Gateway to Sustainability in Japan
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Sustainable fashion: What we wear matters

Fashion is not just a matter of individuals’ style nor brand profits. It needs to be sustainable in order to protect the environment and industry workers’ rights. Here, Zenbird answers questions about sustainable fashion and offers advice for choosing ethical attire.

Commonly Asked Questions

What is vegan leather made of?

The quest for a cruelty-free alternative to animal leather has been a hot topic in the fashion industry. Some examples include H&M’s pineapple leather and Stella McCartney’s vegetarian leather. A new addition to the cruelty-free alternatives is SAMARA‘s apple leather products. The company uses waste apple skins from the juicing industry and makes over a dozen products, including tote bags, laptop sleeves and shoulder bags. This ecologically-minded brand is working towards going completely plastic-free. However, they currently still have to rely on a hint of polyurethane (PU) as a binding agent.

(Image: samarabags.com)

SAMARA is also committed to a safe living environment for children in East Africa, who usually have to depend on carcinogenic kerosene lamps to do their homework. A portion of SAMARA’s revenue goes toward providing solar-powered backpacks to children so that they can avoid using the cancer-causing lamps.

(Image: samarabags.com)
[Related article] What are the current sustainable fashion trends?|Zenbird
[Website] SAMARA online store

What is an example of an upcycled accessory brand?

Cravatta by Renacnatta is a tie brand that upcycles kimonos. The kimono is a traditional Japanese dress that was once a staple of Japanese fashion. Now, it is mostly worn on special occasions, such as weddings, festivals and funerals. The brand is committed to giving old kimonos a second chance, transforming them into one-of-a-kind seven-fold ties. Seven-fold, also known as sette pieghe, is the name of the hand-sewing style that requires a meticulous manufacturing process. The fabric is folded seven times to achieve volume. You can only make one tie from one kimono as this style requires two times more fabric than a regular tie. The brand says the intricate patterns and elegant drape can elevate a suit wearer’s style.

Cravatta by Renacnatta is a sister brand to Renacnatta , which is known for its one-size-fits-all wrap skirts made with deadstock kimono and Italian silk.

[Website] Cravatta by Renacnatta online store
[Website] Renacnatta online store

How can we make sustainable smartphone cases?

Phone cases are essential accessories not just for expressing your individuality but also to keep your gadget protected from unwanted scratches or cracks. However, a little-known fact is that 1.5 billion non-biodegradable plastic phone cases are thrown away each year.

Pela, based in Canada, is the world’s first 100% compostable phone case company. Their phone cases are made with an innovative plant-based material called Flaxstic®. This material features bioplastic elastomer and a by-product of the flax oilseed harvest, usually burned down at the end of each season. Additionally, the Pela Case also helps to reduce landfill waste. When you’re done with it, you just have to throw it into the compost. Or, you can send your old Pela Case back to the company so that they can reuse the material. Due to Pela’s focus on low-impact manufacturing and environmentally sensible materials, purchasing their case can reduce carbon emissions by 25%, water consumption by 35% and waste production by 67%, compared to its conventional plastic-based counterparts.

What is recycled clothing?

Recycled clothing is made from regenerated materials that are produced by sorting and breaking down of waste materials. Sustainable fashion brands are making conscious efforts into fabric innovation to enhance their circular approaches to manufacturing and reduce landfill waste.

Cotton, the most popular fabric, can be recycled and reused into textile products, for example. According to Patagonia, recycled cotton can cut down on 70% of the CO2 emissions that conventional cotton produces. Pre-consumer cotton scraps are blended with other fibers for strength and durability, then they are regenerated into sweatshirts and T-shirts. As of Fall 2020, 25% of the outdoor fashion brand’s cotton fabrics are now made with recycled cotton.

Did you know that synthetic activewear is mostly made from plastic? Athleisure brand Girlfriend Collective, for instance, transforms plastic waste into sports bras and leggings using recycled polyester made from plastic bottles. The brand also uses an eco-friendly substitute to nylon called ECONYL, which is made from synthetic waste such as fishing nets that would otherwise be discarded into oceans and landfills.

Will sustainable fashion brands do better after COVID-19?

For the fashion industry, rebuilding a more sustainable business framework will be the key to success after emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The global recession caused a sharp drop in both consumer demand and production. As a result, manufacturers in south and south-east Asian countries have been facing sudden cancellations of orders. This situation, therefore, left many workers jobless or furloughed without pay. To cope with unforeseen risks, brands must now shift towards more sustainable business models and supply chain management.

Simultaneously, surveys show a strong demand from consumers towards more sustainable company policies and products. McKinsey & Company’s 2020 survey conducted across Europe suggests that 67% of the respondents favored fashion items made with sustainable materials. Moreover, 63% considered a brand’s promotion of sustainability favorably. Even in the U.S., researchers also predict that Generation Z consumers will be one of the main drivers for sustainable products as their buying power grows.

What are the current sustainable fashion trends?

Leather has been a staple in fashion for a long time. However, its negative impact on tannery workers’ health, animal welfare and the environment has received very little attention. Conscious designers like Stella McCartney have been flying the flag for vegan fashion. Her eponymous brand has been offering shoes and bags made with alter-nappa vegetarian leather since 2013 while exploring the possibility of lab-grown leather.

Other sustainable brands are also making investments in innovative cruelty-free alternatives to animal-skin leather. For example, Piñatex is a natural textile made from waste pineapple leaves and was invented to make use of agricultural waste while respecting animal welfare. Thanks to its strength, durability and water resistance, this natural textile has been gaining popularity. In fact, apparel brands like H&M, Laura Strambi and Hugo Boss are already using Piñatex.

(Image: ananas-anam.com)

How can we contribute to sustainable fashion?

Firstly, be curious about the story behind the garment. Was your garment made in a factory that requires safe working conditions? Is your garment made with low-impact materials? Was it made in an energy-efficient way? If you can’t get enough information from the brand’s website, tell them you care about these issues and would like to find the answers to these questions. Websites like “good on you” also help you make a better choice by rating brands’ commitment to the environment, fair labor and animal welfare.

Secondly, you should focus on the idea of ‘wear more, waste less.’ You can extend a garment’s lifecycle if you invest in better quality or buy second-hand items. Wash your garments less, and read the care labels on clothing carefully before washing. Lastly, think twice before you throw away your clothing. Learn basic mending, and donate your clothing to your family, friends or a charity if possible.

Becoming a wise and active consumer helps you nurture sustainable behavior and ensures a kinder future for the planet.

Are cotton T-shirts a sustainable product?

Although this plant-based fiber’s biodegradable nature is a big plus when compared with synthetic fabrics, cotton has a few environmental and social problems. For example, cotton production is water-intensive, and it requires more than 2,700 liters of water to produce a T-shirt. Moreover, cotton farming often involves intense pesticide use, which can negatively impact water sources and soil fertility. Chronic exposure to pesticides can also cause serious health problems for farmers, such as cancer and leukemia.

Environmentally speaking, organic cotton is the better alternative to conventional cotton, as it is free of harmful pesticides and requires 62% less energy. However, organic cotton tends to require more water and land because of its lower yield. No matter how innovative the fabric is, there are always pros and cons. While investing in low-impact materials, you can also focus on wearing more and wasting less so that you can improve the lifecycle of your wardrobe.

[Related article] 4 hidden treasures of organic cotton fashion brands in Japan

Why can’t sustainable fashion brands be more affordable?

Sourcing low impact materials, processing them with eco-friendly techniques and paying workers fairly are all indispensable in making sustainable clothing that is kind to both the planet and people. However, these choices come at a higher cost than the methods of their fast-fashion counterparts. It is a brand’s commitment to quality and ethical production that adds to the price of sustainable fashion.

As consumers are becoming more inclined towards products marketed as sustainable, investing in them now might help brands to make their products more affordable in the long term. From an economies-of-scale perspective, if brands can produce sustainable alternatives in larger quantities, they can keep their prices low.

In fact, this kind of price shift is already happening in the organic food industry. In 2018, consumers paid about 7.5% more for organic foods than conventional food, while in 2014, they paid about 9% more. Due to the increasing popularity of organic food, many more mainstream stores now offer them too. Until the day that sustainable fashion becomes mainstream, we consumers have to do our part by supporting them.

What is meant by ethically made clothes?

Ethical fashion takes social good into account, prioritizing workers’ rights, preventing animal cruelty and caring about the environment.

For example, UK-based People Tree has been committed to the principles of fair trade since 1991. The brand challenges the conventional injustices of trade, which disadvantage raw material farmers and garment workers in terms of wages, working conditions and local sustainability. Farmers benefit from the organic cotton trade, which reduces the use of harmful pesticides and contributes to nutrient-rich soil. Garment workers benefit from planned in-advance orders. They subsequently provide workers enough time to complete the orders within a healthy schedule.

People Tree also cares about animal welfare and avoids using fur, leather and exotic animal skins in their garments. Therefore, the brand only sources wool from sheep that haven’t been through mulesing, which involves the controversial practice of cutting skin from the sheep’s buttock area without anesthesia.

By weaving morally-conscious principles into their garments, ethical brands maximize the benefits to the industry and society as a whole.

Which is better, sustainable fashion or fast fashion?

Fast fashion offers quick and easy access to trendy, inexpensive pieces but its benefits come at a cost. Cheap clothing is often made from synthetic fabrics such as polyester, nylon and acrylic, which are derived from fossil fuels. Not only that, inexpensive clothing is usually low quality and not durable due to its rapid production process using low-cost materials. This means that you end up buying more as your clothing wears out more quickly. Moreover, most plastic-based synthetic fabrics are non-biodegradable, meaning they could take up to 20 to 200 years to break down after disposal.

Sustainable fashion was developed in response to fast fashion from the perspective of environmental protection and social responsibility. Sustainable fashion brands often offer durable, high-quality garments made from natural fibers such as organic cotton and linen. These eco-friendly fibers are biodegradable and made without unnatural processes. Sustainable fashion may not be as budget-friendly as fast fashion, as it prioritizes quality over quantity, but it has a lower environmental impact. Additionally, it significantly reduces the reliance of the fashion industry on fossil fuels.

(Image: gpktt.weebly.com)

What brand embodies the best example of sustainable fashion?

Patagonia is a great example of a sustainable business, and in many more ways than the company’s “Don’t Buy This Jacket” advertisement. For safer and fairer working conditions, the company pays premium factories that meet their Fair-Trade program standards. It includes funding community projects like health-care programs or day-care facilities. So far, more than 66,000 workers in 10 countries have benefited from this program.

Through its Product Lifecycle Initiative, Patagonia is promoting the 4Rs: Refuse, Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. A large portion of Patagonia’s products is made from recycled fabrics, including polyester, nylon and wool, as well as organic cotton, instead of high-pesticide conventional cotton. In addition, to extend the life of their clothing, the brand launched the “Worn Wear” campaign. They repair customers’ clothing, give customers DIY repair tips and reassemble beyond-repair pieces into new products.

As a way to give back to the environment, the company has been donating 1% of their annual sales since 1986 to global grassroots groups for the preservation and restoration of the natural environment. In 2019, thanks to its commitment to sustainability, Patagonia was awarded the United Nations’ flagship environmental honor for entrepreneurial vision.

What is the goal of sustainable fashion?

The goal of sustainable fashion is for brands to prioritize accountability and transparency, in addition to quality. By keeping track of where garments are sourced, the emissions and waste generated in the production and the protection of workers’ rights, brands can build momentum in achieving this goal. Conversely, a lack of transparency can lead to unlawful exploitation, which often favors maximum profits over workers’ rights.

On the other hand, we consumers should play a part by practicing better consumption habits. Only buying items of clothing that are made with natural or biodegradable material is one example. These materials emit less CO2 when incinerated or decompose faster. We should also choose better quality clothing and store and clean our clothes with care so we can keep wearing them for a long time. Furthermore, before tossing an old top that no longer serves its purpose, consider re-selling to a secondhand store, organizing a clothing swap party or donating it to someone who would appreciate it.

By combining the conscious efforts of brands and consumers, we can pursue a better balance between people and the planet.

What does sustainable fashion mean?

Sustainable fashion refers to clothing, leather and footwear made in a way that is mindful of both environmental and socio-economic issues.

From an environmental perspective, it is necessary to minimize the planetary harms caused by garment production. However, it is a complex process with several steps, including raw material production, sourcing, processing of the materials, manufacturing and distribution. In fact, used or unused products are often incinerated or end up in landfills instead of being recycled. These processes involve chemical and water usage, energy emission and waste creation.

From the socio-economic perspective, it is important to ensure workers’ conditions and wages are fair. For example, polluted water, chemical pesticides and fertilizers can negatively affect workers’ health. Furthermore, children, migrants and women often suffer from unlivable wages, long working hours, and unsafe working facilities.

For fashion brands to become truly sustainable, they have to make sure every aspect of their manufacturing and workplace is accountable.

Why should we buy sustainable fashion?

Sustainable brands benefit not only customers by providing high-quality clothing but also the environment and the people within the industry.

The fashion industry is responsible for 10% of annual global CO2 emissions. The industry is also a major water consumer, using 1.5 trillion liters of water annually for textile treatment and dyeing. Globally, 92 million tons of textile waste is generated each year, and only 12% of it ends up being recycled. This is because the majority of clothing is made with a mix of synthetic and natural materials, which are usually hard to separate. As climate change and global warming are among the greatest global threats, it is crucial to reduce these negative environmental impacts.

Sustainable fashion is not only an environmental concept. It also encompasses consideration for socio-economic justice. In 2013, a clothing factory collapsed in Bangladesh and took 1,138 people’s lives. Although cracks had emerged in the building the day before, workers were forced to return to work on the day of the accident. This reality of poorly-treated fast-fashion garment workers shook the world, kickstarting the reevaluation of the true cost of fashion

We can be part of economic and social empowerment by supporting brands that focus on providing a proper living wage and healthy working hours and conditions.

Read more about sustainable fashion