The True Cost
Sustainability
Our clothing choices are a reflection of who we are and what we wish to express. Fashion has always been a means of communication, but the fashion system we once knew has dramatically evolved. Today, the industry is driven by materialism, often at a significant environmental cost.
This page is here to inform you about the impact the fashion industry has on our planet—not to judge. We understand that fast fashion can sometimes be the most accessible option. However, if you have the means, we encourage you to consider more conscious choices in your future shopping decisions.
Is slow fashion the solution?
Slow fashion is the widespread reaction to fast fashion and its environmental impact, the argument for hitting the brakes on excessive production, overcomplicated supply chains, and mindless consumption. It advocates for manufacturing that respects people, the environment and animals.
The World Resources Institute suggests that companies need to design, test and invest in business models that reuse clothes and maximise their useful life. The UN has launched the Alliance for Sustainable Fashion to address the damages caused by fast fashion. It is seeking to ‘halt the environmentally and socially destructive practices of fashion’.
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Maiti, Rashmila. “Fast Fashion: Its Detrimental Effect on the Environment.” Earth.Org, 30 May 2024, earth.org/fast-fashions-detrimental-effect-on-the environment/#:~:text=The%20Dark%20Side%20of%20Fast%20Fashion&text=It%20dries%20up%20water%20sources,of%2050%20billion%20plastic%20bottles.
Less unsustainable is not sustainable
Fashion companies should not be allowed to simultaneously profess their commitment to sustainability, while opposing regulatory proposals that deliver the same end. Businesses must disclose their lobbying efforts, use their clout to affect positive change while engineering a business system that is regenerative. To demonstrate progress, stewardship reports should become mandatory, more quantitative, thinner, more attune to planetary thresholds and be subject to annual external audits.
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“The Myth of Sustainable Fashion.” Harvard Business Review, 14 Jan. 2022, hbr.org/2022/01/the-myth-of-sustainable-fashion.
