Written by Harriet Grewer
In the ever-changing fashion industry, it is no surprise that sustainable fashion has started to make a breakthrough within the market, as a new generation of conscious consumers demand transparency from the brands they love. As a battle to remain relevant many brands find themselves producing conscious clothing lines that market their actions towards a greener future. However, how often is it that we stop to think about why a brand is really doing this and if what they are doing is enough?
Girlfriend Collective are a brand that centres around transparency, providing customers with simple yet stylish pieces that are eco-friendly and high quality. The brand focuses on producing clothing that not only looks great but also appeals to those that care about where their clothing comes from. Girlfriend collective are unique when it comes to sustainability, their ethical practices are highlighted in the entirety of the brands website, informing customers of the manufacturing process, material usage and workers’ rights documents.
Many brands continue to feed consumers misleading information, leaving shoppers unaware of the need for more transparent and ethical brands like Girlfriend Collective. The importance of transparency in every area of the production and distribution process allows consumers to make an educated decision when it comes to purchasing fashion. Girlfriend Collective focus on everything from raw materials to partnerships, ensuring each aspect is sustainable and environmentally friendly.
To many people the idea a buying sustainably sourced fashion is no question, however recent statistics show that most consumers would not or do not buy sustainable fashion. So, what is going wrong?
Buying sustainably is not always an option for every consumer, the underlying pressure to choose between price and sustainability leaves shoppers disconnected from the significant issues and in turn push them towards fast fashion. But having to choose between the two is not the problem.
A slower approach to consuming would encourage shoppers to spend more on timeless pieces that they would continue to wear over a handful of years.
As a brand all about giving back, Girlfriend Collective created a recycling scheme encouraging consumers to send back clothing they no longer want in exchange for store credit on future purchases. Providing a recycling service gives consumers the option to dispose of unwanted clothes responsibly whilst benefitting from the brand incentives. As consumers we want to gain as much as possible from every penny we spend and implementing incentives just might be what we need to encourage sustainable shopping.
Increasingly small-scale fashion businesses are adopting sustainable clothing as a way of promoting slow fashion to the everyday consumer. The Brand TALA, set up by Grace Beverley, is one of many sustainable fashion labels that offer consumers affordable and luxurious clothing without disregarding ethical issues. Access to sustainable brands has encouraged many consumers to make the switch to slow fashion, putting quality before quantity.
The growing awareness of sustainable fashion encourages younger generations to look further than the usual high street stores, engage with transparent brands and buy responsibly as fashion begin to change. With its many benefits slow fashion is leading the way to a more sustainable future and has become a not-so-distant destination for the consumers of today.
Feature image by Edward Howell on Unsplash.
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