Recycled clothing as an eco-friendly alternative to fast fashion is reshaping the industry as some fashion business brands are meeting consumer demand for more sustainable products.
The World Economic Forum emphasized that eco-friendly clothing, which includes recycled and sustainable fabrics and material, can help tackle many environmental problems caused by fast fashion. Using recycled materials for clothing can reduce carbon dioxide by 80 per cent and also reduce chemical and water usage.
Eco-friendly fashion brands are not only about green products, they are about shaping business strategies, consumer behaviour and policy.
As consumers become more aware of the environmental and social consequences when it comes to purchasing decisions, they become more aware of sustainability and second-hand clothing.
Consumers are indicating price is no longer the lone driver regarding clothes, they are interested in compostable material.
A McKinsey and Company survey from April 2020 of 2,000 respondents in the U.K. and Germany, reported that 60 per cent of consumers would rather pay for second-hand clothing.
It said consumers have already begun changing their behaviour whereas 57 per cent have made changes to their lifestyles to lessen their environmental impact.
Allison Skinner, a second-year student in the Fashion Arts and Business program at Humber North campus, said she can tell which brand is eco-friendly.
“When you look at a brand like Athleta which is a benefit corporation certified to a brand like H&M that has a messy greenwashing scandal,” Skinner said.
“You can clearly see which company values eco-friendliness and which company eco-friendliness is an afterthought,” she said.
In comparison to regular clothing, second-hand clothing is made from organic cotton, hemp, Tencel or recycled fabrics and has a different production process.
Earth.org, an environmental news site, explained that of the 100 billion garments produced each year, 92 million tonnes end up in landfills. The fashion industry is a major contributor to global waste and millions of clothing that end up in the landfill each year.
Skinner said some consumers find it important to wear second-hand clothing. It also helps bring their business up more and bring more and more customers who are interested in sustainability and help stop the landfill issue, she said.
“I think it is important for the fashion business to start a second-hand clothing line, it gives the consumers an opportunity to buy their favourite brands in a more sustainable way,” Skinner said.
She said it also helps bring more understanding to the world on why eco-friendly is important, preventing pollution and the increase of landfills for every clothing line or fashion business and transforming towards a more sustainable future.
