Sustainable Fashion....

 

CONSCIOUS FASHION

I have always heard this word "sustainability" but in recent years, sustainability has become a buzzword and turned a few heads. But I wouldn't prefer the word ' sustainable', as I would rather use the word 'conscious'  because the word 'sustainable' has been so overused that the very understanding of it has become shallow. the word is limited to the raw material and processes for many people who claim they practice sustainability, and that needs to change.

Fashions is and always will be changing. The way designers create, what consumers buy and even the fibers in clothing change over time.

In Faye Lessler's Green Dreamer article on sustainable fashion, she explains that sustainable fashion is defined as the creation, manufacturing and distribution of clothes in a way that is environmentally friendly. Ethical fashion goes hand in hand with sustainable fashion; it is creating clothing in ways that value employee rights and support social welfare.

Sustainable fashion takes into account the entire chain and life cycle of a garment, from where and how it is made to when it ends    up in our landfills. It is important for us as a consumers to think about how their purchase affects the environment, the lifecycle of their garment and how to invest in clothes that last longer."

The latest fashion trend isn’t a seasonal color or a must-have style: It’s the concept of sustainable fashion and ethical clothing. The textiles industry is wreaking havoc on the environment between the processes to make clothing and the waste when it gets tossed, so brands and consumers alike have taken a much-needed interest in improving these issues.

And while there’s no such thing as “eco-friendly clothing” — i.e. all garments have at least some negative impact on the environment — there are brands working diligently to help make a difference.

1. Ka. Sha

 

Ka-Sha India, which started operations in 2012. 

A London College of Fashion graduate, who always explored ways to  relate sustainability to products, processes  and people, while keeping her designs true to her roots. She was always interested in exploring ways to utilise and procure materials consciously, while understanding how to relate sustainability to textiles or beyond that, how people are treated and how things are done within the organization. a designer who always found unique ways of creating beautiful garments and accessories out of scraps and objects usually considered waste by many. For instance, she once used onion sacks and combined them with wool and ribbons to create a different fabric. She also found a way to convert plastic bags into jackets and a salvaged an old chandelier to make jewellery out of it. The brand’s Heart to Haat project ensures that they’re always coming up with innovative ideas for waste management.

2. SHIFT

For London College of Fashion alumnus Nimish Shah, goes beyond just designing clothes. He is a Designer who is good at putting things together and giving it some context. His dissertation-project-turned-label combines his love for nature, sustainability and a minimal aesthetic that we adore. He uses natural fibers and mill fabrics which is a step towards sustainability and organic fashion that looks at benefiting the environment. They are supporting the use of cotton, khadi and organza, along with vintage colors like khaki, browns, cobalt blue and the occasional scarlet. He believes in reducing waste in every way. He tries to use his label to promote a sociocultural perspective by using sustainable materials and eliminating waste in the way the fabrics are cut and stitched.

3. DOODLAGE

  Armed with the mission to create zero waste, Doodlage makes use of left-over and discarded fabrics from large manufacturers instead of letting them end up in a landfill somewhere. They also use eco-friendly materials like organic cotton, corn and banana fabric for their products. The brand constantly collaborates with other like-minded organization for special projects, including one with an NGO called Goonj. They share excess fabrics from previous collections and the NGO creates reusable sanitary napkins out of them for women in rural areas. Doodlage has proved that with a bit of creativity and conscience, fashion can support both the environment and the local communities.

4. GRASSROOT

Anita Dongre Grassroot is the dairy of India’s craft history. she's representing a beautiful collaboration between yesterday and today. It chronicles and restores heirloom traditions from the heart of our villages and fashions them into contemporary tales. Collaborating closely with artisans and helping create better livelihoods, Grassroot is a tribute to the handcrafted tradition of India. The brand will offer handcrafted traditions from India with an aim to revive and sustain craft traditions, and empower craft and artisans to live a life of respect, dignity and independence.