Can fashion be sustainable?

Sustainability, the new go-to buzz word of fashion brands the last few years. We hear it so much these days that it almost lost its true meaning. That doesn’t make it less of an important topic to discuss, as we all should know what sustainability is all about. What is truly a sustainable action and what not?

In our brand new online webinars called Fashion Talks together with fashion professional Suzanne Delaney, founder of Rplanet, we discussed what true sustainability in the Fashion Industry looks like.

According to Suzanne sustainable fashion is a movement of bringing much more integrity to an industry that has been lacking integrity for many years. If we look at the problems and consequences of the industry, we see that it’s not only about giving our earth a break, but it also highlights social and economical conditions. All together, there is still lots of work to do.

So how can we change an industry that continues working in a broken system? Don’t lose hope, whether you are a brand, manufacturer or consumer there is so much you can do to contribute to positive change.

One of the main problems we are currently facing is overproduction that directly causes waste. By applying circular approaches we can look at waste as no longer waste, but as a valuable resource. The questions begin at the design stage, when creating a product we should be already thinking about the afterlife of the garment and no longer stop at the selling point.

The relationship between the garment and the consumer must change too, claims Delaney. Do you really need it? And if so, will you wear it at least 30 times? These should be the first questions you ask yourself when going for a new pair of jeans.

So can fashion be sustainable? ‘’There will always be a creative industry, as it is part of who we are as human kind, but Yes, it can be, even though there will always be an impact. What we need to seek is for this impact to be as positive and regenerative as possible throughout the whole value chain. We have the information, we have the technology and innovation, so there is no excuse to not embed responsibility into our business models.’’

To watch the full conversation with Suzanne, click here.

Fashion Talks is an open and free space for consumers, brands and manufacturers to talk about what’s happening in the fashion industry regarding sustainable sourcing, design, production, innovation, business and consumption. Every first Monday of the month we invite a professional who is changing the industry in a positive and inspiring way to talk with us on Instagram Live. Follow us on Instagram to join us in the next Fashion Talks

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