SUSTAINABLE FASHION

Sustainable fashion is also known as eco fashion and this is part of a growing design movement. The goal is to of which is to create a system which can be supported indefinitely in terms of environmentalism and social responsibility.  Sustainable fashion is where a product is created and produced with consideration to the environmental and social impact it may have throughout its total life span, including its "carbon footprint". Fashion designers are now re-introducing eco-conscious methods at the source through the use of environmentally friendly materials and socially responsible methods of production.

 

The National Association of Sustainable Fashion Designers is one organizations working towards increasing opportunities for sustainable designers. Its purpose is to give assistance to entrepreneurs with growing fashion related businesses that create social change and respect the environment. The organization’s mission is to create change through design and fashion by providing education, training and programs that are transformative to the industry and to cultivate collaboration, sustainability and economic growth.

 Sustainable Materials

·         There are many factors when considering the sustainability of a material:

·         The renew-ability and source of a fiber

·         the process of how a raw fiber is turned into a textile,

·         working conditions of the people producing the materials,

·         The material's total carbon footprint.

FIBRES TO TAKE INTO CONSDIERATION

Natural Fiber’s are found in nature and are not petroleum-based. Natural fibers can be categorized into two main groups, cellulose or plant fiber and protein or animal fiber.

Cotton is one of the most widely grown and chemical-intensive crops in the world. Cotton uses approximately 25% of the world’s insecticides (to prevent bugs) and more than 10% of the world’s pesticides (to kill bugs).

 Other cellulose fibers include: Jute, Flax, Hemp, Ramie, Abaca, Bamboo (used for viscose), Soy, Corn, Banana, Pineapple and Beechwood (used for rayon).

Protein: Wool, Silk, Angora, Camel, Alpaca, Llama, Vicuna, Cashmere and Mohair:

Manufactured from natural materials: Lyocell, Polylactic acid or PLA (Corn Polymer)

RENEWABLE FIBRE SOURCE

Recycled or reclaimed fibres are made from scraps of fabrics collected from clothing factories. These fibres are then processed back into short fibres for spinning into a new yarn. There are only a few facilities globally that are able to process reclaim fibres.

Fair trade

Fair trade aims to help producers in developing countries to make better trading conditions and promote sustainability. Fair Trade campaigns for the payment of a higher price to exporters as well as higher social and environmental standards. The movement pays particular attention on exporting handicrafts, coffee, cocoa, sugar, tea, bananas, honey, cotton, wine, fresh fruit, chocolate, flowers and gold from developing countries to developed countries,

MATERIALS

Cotton has a large carbon footprint for its farming and construction. Though organic cotton is considered a more sustainable choice as it is completely free of destructive toxic pesticides and chemical fertilizers. Hemp is one of the best choice for eco fabrics due to its ease of growth, though it illegal to grow in some countries. Though Hemp is derived from the marijuana plant, hemp does not contain the same levels of HTC. This means people are unable to become ‘high’ from smoking hemp. Designers have started experimenting with bamboo fibre, as bamboo absorbs greenhouse gases during its life cycle and grows quickly and plentifully without pesticides. Even bamboo fabric can cause environmental harm in production due to the chemicals used to create a soft viscose from hard bamboo. The use of vintage fabrics and garments are the most sustainable choice, as the raw material requires no agriculture and no manufacturing to produce. A technology known as AirDye which uses synthetic fibers and eliminates all the water from the dyeing and printing process. Though chemicals are still used in making synthetic materials, this method significantly reduces water consumption and pollution, while cotton (organic or not) uses a tremendous amount of water during the growth and dyeing phases.