Buy Less, Pick Quality, Make It Last
‘There is no beauty without truth and there is no truth without transparency.’
As fashion revolution brought with itself the need of transparency in the fashion supply chain, it also aims at changing the way clothes are sourced, produced and purchased.
Understanding the 2015 #haulternative movement in the revolution teaches all the key aspects that will help towards sustainable fashion. Swapping, mending, DIY, slow fashion and loving clothes that you already own are some of the ways you can opt for sustainable fashion.
Now, why is it important to buy less of fast fashion?
This is the point where we should start valuing slow fashion that is appreciate the beauty and value of handmade fashion item. Handmade fashion, sources mostly from the remote villages in India and artisans from the past many generations have been the most sustainable producers of fashion.
Local artisans not only use eco-friendly materials for handicrafts but also textiles which are bio-degradable. This factor paves the way of environmental sustainability. Also, a lot of carbon footprints will be reduced due to production and transportation managed in a country itself. Self-governance or ‘Aatmanirbhar’ is major discipline in paving the way for sustainability. Also working with the local artisans keep the tradition alive and avoids the extinction of endangered arts and crafts. This also helps in the growth of economy and hence progress of nation. As the living conditions of the artisans flourish, the disparity in the society and lifestyle reduce. This all together helps achieving the SDG (sustainability development goals) of decent work space and economic growth, reducing inequality, partnership for goals, responsible production.
Overall the ‘Vocal for Local’ movement is combining the environmental, social and economic aspects and hence proves to be perfect for the path of sustainability. Which in turn proves that the ‘Vocal for Local’ movement should have been considered long ago. Nevertheless, better late than never.
Many such brands are working towards making fashion sustainable for example: Lal10, Tribes India, Iroirozerowaste, Studio Naach, and Swara. All of the mentioned brand product/services, help artisans, employment of women, welfare of weaver families, up cycling of fabrics, organic dyeing techniques, revival of traditional creative art and majorly focus on quality and design. These brands not only help the artisans get their bread but also make them aware of the foreign trading practices and educate them about the value that their products hold in market.
Advantage of buying traditional hand woven keeps you attached to the garment for a longer period of time. It just like the saree which mom gifts her daughter on her marriage as a token of love. That saree stays with the daughter forever because we are emotionally attached to it and this creates a positive impact of not offloading it to landfills.
Similar types of psychology driven applications make you feel guilty or fearful of your actions having direct reactions, which deviates into going away from such applications instead of making it a thought provoking platform.
For example the ‘Forest’ application grows a species of tree virtually based on the time you were away from your electronic device, if you return before the set time for tree to grow the tree gets cut in front of you making you feel sad or guilty about cutting a virtual tree and hence to escape this negative feeling you deviate from the main purpose of the application which is to motivate you to plant trees.
Looking at such examples marketing strategies should attach a positive emotion or a sense of attachment with the garment that is produced and sold to every customer.
At the production level we should aim at zero waste generation, use of sustainable energy resources for production and keeping the supply chain transparent. Not producing extra than the need/demand. The shipping practices should also be sustainable. More of rental fashion shops should be promoted.
As an educated consumer we should buy less, pick quality over quantity and make 100% out of the piece of fabric. Just 10 garments can be styled in over a 30 different styles and repeating them for as many times as you love them will reduce a huge part of the landfills. Also buying clothes which can worn by two siblings or a mother-daughter can also be an easy solution for swapping of clothes. Also we should demand brands to have transparency. Me as an aspiring textile designer now looks towards a garment as a reusable piece to create organizers for my own stationary instead buying them or worse plastic/synthetic fibers organizers.
Many a times we are unaware of the brands and services who practice sustainable processes and hence end up buying clothes which are likely to go to landfills. As a solution to this issue I have a small solution of giving global demarcation to sustainable products. Like a hallmark is a sign of authenticity of gold, same way an authenticity mark for sustainability can be given to a garment produced and shipped under sustainable condition. The colour coding of the signs may vary from one another on the level of sustainable process practiced.
I would like conclude by saying fashion is not just clothes it’s a way of being (existing). Let’s all be fashionable in a sustainable way. Thank you!
