Post by Alex McIntosh, CEO of Create Sustain.
If there was ever a moment to stop and take stock of the way we think about, acquire and use fashion, Covid-19 has given us the pause we need. As we linger in lockdown, we have a unique opportunity to look at and appreciate what we already have and to question what we need and even what we might want in the future.
Sustainable fashion has taken on something of a buzz in recent years with brands and retailers flocking to flaunt their eco credentials. This is certainly not a bad thing and the proliferation of new material and product innovations offers an opportunity to make sustainability a meaningful part of our purchasing decisions.
We can all be more conscious and supportive of those who are taking positive steps to improve production practices and place environmental and social considerations at the heart of their business.
Re-Framing The Discussion Around Sustainable Fashion
However the way clothing is produced is only part of the picture. The reality is that despite all the efforts being made our collective addiction to newness, driven by an endless stream of multimedia nudges, keeps the focus firmly on where and how we consume, rather than what we do with things once we have them in our possession.
So perhaps the first rule of sustainable fashion is to re-frame the discussion; to talk about how we experience clothing rather than signposting endless opportunities to consume more, green or not.
In many ways it is a non sequitur to refer to clothing as consumable. We acquire and then use clothes over a period of time. Then we make a decision at some point that those clothes are no longer useful to us. That might be because they don’t fit anymore or because the colour has changed, or there is a small mark or tear in the fabric.
These ’flaws’ have become social signals that tell us a garment has lost its value but in fact they do not in most cases mean it is no longer usable or that it has been ‘consumed’. That garment, whatever we choose to do with it, remains in the world somewhere, even if only in a landfill.
Treat With Care
If we make an effort to buy in a more considered way and to look for brands and products that align with our values then the next logical step must be to treat with care the things that have been carefully produced for us. Surely if we are going to invest more thoughtfully in our fashion choices we should also take the time to learn about the best ways to tend to our wardrobe and make sure our clothes are worn well.
There are a number of initiatives, platforms and guides to help us all take better care of our clothes; perhaps the most effective individual act of environmental consciousness in fashion terms. From the Clever Care platform that offers extensive guidance on reducing the impact of cleaning, to the recently launched Siemens Sustainable Fabric Guide giving direction on the best ways to look after new and often unfamiliar sustainable fabrics which are becoming increasingly common as brands race to take up a position of environmental leadership.
Much needs to change to make fashion an industry that exists in balance with planetary boundaries but we can all takes steps to question our own purchasing habits and make better use of the clothes we do choose to buy. It may feel like a drop in the ocean but as a famous author once said ‘what is an ocean but a multitude of drops’.
Bio
Alex McIntosh is CEO of Create Sustain; founding member of the Centre for Sustainable Fashion at London College of Fashion and leader the Fashion Futures MA programme; former MD of Christopher Raeburn.
