Misato NotoSustainable 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.
