Day 18

What are you wearing today? Do you remember where or when you bought your go-to top, favorite pants or other wardrobe staples? Have you ever thought about who made your clothes, under what conditions, and how? 

We live in a world of fast fashion, where companies churn out high volumes of cheap clothing at the expense of the planet and workers. To keep up with high demand, companies too often cut corners and slash prices while reducing material quality, working conditions, and livable wages. All of this contributes to the true cost of clothing.

So what is that cost? Well, fashion supply chains are the world’s third largest polluter. Let’s take a more in depth look at how your clothes got to you. The first step is sourcing and producing the materials, which are either natural, synthetic, or a blend of both. For natural fibers like conventional cotton, we rely on agriculture, which can inefficiently waste water and release pesticides or other toxins. On the other hand, synthetic materials like polyester are often derived from plastics and petroleum, which means centuries to fully degrade. Textile production is responsible for 35% of microplastics in the oceans. And the dying of textiles responsible for over 20% of global water pollution.

The most sustainable options are organic cotton, recycled cotton, organic hemp, organic linen, Tencel and recycled wool. And be sure to look for companies that use responsible dying processes as well. 

Beyond environmental harm, fast fashion exacerbates major social justice issues. Businesses mandate rapid production of cheap clothing items, but do not offer workers fair pay or ethical working conditions. By outsourcing production to areas with limited labor laws, businesses exploit workers for higher production at lower costs, including long daily hours with minimal pay, child labor, and unsafe working conditions. 

But we can all make informed decisions about fashion choices. When considering a new clothing item, refer to the Buyerarchy of Needs: use what you have, borrow, swap, thrift, make, then buy — in that order. When you choose to use what you already have or what already exists, you extend the life of clothing and limit further negative impacts of the fashion industry. 

Second-hand shopping is a great way to find quality, unique pieces at low cost! Consignment, vintage, and thrift shops often have merchandise coming in from various sources and people every day. While sold at discounted prices, the rise in popularity of buying second-hand has led to increasing costs, making it less accessible for many families and individuals who rely on those affordable offerings. Additionally, plus-size people often struggle with buying second-hand, especially in the wake of “oversized” clothing trends that leave slim pickings for those who need larger sized clothing. The next time you go to buy something, think about why. Only buy what you need, even if you’re buying second-hand.

If you do need to buy something new, many brands actively work toward positive outcomes through deep commitment and innovation. Patagonia sums up its commitment well, to “building the best product, causing no unnecessary harm, and using business to inspire and implement solutions to the environmental crisis,” and just turned over the entire multibillion-dollar company to use its profits to fight climate change. Eileen Fisher, Outerknown, Amour Vert, Nudie Jeans, Jungmaven, and others prioritize human rights, worker rights, and ethical supply chains as guiding principles, while offering high-quality clothing made from all-natural organic fibers, and breaking away from the environmentally and socially destructive fast fashion industry!

Websites like Good On You assess and rate ethical standards of clothing and accessory brands based on impact upon people, the environment and animals. Transparency matters, which is another reason to prioritize buying from responsible companies and ensuring brands publish lowest wages to maintain accountability. 

 Luckily, we aren’t on our own in the movement towards a sustainable fashion future! Fashion Takes Action is creating a conscious fashion future through education, awareness, research, and collaboration in order to transform the industry into one benefiting people and planet. Fibershed develops equity-focused regional and land regenerating natural fiber and dye systems that build soil and protect the health of our biosphere. ATTIRE is a sustainable fashion media hub providing the latest news, events, and resources you need to be a conscious fashion consumer.

Here at Turning Green, we advocate for sustainable fashion through our Fashion for the Planet campaign — and dress our students in stylish, climate-friendly clothing to draw attention to concerns about fast fashion and highlight the voices of our young leaders wearing their values on their sleeves, literally. Today’s partner, Acure, supports sustainable and healthy lifestyles, as you are getting ready for your day or night — with products made from high quality ingredients that are safer for both your body and the planet. 

We, the people, have the power to drive demand for ethical fashion. Shopping second-hand, upcycling, trading clothes, or investing in better brands makes a powerful statement of support for responsible, sustainable, fair trade consumption, purchasing and lifestyles for the immediate and long term benefit of people and the planet.

Each Greener Winner will receive:

• Beautiful bag from Libeco, a Belgian based, carbon neutral company (since 2014), founded in 1858, specializing in linen goods designed for daily living. Linen is one of the most durable and sustainable fibers in the world as every part of the flax plant is used, there is no waste, and it is grown locally. 
• Organic Cotton hair ties from Kooshoo, a purpose-led brand that sought to make a small change that would have a big impact. Kooshoo makes products that will last – but not in a landfill. They focus on ethical treatment, fair wages and sustainable practices. 
• A selection of products from our partner, Acure Organics. Acure sources the highest quality ingredients for your skin. No parabens, sulfates, formaldehyde, paraffin, mineral oil or animal testing allowed!

Each Greenest Winner will receive:

• A $100 gift card from one of the following brands. Winners will list their favorites in order to determine which brand they will receive based on first requests received.
  • Pact, a company whose products are Certified Organic by the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) and Fair Trade Certified. Plus, their packaging is made from post-consumer recycled materials and biodegradable plastic. They even have a clothing donation program where they deliver your gently used clothing to inspiring nonprofits. 
  • Vestiaire Collective, the world’s first B Corp fashion resale platform. It is dedicated to transforming the fashion industry for a more sustainable future by promoting the circular fashion movement as an alternative to overproduction and overconsumption and the wasteful practices of the fashion industry.
  • Outland Denim: designed to uplift people and planet. No smoke. No mirrors. No greenwashing. Only genuine impact woven directly into their denim. They support their staff using the four pillars of training, opportunity, living wages, and education. A sustainable career path is the key to lasting social change, both in the lives of their staff, their families and communities.  
  • Reprise Activewear, a NYC based, female founded company whose mission is to keep plastic off our bodies by producing plant-based activewear. Roughly 60% of materials used in the fashion industry contain plastic, releasing half a million tons of microplastics into the ocean every year. Their plant-based activewear is manufactured within the US, produced in small batches so they don’t over produce and are made to last.