A large proportion of consumers choose to shop from fast fashion brands instead of sustainable clothing companies because it’s easier, quicker, and cheaper. Fast fashion is everywhere, and it often feels like we can’t escape it.
While fast fashion is better for your wallet, it’s much worse for the environment than sustainable clothing. Fast fashion contributes significantly to environmental degradation, increasing landfill waste and social inequality.
Understanding the importance of clothing sustainability is essential for protecting the planet. It’s part of becoming a conscious consumer who advocates for positive changes in the fashion industry.
So, why should you care about the sustainability of your clothes? We’ve answered this question below.
Supporting Small Businesses
Sustainable fashion brands are usually smaller and less well-known than larger fast fashion companies. Whether you’re searching for a new pair of gym leggings or a mini shift dress, choosing to shop from sustainability-focused brands is a great way to support small businesses and contribute to the growth and creativity within the fashion industry.
Achieving Long-Term Cost Savings
Although purchasing clothing from sustainable brands over fast fashion brands tends to be more expensive in the short-term, you can make long-term cost savings by choosing the former.
Sustainably made clothing is often better quality and lasts much longer than cheaply made fast fashion items, meaning you won’t need to replace your items as often.
Therefore, choosing sustainable clothing enables you to buy fashionable items while saving money. It could protect your wallet as well as the environment. It’s a win-win situation!
Reducing Waste
Fast fashion promotes a throw-away culture that contributes significantly to the increasing volume waste in landfills and oceans. Inexpensive clothing is easily discarded after a few uses, leading to excessive consumption of raw materials and production of waste.
Sustainable clothing brands focus on using recycled and reusable materials that aim to reduce the negative impacts of the fashion industry on the environment. Plus, sustainable clothing lasts longer, so won’t need to be thrown away and replaced after just a few uses.
Reduced Negative Environmental Impacts
The fast fashion industry is one of the largest contributors to carbon emissions and landfill waste. The manufacturing process requires extensive use of natural resources, such as water and energy, and produces high amounts of waste, all of which have negative impacts on the environment.
Sustainably produced clothing has a much lesser impact on the planet. Many sustainable fashion brands choose organic or recycled materials and focus on environmentally friendly practices that don’t contribute significantly to greenhouse gas emissions and waste production.
Preserving and Encouraging Biodiversity
Another major advantage of choosing to shop sustainably is its benefits for biodiversity. The use of conventional cotton and chemical dyes contributes to deforestation and decreased biodiversity.
Contrarily, sustainable materials like organic cotton or hemp can encourage biodiversity and preserve the Earth’s natural resources. It protects wildlife and minimizes pollution to support the survival of thousands of animal and insect species.
