Sustainability, but make it Fashion

In recent years fashion designers have been progressively thinking about the impact sustainable fashion could have on our environment.Recently, the CFDA (Council of Fashion of America) released a sustainable initiatives guide for designers looking to reduce their environmental impact. The CFDA along with the UN hopes to shed light on the tremendous effect of society’s poor consumption and production habits.As of right now, the fashion industry is not operating in a sustainable fashion manner, but the CFDA and the U.N have been working together in an aim to help save our planet. The U.N even notes that the “$2.5 trillion industry is the second highest user of water worldwide, generating 20 percent of global water waste (WWD).” That is a significant percentage of water use that can easily be decreased if we reshaped how the fashion industry is operating.Most of us probably don’t think about the process that goes behind making the clothes we wear. I certainly didn’t know that making one shirt “requires 2,700 liters, which is comparable to the amount a person drinks in 30 months (WWD).” Think of how many t-shirts you own, think of how much water went into making that shirt!I’ve become more conscious of what I am buying after reading of the environmental impacts. Next time I reach to buy yet another white t-shirt, I’ll be thinking about all that water I could be saving by sticking to the dozens of white T’s in my closet. As consumers we don’t have to think about the process behind every item of clothing, so we are ignorant of the impact our consumption habits have on the environment.Since the new year I’ve seen a lot of #10yearchallanges on Instagram and Facebook, and through these feeds, I took note of, yes all the mega puberty transformations, but I was shocked when I came across a picture of various locations across the globe. The most shared image is of a glorious iceberg from 2008, to 2018 where it hardly exists. We can see the impact of global warming and how our environment is deteriorating, but we are not all knowing to the many industries that have a significant role in this deterioration, such as the Fashion industry.However, many fashion designers are paving the way for a better future that won’t eat up our planet. Designers like Stella McCartney, Eileen Fisher, and Mara Hoffman use recycled and sustainable fabrics, and McCartney has been a prominent advocate for cruelty-free furs and leather, as well as recycled textiles. You might recognize this Stella McCartney design that was worn by Megan Markle on her wedding day; this was not just a beautiful gown, but it was also a political statement for a more sustainable and environmentally conscious future.We should also take note from other royal family members, like Kate Middleton, who has been spotted wearing and re-wearing so many of her cherished outfits. The Duchess of Cambridge has the right approach toward reducing the stigma of re-wearing clothes. Don’t chuck it if you love it! With the help of the CFDA and designers, like McCartney, who are willing to promote and contribute towards a better future, maybe the next #10yearchallange won’t be as devastating.