Fabunderds, Let’s talk environmentally ethical fashion
Photo Credit: GCU Fair Fashion Center https://www.gcufairfashioncenter.org/
First off, let me start by saying that I am no sustainable fashion angel. I try to be whenever possible and I will absolutely walk out of a store or away from a purchase if I know the company or the way in which the product was produced is destroying the planet or harming the people who have made it. That said, I have some clothes in my closet from companies whose sustainability records (including labor practices) make me cringe and I need to come to terms with my shopping habits stat. In taking stock of my own need to make some serious changes to live even more sustainably, I decided to do a mini investigation into the labels of the clothes in my closet to find out more information on their environmental impact.
Let’s get acquainted with some of the environmental and ethical issues caused by the fashion industry. It’s no secret that the production of clothes requires the use of thousands upon thousands of liters of water. Those indigo denim jeans you’ve been eyeing lately are part of a larger systemic environmental crisis in fashion whereby 9.6 billion liters of wastewater are dumped into rivers causing a cascade of environmental issues. This is mostly happening in Asia, but if you think you might not have anything to do with this, you are in a serious state of denial. Those of us with funds to have clothes shipped to us from half way around the world are the direct cause of a lot of the pollution as we make up the majority of the demand. The glitz and glam of fashion has such a powerful effect over us, particularly in terms of the desire to attain status, that we ignore the human and environmental consequences of our actions in our endless quest for the next greatest pair of jeans. So, if you are going to buy jeans, make sure they are produced and washed using new technologies that reduce water consumption and waste. (click on bolded areas for links to associated web pages)
In addition to spewing out billions of gallons of waste water to produce textiles, a multitude of chemical compounds and dyes are pumped out into the environment as well. These chemicals and dyes wind up in rivers and eventually into the ocean. Second to agriculture, the fashion industry is the greatest polluter of clean water globally. The demand for fast fashion in particular (think H&M, Zara, Forever 21) has increased dependence on oil-based fabrics to make plastic and other non-natural fibers that are used to create man-made fabrics such as polyesters in faster and cheaper ways. Finally, let’s not forget that every time you wash polyesters that are made of toxic chemicals, dyes and plastics, small pieces of your garments wind up in water ways thereby adding to the worldwide microplastics crisis affecting the coean, fish and other marine organisms.
Looking in my closet, the majority of my clothing is a mixture of Athleta, Patagonia, JCrew/Madewell and Nike. So, what’s the deal with these companies and are they truly sustainable or are they just trying to sell product and make profit? Here’s what I found:
Patagonia- This company is a rockstar with regard to sustainability and ethical practices and it has been for years. As one article put it, “Patagonia is the real deal”. While Patagonia has come under fire for using toxic chemicals to treat rainwear with DWR (durable water repellent), they take serious measures to confront the issues head-on and find solutions. (Patagonia is BCorp certified)
Athleta- Recently listed as a B corp company (learn all about BCorp companies by clicking here), Athleta incorporates sustainable fibers such as Tencel into several of its products. Additionally, their 5 core values are appealing in that one is dedicated to sustainability. But is Athleta living up to the hype? Click here for more information. That said, I am really pleased with Athleta’s effort to show women of different sizes, ages and colors in their clothes and I appreciate their inclusive branding, albeit their price points for yoga leggings are absolutely exclusive, sigh. The good news here is that Athleta aims to reduce their carbon emissions by 50% by 2020 and they are actively taking measures to address their impact.
JCrew/Madewell- The prognosis isn’t great fabunerds. In fact, I must tell you that I am breaking up with JCrew. Honestly, it’s been a love/hate relationship for quite some time. They’ve had some real ups and downs with regard to fit, and quality of their materials over the years, but more importantly as I’ve been digging a little more, I’m not convinced they are doing enough to change their practices. This also means that I likely need to end my relationship with Madewell (owned by JCrew). Goodonyou.eco outlines JCrews ethical and environmental footprint and it doesn’t look great. Luckily, Goodonyou also recommends different brands to replace JCrew should you miss it. I’ll continue to wear the items I have until they get tropical Panama funk and start to disintegrate, but as of right now, I’m ceasing all shopping there.
Nike- In January, I broke down and bought a pair of Nike Uptowns for traveling. As a girl from Boston, I grew up with New Balance, but for political reasons, I’ve shifted away from NB and as of late I have been supporting and sporting more Nike products. In writing this article, I just learned that Nike uses 75% recycled products in its manufacture of shoes and apparel. Of course, this is all coming from their own sustainability report and website data, but I do know that Nike has taken serious measures to reduce its impact by working with great companies such as Ceres.org (shout out to KWT). That said, I know Nike has issues with regard to labor practices which makes me wonder if supporting Nike is a good idea. However, Nike is taking measures to remedy past errors, but results are slow.
In January, I also made a point to visit the Allbirds store in Soho, NYC to check out their super sustainably produced sneakers. I really love Allbirds shoes and their mission, but living in the tropics gave me pause especially because of the wool insoles. In the future, I see a pair of Allbirds on my feet for traveling, but I couldn’t justify the purchase since I would be in Panama for several months. And yes, I realize that Allbirds probably has a way better sustainability track record than Nike, and that there is seriously no fair comparison between the two companies, but with regard to tropical practicality, I couldn’t commit to an Allbirds purchase yet.
So, what can you do in your day to day life to be more environmentally ethical in your fashion choices?
Don’t buy new clothes as often and go to the thrift store instead. UPCYCLE! Shout out to VJCO, I see you boo.
Don’t buy fast fashion! Seriously, just don’t.
Invest in more expensive pieces of clothing that are good quality and that will last you a long time.
Repair clothes as much as possible before getting rid of them.
Shop smart. Be an eco-conscious shopper and do your research on the companies you support. When was their last sustainability report launched? Was there an outside auditor? What’s their rating?
Invest in clothes that are made of natural, organic fibers like cotton, bamboo, and wool. For my marine peeps, check out Patagonia’s natural rubber Yulex wetsuits! Be on the lookout for clothing companies that recycle fabrics such as cashmere.
Looking for some new brands that are environmentally and ethically based? Check these companies out:
Athleta (this is a Gap owned company and while Athleta is a B corp, it’s parent company is not!)
Reformation (For other companies like Reformation click here)
Eileen Fisher (I realize this may remind you of your mother, BUT, times have changed and they are doing great things with regard to sourcing sustainable fabrics!)
Under the Canopy (Don’t forget that your sheets, towels and linens should come from companies using ethically sourced fabrics and production processes)
LA Relaxed (eco-friendly and size inclusive)
For even more suggestions click here to see this recent post that lists 35 up and coming ethical clothing companies.
I also came across an app that has excellent ratings and information on clothing companies around the globe. The app can be found at Google Play or Apple App Store under “Good On You- Ethical Fashion App”. Download it today!!
Finally, one issue that is potentially difficult for me and others my clothing size is that a lot of eco-friendly companies tend not to have extensive sizing. My size is not readily reflected in a lot of the sustainable and ethically sourced brands which makes it hard as a consumer to participate in best practices. Why are companies so averse to size 12/14? Because of my size does that mean that I’m not into ethically sourced fashion? Seriously. The fashion industry needs a major overhaul both with regard to their relationship and dependence on the environment and in being more inclusive of sizing (side eye Patagonia whom I love, but your Yulex natural rubber wetsuit sizing for women in comparison to men is super uncool. Women’s sizing goes to a max of 10/12 and Men’s sizing goes up to an XL/XXL. Side note- I actually contacted Patagonia and they wrote me back to tell me that I should contact the custom orders department for a wetsuit in my size).
No company is perfect, but there are several that are paving the way who we can and should support. Look in your closet. Where are your clothes from? What’s the carbon footprint of your clothes? How do companies you support treat their employees? With a little internet searching and self-restraint, we can all make changes to our shopping habits to reduce waste and our impact on oceans and the planet.
Stay tuned for future posts about carbon off-setting your travel!
P.S.- Like many fabunerds I was really intrigued by Lacoste’s attempt to raise funds for critically endangered species by temporarily replacing their iconic crocodile logo with images of IUCN endangered species. Unfortunately, Lacoste’s manufacturing practices are not transparent and according to the Good on You app, Lacoste’s 2018 Ethical Fashion Report rating was ‘not good enough’ with regard to labor practices, ‘not good enough’ with regard to its animal rating and ‘very poor’ with regard to the environment. While on the one hand, the company is bringing attention to and raising money for an excellent cause, it is distressing to learn that their rating is sub-par. What is the point of manufacturing a polo shirt using “dirty” production practices with an endangered animal on it if ultimately the production practices are potentially harming the environments in which these organisms live? According to Rank a Brand Lacoste is a ‘do not buy’ (labeled E, lowest ranking). The proceeds apparently went to the IUCN Save our Species campaign which I hope did their due diligence in choosing this clothing line to represent such an important campaign.
