Fair Trade Fashion: an ethical and sustainable alternative to fast fashion
Small businesses modeled around ethically sourced textiles are becoming increasingly popular among consumers as an alternative to the fast fashion industry. Among those leading an initiative for sustainability in the textile industry is Change, a clothing store in Madison, Wisconsin. Nikki Anderson was inspired to start her sustainable fashion boutique after moving to Madison from Indiana. Inspired by places like the Willy Street Coop with its ethical food sourcing and fair trade products, she decided to apply the same idea to fashion, hoping to provide an alternative to the environmentally destructive and exploitative nature of most big clothing producers.
Most fast fashion brands manufacture their clothing in developing countries, home to some of the world’s cheapest labor markets, and where breaches of environmental law and human rights abuses are difficult to track. 8,000 synthetic chemicals are used worldwide in the production of textiles, which leach into freshwater supplies, and poison the drinking water of local residents (Woodyard 5:07). Workers rarely receive protective gear or proper training for harvesting and tending cotton which leads to poisoning, and serious illness. Cotton production also leaves a huge water footprint (a way of measuring the amount of water used or contaminated). According to Kelly Drennan, author of ‘Picking up the Threads’ producing just one cotton T shirt requires 2,700 liters of water. Workers who are harvesting and spinning the cotton often work as long as 16 hours without rest for minimal pay. On average, workers in Bangladesh earn 38 dollars per month.
Clothing at Change is sourced from both domestic artisans as well as those located in developing countries like India and Nepal, where much of the world’s textiles are produced. Ethical brands often carried at Change include Fair Indigo, Able, Nomad and Groceries Apparel. In an effort to reduce water contamination, many of these brands use alternative fabrics to cotton such as bamboo, hemp, eucalyptus, alpaca and even wood pulp. Non toxic dyes are used in the making of all clothing from the sustainable brands that Change carries, which greatly reduces the contamination of clean drinking water. Clothing that is made from cotton is organic and grown without pesticides. Because clothing is produced on such a small scale, oftentimes in the artisan’s homes, Co2 emissions are significantly reduced.
While the clothing sold at Change is socially responsible and not nearly as harmful to the environment as clothing from larger retailers, it can be hard to appeal to consumers who are used to buying clothes from places like H&M, Urban Outfitters, Banana Republic, etc. Nikki told me that in Madison, shoppers were conscious of the environmental destruction caused by the fast fashion industry, but if she were located elsewhere, it would be difficult to run her business. Because Fair Trade fashion pays artisans a living wage and materials for clothing are grown sustainably, the items in Nikki’s store cost considerably more than what you would find on the shelves of Forever 21 or H&M. Pricing aside, many people are accustomed to purchasing clothing in a mall or online. If consumers want to buy sustainably, they typically have to make an effort to seek out sustainable brands.
Raising awareness for sustainable options is being accomplished in a variety of ways. Education around the unethical practices of large clothing brands through books and documentaries is one method that moved her to open her store, and she believes that it is a powerful way to get consumers to think about their own shopping habits. Half the Sky, Dressed to Kill, andThe True Cost were all documentaries that Nikki recommended. Additionally, social media initiatives like Fashion Revolution specifically target a younger demographic, exposing the social and environmental destruction of big brands and elevating small, sustainable ones that source their clothing ethically.
Nikki pointed out that this advocacy aimed at younger audiences is effective in combating the messaging of corporations like H&M and other large fashion labels whose main clientele consists of older Gen Z buyers. These companies like to prey on the insecurity and desires of teenagers who feel social pressure to keep up with the latest styles and trends, and are also a demographic most drawn to cheap pricing.
Shopping sustainably isn’t just a way to feel socially responsible about your wardrobe. It can actually be an effective way to both save money and find unique, trending styles. Fair trade clothing, although sometimes more expensive than fast fashion clothing, has a better value because the materials are made to last. This is what Nikki refers to as the price/wear concept. Unlike a shirt from H&M, which would have to be tossed after going through a couple of washing cycles, ethically sourced clothing often lasts for years, making purchases a sustainable choice for both your wallet and the planet.
