label for Textile Products - This is a standard that guarantees not just that a product was made with environmentally responsible methods, it is also shrink-resistant and colour-fast.
This picture below shows the clothes tag I mentioned above.
Thank you for reading, l encourage you to try where you can start small but any change helps. As a mother I make sure my daughters and our clothes are eco friendly. There is more I can share on the sustainability topic but we will leave that for another blog.
Yours Immigrant Mama
