Eco-chic
There was a time when sustainable fashion conjured images of hemp overalls and hareem pants. Today, sustainability has become something of a fashion blood sport as brands hanker after eco-bragging rights and fill our inboxes with “green” clothing campaigns. But among the tokenistic marketing ploys, a new crop of brands are reshaping the industry with savvy business models and techy solutions, and there isn’t a tiedye handkerchief hem in sight.
The sustainable brands of today are less about recycled fabrics and natural fibres (although they have their place) and more about disrupting the models of waste that have traditionally dominated the industry. These brands are going beyond the garment and addressing the damage at every level, from supply chains to packaging. The crux? They’re asking us to buy less.
In Australia, 36,000 kilos of clothes and shoes are dumped into landfill every hour. Cheaply made garments with a short shelf life means the fashion industry now accounts for 10 per cent of global carbon emissions.
A “green” clothing campaign that encourages consumers to buy more isn’t
