What is Ethical Fashion ?
Ethical fashion can also be assimilate to sustainable fashion these are the characteristics of the slow fashion.
But what is it?
Slow Fashion is inspired by the model of fair trade and ethical principles, with two types of concerns: social and environmental. We're talking about a different way of consuming the fashion.
Ethical fashion answers 3 fundamental values:
- Socially respectful
- Environmentally friendly
- Respectful of the animal cause
According to V&A« Ethical Fashion is an umbrella term to describe ethical fashion design, production, retail, and purchasing. It covers a range of issues such as working conditions, exploitation, fair trade, sustainable production, the environment, and animal welfare. ». According to the European Environment Agency (EEA), the quantity of clothing purchased in the European Union (EU) increased by 40% between 1996 and 2012. In 2015, Europeans bought 6.4 million tonnes of new clothes and shoes, according to a European Parliament study.
1. Socially respectful
Before ending up in our closet, our clothes travel a long distance. They are produced by a lot of workers. From the farmers who cultivate cotton (or different fibres), to the workers who assemble the different parts of our clothes. We can also talk about the children who work in the factories and in horrible conditions. They are victims of violence, are forced to work overtime, have poor food and low wages. The low cost of the clothes offered by the fast fashion industry means that less and less money goes to the people who make them.
In 2018, hourly labour costs in the whole economy average €27.4 in the European Union (EU) and €30.6 in the euro area. However, these averages mask significant differences between EU Member States in Bulgaria (€5.4) and Romania (€6.9), while in Denmark (€43.5) and Luxembourg (€40.6) the average is €27.4 and €30.6 respectively. At the same time in 2016, manufacturing wages increased from $2.90 per hour to $2.70 in Brazil, from $4.30 to $3.60 in South Africa and from $2.20 to $2.10 in Mexico.
2. Environmental friendly
When we talk about ethical fashion we think most of the time about the environment. Fashion contaminates our water, our planet and has a huge impact on the climate. Indeed the fashion industry is one of the sectors of activity which pollutes the most. Garment producers are responsible for the emission of 1.2 billion tonnes of CO2 per year. Isabelle Craig explains that the future of the planet will depend on better management of the clothes we produce and buy, but also on those we refuse to throw away.
Most of the fabric is made from cotton, 22.5% of the insecticides and 10% of the pesticides are used in its cultivation. This consumption is thus described as unsustainable. For exemple, the Aral Sea in Central Asia has shrunk to only 15% of its former volume, largely due to the large amount of water needed to produce and dye cotton (Ethical Fashion Forum). Often the brands that qualify as fashionable often use organic materials (cotton or bamboo). Manufacturers use less water and do not release chemicals that pollute the earth.
3. Respectful of the animal cause
The animal cause is also problematic in the fashion world. One of the most common examples is leather. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, we produce more than 300,000 tons of goat skins per year. Designer Stella McCartney has declared that she does not use fur and leather in her designs. In an advertisement for the animal rights organization PETA, she said, "We address...ethical or ecological issues...in all areas of our lives except fashion. But it's encouraging to see a change in mentality."
The wool used to make the clothes may come from material of animal origin. Sheep, for example, can die during transport, live in tight pens, etc... We can also talk about feathers, they can be used to make down jackets, feather earrings... Geese and roosters are treated the same way as sheep.
1. Socially respectful
Before ending up in our closet, our clothes travel a long distance. They are produced by a lot of workers. From the farmers who cultivate cotton (or different fibres), to the workers who assemble the different parts of our clothes. We can also talk about the children who work in the factories and in horrible conditions. They are victims of violence, are forced to work overtime, have poor food and low wages. The low cost of the clothes offered by the fast fashion industry means that less and less money goes to the people who make them.
In 2018, hourly labour costs in the whole economy average €27.4 in the European Union (EU) and €30.6 in the euro area. However, these averages mask significant differences between EU Member States in Bulgaria (€5.4) and Romania (€6.9), while in Denmark (€43.5) and Luxembourg (€40.6) the average is €27.4 and €30.6 respectively. At the same time in 2016, manufacturing wages increased from $2.90 per hour to $2.70 in Brazil, from $4.30 to $3.60 in South Africa and from $2.20 to $2.10 in Mexico.
2. Environmental friendly
When we talk about ethical fashion we think most of the time about the environment. Fashion contaminates our water, our planet and has a huge impact on the climate. Indeed the fashion industry is one of the sectors of activity which pollutes the most. Garment producers are responsible for the emission of 1.2 billion tonnes of CO2 per year. Isabelle Craig explains that the future of the planet will depend on better management of the clothes we produce and buy, but also on those we refuse to throw away.
Most of the fabric is made from cotton, 22.5% of the insecticides and 10% of the pesticides are used in its cultivation. This consumption is thus described as unsustainable. For exemple, the Aral Sea in Central Asia has shrunk to only 15% of its former volume, largely due to the large amount of water needed to produce and dye cotton (Ethical Fashion Forum). Often the brands that qualify as fashionable often use organic materials (cotton or bamboo). Manufacturers use less water and do not release chemicals that pollute the earth.
3. Respectful of the animal cause
The animal cause is also problematic in the fashion world. One of the most common examples is leather. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, we produce more than 300,000 tons of goat skins per year. Designer Stella McCartney has declared that she does not use fur and leather in her designs. In an advertisement for the animal rights organization PETA, she said, "We address...ethical or ecological issues...in all areas of our lives except fashion. But it's encouraging to see a change in mentality."
The wool used to make the clothes may come from material of animal origin. Sheep, for example, can die during transport, live in tight pens, etc... We can also talk about feathers, they can be used to make down jackets, feather earrings... Geese and roosters are treated the same way as sheep.
The High Cost of Our Cheap Fashion | Maxine Bédat | TEDxPiscataquaRiver
Is sustainable fashion important?
The UK alone throws away 1 million tonnes of clothing every year. In spite of this, we tend to act out of simplicity and ease. We don't tend to think about how much we consume, and how it can have a negative impact on the planet. And since fashion is one of the biggest industries and polluters. Changing the way we consume is very important. Sustainable fashion has a positive impact on the earth and on the agents that produce it. It reduces the consumption of water, chemicals, energy consumption and thus reduces pollution. But it also has a positive impact on the condition of humans and animals.
Next article: Ten ethical and sustainable brands
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