Before yesterday, I was unaware of the impacts the fashion industry has on not only our environment, but also our people.
THE WHY
According to "The True Cost, Documentary Clothing Industry," the fashion industry is the second most polluting industry next to the oil industry.
As if that wasn't enough to perk your ears a bit, "fast fashion" is 90% women working on less than $2 per day. Think about that - an industry that is leading in profits that does not extend the benefits to its workers. Not only that, it is unsafe for the people (again - primarily women) working in the factories and bringing their children to work in the unsafe conditions due to lack of childcare.
Fashion is the most labor dependent industry on earth - one in six people work in the industry. You may think, wow it gives jobs... that's fantastic. Well, this is modern slavery, it's just out of our sight... and out of mind. Six years ago, the glamour of the global fashion industry was shattered in the collapse of Rana Plaza. The garment factory building, on the outskirts of Dhaka, Bangladesh, fell apart on April 24, 2013, killing at least 1,132 people and injuring a further 2,500 or more.
To make you think a bit harder, the amount of clothes being thrown away has steadily increased over the past ten years. According to Remake, the U.S. alone sends about 21 billion pounds of textile waste to landfills every year. And sadly, only 10-15% of donated clothing actually ends up in the secondhand market.
WHAT THE DESIGNERS/BRANDS CAN DO
1. Buy fabric from recycled textiles:
2. Buy vintage textiles:
- When you run out, you're out (allure in less availability)
3. Cut smart.
4. Non-profits to join:
Made-By
Textile Exchange
IN CLOSING
If you care about women, rethink your habits.
If you care about people in other countries, rethink your habits.
If you care about the environment, rethink your habits.
Thanks for listening, and put this to use by:
Not giving into capitalism (materialistic desires)
Buy what you need
Buy smarter
DARCY is slow fashion - made in a studio by one designer creating and executing, not outsourced. We make pieces that work with capsule wardrobes, meaning minimalists can make our pieces work with just about anything. How we are improving is our fabrics - we are looking more into where they are sourced and made. Lastly, we are trying to collaborate with more non-profits throughout the year.
Comments