Fashion is an industry that employs people in low-waged economies to produce clothes for a number of Western brands. In some cases, doing this kind of work has resulted in the deaths of workers, notably the 1100 people in Dhaka Bangladesh.
Apart from this, the kind of pressure this puts on the Earth’s resources is enormous and usually glossed over too.
Having said, here are 4 ways by which you can build an ethical wardrobe:
#1: Only Buy If You’re Wearing It More Than 30 Times
With the advent of fast fashion, clothes have become more disposable. Apart from this, lower prices is really putting the supply chain under a lot of pressure to put out more clothes. This is just one of those reasons why these incidents in Dhaka and Rana Plaza have occurred in the past.
#2: Detox Your Wardrobe
After oil, fashion is probably the most polluting industry in the world. Despite the fact that azo dyes are the most toxic, they are still used the most. That said, it’s heartening to know that ten percent of the world’s brands have vowed to phase out the use of toxic substances through Greenpeace’s detox programme.
#3: Spend On Trans-Seasonal Clothes
While the traditional spring, summer, autumn and winter fashion weeks are only for show, there are now about 100 new micro-seasons. No matter what, it’s time to slow down your fashion cycle.
#4: Opt for Producer-Centric Brands
Given that the fashion industry is about $2.5 trillion, it’s important that the profits be shared. This is why it is important to support producer-centric brands namely People Tree that is run by vigorous Fair Trade standards ensuring that producers enjoy a fair share of the profits too.