Sustainable Fashion: Main Principles
There is a mood in the fashion industry that calls for change. Consumers are demanding more sustainable fashion and associated production methods. Brands are therefore increasingly relying on transparent processes, efficient supply chains, fair working conditions, recyclable materials, and much more.
This new development is changing the fashion industry significantly and setting sustainable trends that enable new, responsible ways. This primarily creates small businesses and start-ups that bring new life to the fashion industry, particularly through their agility and flexibility. But even established large companies don’t have their hands tied. You can serve as a leader and create a big impact.
Circular Fashion
Circular fashion is becoming increasingly popular in the fashion industry. This principle of sustainable fashion trends attempts to create a closed-loop system to reduce waste and promote sustainability. When a product reaches the end of its useful life, it should be recycled, reused, or otherwise reused. The old linear paradigm of fashion production, where goods are created, consumed, and thrown away, is being replaced by circular fashion.
Circular fashion will become increasingly popular in 2023 as customers become more aware of its benefits. Companies will begin to adopt circular business models that emphasize reusing and recycling products. As a result, waste and greenhouse gas emissions will decrease. The expansion of recycling infrastructure and the creation of jobs are two new economic perspectives that circular fashion will bring with it.
Sharing and Borrowing
As is already known from car sharing, there is also a desire among consumers to switch to new ownership models. Among other things, this allows for more variety, is more affordable, and promotes sustainable fashion. Experts believe that the resale market will be larger than that of fast fashion within the next decade.
For the fashion industry, this means that the number of well-known brands entering the rental, resale, or recycling business will most likely increase. In addition, this new development may lead to an increase in the number of brands that only offer rental and subscription models. This is especially true for luxury items and accessories that find their way into multiple wardrobes. The fashion industry is now faced with the task of fully understanding consumers and correctly interpreting the emerging signals about the changing desire for ownership.
Eco-responsible Materials: respectful of the environment
Eco-responsible materials are respectful of the environment and contribute to the sustainability of fashion. These materials are produced with a reduced environmental impact, for example by limiting water consumption or using natural dyes. Some of the most popular eco-friendly materials include organic cotton, linen, and lyocell.
More transparency
Incited by a series of major data breaches and consumer deceptions, many consumers are now more vigilant and, above all, less trusting. They demand greater transparency and want to know what happens behind the scenes of the company. Companies are now increasingly being asked to rigorously review their business practices and identify potential areas if they do not want to continue to undermine their customers’ trust.
This could be done using new technologies such as blockchain, where every node in the network can view the entire transaction history. This increases the transparency of the supply chain for all service providers involved and the end customer. This process is already used in the financial sector for so-called cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin to rule out the possibility of manipulation or fraud. For the fashion industry, however, greater transparency also means admitting one’s own mistakes in the event of a crisis, reacting quickly, and taking responsibility for them. This is what the luxury brand Burberry did, for example, with its sustainable realignment.
Organic Cotton: a Sustainable alternative
Organic cotton is produced without the use of pesticides, herbicides or chemical fertilizers, which significantly reduces its environmental impact. This cultivation method preserves soil fertility and promotes biodiversity. Organic cotton is thus a sustainable alternative to conventional cotton, the production of which is responsible for many environmental problems.
Conclusion
Slow fashion is a movement that encourages responsible consumption and sustainability. Thus, sustainable fashion trends are part of a global movement aimed at rethinking our way of consuming and producing. By choosing responsible and sustainable clothing, we help protect our planet and improve the living conditions of people involved in the textile industry.
