changeadminWhat is the closest thing to you?
Your loved one? Your partner? Your parents, siblings, friends?
Your phone?
Your favourite toy?
Probably think again!!
The closest thing for a human being is their clothes. Clothes remain attached to our bodies for hours and hours.
Therefore is it important for us that we are conscious of what we wear.
History of Clothing
Since the beginning of the human race, clothing has evolved in leaps and bounds.
Ancient humans started wearing leaves and plants or ripping off the animal’s skin to hide their privates. The sole purpose of these clothes was to conceal our modesty and provide protection from the vagaries of weather.
With the introduction of silk and cotton, clothing became a fashion statement that signified a person’s status and social hierarchy.
Later, extracts from plants and flowers were used as dyes for adding colours to the clothes which gave more vitality and character to clothing. Then with the invention of needles and stitching, intricate designs were embroidered in the clothes – giving a new meaning to fashion.
People started categorizing attires for different occasions, like time of the day, work, religious occasions, sports, etc.
The history of clothes and fashion has seen continuous innovation and evolution.
Problems with Clothing Industry
In recent times, the production process of making clothes has changed drastically, leading to many problems.
Fast Fashion
The present-day clothing industry focuses on quickly producing inexpensive clothing items that reflect the latest trends. The clothes are mass-produced so that they are made available to consumers as quickly as possible, in response to the latest styles, Instagram reels, runway shows or social media trends.
While fast fashion has made owning garments more accessible and affordable, it has a major impact on the environment, exploitation of workers, and throwaway culture, where clothes are used for a short period before being discarded.
Resource Depletion
The production of clothing requires vast amounts of water, energy, and raw materials.
For example, cotton production alone uses up a significant amount of fresh water. In additon, the transport, logistics and prodution of clothes consumes massive amounts of energy, mostly sourced from fossil fuels, thereby contributing to pollution.
Plastic in Clothing
With the advent of industrialisation and the discovery of plastic, clothes started mixing plastic particulates to produce cheap quality synthetic fabrics like nylon and polyester.
Sadly, every time these clothes are washed, fragments of microplastic get transmitted into drains. Eventually, the drain water is released into the water bodies, which contaminates the ecosystem.
Waste and Landfills
Synthetic clothes do not decompose in landfills, they sit for decades, contributing to the growing issue of textile waste.
Even if the clothes are made with biodegreadable fabrics, due to fast fashion, the quantum of waste is also extremely high.
Water Pollution
Apart from the leaking microplastics into the water bodies, dyeing processes in garment factories are a major source of water pollution.
Toxic chemicals used in dyeing and finishing treatments often find their way into rivers and water supplies, harming ecosystems and communities.
Animal Cruelty
The production of leather, wool, and other garments made using materials derived from animals raises concerns about animal welfare.
Fast fashion brands that use these materials sometimes source them from farms that have poor standards for animal care.
Fortunately, as more people have now started to realize the importance of environmental protection, there is a significant shift towards eco-friendly or sustainable clothing/fashion.
Why should you opt for Sustainable Clothing
Sustainable clothing is all about producing clothes by adopting socio-economically and environmentally sustainable methods and techniques.
The main emphasis is to use ecological materials and employ environment-friendly processes for manufacturing clothes.
For example, ordinary and naturally grown cotton is replaced by organic cotton. Organic cotton cultivation eliminates the use of pesticides and insecticides and doesn’t bring any threat to the well-being and lives of farmers.
Moreover, the cultivation processes involved in producing organic materials do not disturb the ecololgy.
Switching to sustainable clothing offers considerable benefits.
Reduction in the release of pesticides
The majority of raw materials used to make clothing products require a considerable amount of pesticides for farming and production.
However, the usage of large quantities of pesticides can be reduced drastically by opting for eco-friendly fabrics.
Decrease of toxic wastes
The amount of chemicals and colours used for manufacturing clothing products poses a severe threat to the environment.
Sustainable clothes use natural and plant-based elements like turmeric and indigo to die and color, thereby eliminiating the toxic waste and chemicals.
Support Animal Rights and Safety
All the clothes made of fur or leather require several animal fatalities. Even though these clothes are essential during extreme climatic conditions like cold, the guilt of people wearing them is unimaginable.
Hence, by switching towards sustainable clothing like plant-based leather, you not only get to wear the same clothes without compromising your comfort but also eliminate the guilt of executing another living being.
Adopt a More Creative Dressing Sense
Adapting to sustainable clothes, you can also learn to customize clothes and design your style. Eventually, you earn a brownie point for embracing creativity, along with contributing towards saving Mother Earth.
Curb Overexploitation of Planet’s Resources
Clothing materials demand a lot of resources from nature. Resultantly, the materials required for cloth manufacturing are being overexploited to meet the high demand in the clothing market. Hence, this has led to the adaptation of various farming practices harmful to the soil, water and ecosystem.
On the contrary, you can flatten the demand curve by using clothes obtained from renewable resources like hemp, bamboo, jute and plant waste.
No Side Effects or Health Hazards
You will find people wearing certain kinds of clothes suffering from skin and other allergies. This can happens due to the reaction between the material of the cloth and chemical dyes, which doesn’t suit a person’s skin.
By wearing sustainable clothes, you potentially eliminate such threats towards your health, as these clothes are derived from organic materials.
Uniqueness and enhancement of quality
In today’s market, buying sustainable clothes from stores would mean that your clothes are unique and high-quality. The manufacturing of mainstream clothing is done in huge numbers, and it’s not difficult to spot the same clothes worn by many individuals.
Eventually, shifting to sustainable clothes will develop an ideal personality for you.
Wrapping Up
The fashion industry is known as one of the biggest contributors to polluting the Earth’s environment.
With global awareness regarding deteriorating environmental change, many big clothing brands are starting to produce sustainable clothing. These companies have started adopting production, marketing, and distribution strategies to manufacture sustainable clothing.
Moreover, these strategies also include observing the current patterns of use and consumption to determine people’s behaviour and attitude towards a specific style of clothing.
Therefore, transitioning to a sustainable fashion and opting for sustainable clothing you can contribute to the environment without compromising your style.
To Learn more about Sustainable Fashion, you can read these articles –
Tips For Making Your Wardrobe More Sustainable. Read here.
What is Sustainable Fabrics in Sustainable Fashion? Read here.
Make a Sustainable Fashion Statement: Opt for Rental Fashion. Read here.
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