Fashionably green

Fashionably green

The term ‘sustainable fashion’ has been making noise for a few years now, but how often do you think about green fashion before picking up an apparel or an accessory? The answer will be ‘almost never.’ Although fashion as an industry, both in India and worldwide, has grown tremendously, often in an attempt to beat competitors, fast fashion brands end up adding to industrial waste, exploiting resources and harming the environment. Having said that, there are a handful of brands that are approaching fashion in an ethical and transparent manner and making collections that are sourced from sustainable material. The gradual shift from fast to sustainable  fashion is taking place worldwide.

FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE 
H&M recently launched its Conscious Exclusive Collection that explores the healing power of nature, while also embracing innovation with sustainable materials and processes for a more sustainable fashion future. 

Dhatri Bhatt, head communication, H&M India, says that  the brand envisions a more sustainable fashion industry by practising environmentally friendly ways. “The eco-friendly material, new for the collection, include orange fibre, made from citrus juice by-products, re-purposed to create silk-like cellulose fabric; Piñatex, a natural leather alternative made from cellulose fibres extracted from pineapple leaves, and the waste of the pineapple harvest; and BLOOMFoam is a plant-based flexible foam using algae from freshwater sources at high risk of algal bloom,” she says. 

The collection is all about modern romantic designs and every piece is made from sustainable materials, such as 100 per cent organic cotton, tencel or recycled polyester.

Speaking of the future of sustainable fashion, Bhatt says that one of the pillars of their sustainability strategy is to become 100 per cent circular and renewable. “So one of the goals, among others, is to have a circular approach to how products are made and used and the goal to only use recycled or other sustainable materials and renewable energy in all our direct operations. H&M group’s 2020 goal is to only use cotton from sustainable sources. H&M group’s 2030 goal is to only use recycled or other sustainable materials,” she adds. 

GROWING AWARENESS 
Woodland has launched a new range of biodegradable footwear. This launch is in association with the company’s CSR initiative Proplanet. “The new range is one of the most exciting environmental innovations in the footwear industry,” says Harkirat Singh, managing director, Woodland. 

The brand also focuses on eco-friendly apparels. Says Singh, “The organic cotton t-shirts are free of toxins and pesticides, and made of 100 per cent organic cotton. Our pure green t-shirts are made from recycled PET (plastic) bottles. The plastic bottles are sterilised and processed into fibre strands. These strands are knitted together to create a fabric, which is used to produce 100 per cent recycled t-shirts.” 

But why is there a sudden need to create sustainable fashion? Singh says that due to speedy production and over consumption, the fashion industry has landed itself on an environmentally damaging path. “Hence, there is a need for sustainable fashion as part of the growing enterprise philosophy and drive towards environmental and social sustainability, the goal of which is to create a system which can be sustained indefinitely. Sustainable fashion is a movement and process of fostering change to fashion products and the fashion system towards greater ecological integrity and social justice. It concerns more than addressing fashion textiles or products. It comprises addressing the whole system of fashion — dealing with interdependent social, cultural, ecological and financial systems. It also means considering fashion from the perspective of many stakeholders — users and producers, all living species, contemporary and future dwellers on planet Earth,” he adds.  
  
While the Indian handloom industry does prioritise sustainability, not many big brands and fashion houses focus on this aspect. Singh, however, says that there is a growing interest in consumers to make socially responsible choices while updating their wardrobes with a value tag. “In fact, many international brands have become more focused on approaching fashion in an ethical and transparent manner. Brands are gradually beginning to design products made by fair and ethical means, sourcing organic or recycled raw materials and up-cycling post-production and post-consumer wastes. The gradual shift from fast fashion to a sustainable and socially responsible fashion is clearly visible around the globe. Big brands are also undergoing transformation,” he says. 
  
Singh says that in the coming years, the demand and need for sustainable fashion is only going to increase as people are now aware about the importance of sustainable fashion and its impact on nature.  

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY 
Lenzing Group has been a forerunner of sustainable fashion for the past 80 years,  and is one of the major companies in the world which produces high-quality fibres like TencelTM and LenzingTM, EcoveroTM made with wood pulp from sustainable tree farms. These fibres produced under the company are eco-friendly and completely biodegradable.

Arpit Srivastava, marketing and branding South Asia, Lenzing Group, says that there has always been brands that have offered sustainable fashion. “With the upward trend of sustainable fashion, consumers are now moving towards eco-fashion methods and practices, and brands have understood this demand and are now moving towards sustainable fashion. Sustainable fashion has been perceived as using unconventional methods to create products —  the use of alternative methods which may be expensive as compared to mass produced goods. On the contrary, these products are proven to have higher performance and quality while being safe to the environment. Sustainable fashion to us is creating fashion innovations with a balance of social responsibility,” he says.
    
Lenzing Group has partnered with big brands with sustainability as their motto and has also collaborated with young designer labels who have a holistic approach towards sustainability. 

Srivastava says that with the dialogue around sustainability gaining momentum, there are a lot of designers who are working closely with the handloom industries in rural and craft clusters in various parts of the country, helping bring these sustainable methods out to mainstream fashion. “Through initiatives like khadi, there has been a growing trend in creating fashion through sustainable methods,” he adds. 
 
While millennials are becoming aware of concepts such as sustainable and eco fashion, sustainable fashion will surely pick up pace. Also, with more and more environmental laws and regulations coming into force, we will see a large number of brands moving towards sustainable methods of production in the future. 

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