6 fashion sustainability myths debunked

Recently I have completed a free course by Future Learn, the London College of Fashion and Kering, called Fashion and Sustainability: Understanding Luxury Fashion in a Changing World. It was a 6-week intensive course for fashion design professionals with the premise that major decisions are made at the product development stage. I absolutely recommend it to every fashion enthusiast to take it for at least one week. It goes deeper than just sustainable production, it covers all topics such as the wellbeing of humans and animals, modern-day slavery, water stress, diminishing resources both human and nature, climate change, hazardous chemicals and pollution, land use and biodiversity loss, consumption and waste. I feel much more educated as a consumer and as a professional, I would like to share the common misconceptions that I heard before and the truth based on what I learned from the course.

by Karina Tess via Unsplash

Myth 1: I donate my clothing and thus contribute to a circular ecosystem.

Truth: Donation does not solve the main fashion industry problem which is waste. Only about 15% of all clothing is recycled, the rest ends up in landfills. Part of the reason is that not all garments are created equally. Fast fashion and low-quality clothing have little to no resale value and are harder to recycle. The valued pieces are vintage (over 30 years old) and well-designed garments. 

Myth 2: I buy organic, conscious, green collections, they are better for the environment.

Truth: Consciousness consumption has increased drastically, but it is still not widely spread. While designers develop these collections with a great mission in mind, it is still very difficult to regulate the entire process. There are very few companies that have full control over the supply chain. Imagine the production of a cotton t-shirt. The fiber needs to be grown, then picked, combed, spun into a yarn, then knit or woven in the fabric, mercerized, and dyed. After that, it needs to be produced in a facility with good working conditions where people are paid well. Then the packaging and transportation need to be sustainable. It is quite a long and complicated process.

Myth 3: I buy expensive clothing, therefore it is good quality. 

Truth: Not always. Brands with higher margins have departments dedicated to research and development, access to better fabrics, and factories. Nevertheless, not all of them choose to invest in proper supply chain and production quality. In addition to labor, materials, the retail price of a garment includes marketing (fashion shows, ads, social media influencers) and operating costs such as physical stores or e-commerce sites.

Myth 4: I buy natural fibers only: cotton, silk, viscose, leather because they are biodegradable.

Truth: Yes, they are, but they are not always produced in sustainable ways. Silk and leather have been a hot topic of discussion for many years. While there are alternatives to these materials, there is not a single best solution. Cotton and viscose (or rayon) are great natural fibers, however, they require a large amount of water to produce and are often treated with chemicals. In addition, don’t forget about everything that goes into the garment production: thread, labels, buttons, packaging, hangers. Oftentimes I see beautiful dresses that are lined with synthetic fabrics, which makes it difficult to recycle.

Myth 5: If the garment is sold for $5, then it means the company reduced its margins.

Truth: No business will cut on profit. It means that based on the bulk order, the company negotiated to produce the garment at an even lower cost. The garment workers are paid less, the lower quality dyes are used, the cheaper materials, etc. But the company is still profitable even with that price.

Myth 6: I wear clothing and accessories from recycled polyester and nylon, I am saving the turtles.

Truth: It is wonderful that ocean waste is collected to produce trendy items. Fashion does not exist separately. It is worth noting that the majority of recycled polyester and nylon comes from other materials such as plastic bottles, fishnets, not fabric. Unfortunately, it still does not solve the main problem of waste. Recycling nylon is quite expensive, so many designers opt for new rather than repurposed. It may also be used as a marketing trick rather than make a strong impact on the environment. 

So what’s the solution?

I was reading a post on Instagram by BoF the other day. There are many experts and companies that claim their solution to be the most viable. I believe the ultimate solution is… 

To buy less. 

The businesses are not going to decrease production, there is still too much produced every day. It is the consumers that need to take an active position and refuse to buy. 

What else can you do?

- Be ready to pay a higher price. The quality materials cost money, people who make your clothes deserve to be paid and live in good conditions, and nature needs to be cared for during the process.

- Get educated on the topic. Fashion is fun. But there are many serious issues happening behind the scenes such as child labor exploitation, modern-day slavery, and pollution.

- Apply critical thinking when it comes to marketing. Fashion houses, marketing agencies, bloggers, YouTubers, and the general public promote overconsumption, we are flooded with the amount of product.

I find it disastrous that clothing has turned into disposal that can be thrown away. While it is great that fashion has become accessible to everyone, the way clothing is treated is unacceptable. I hope we do not get to witness our planet turn into the scene from Wall-E.

Comment below if you agree or disagree or have a better solution.