UNIT 6.

FURTHER READING
Ethical fashion

Ethical fashion is different for everyone and is defined in varying ways, though
the principles of ethical fashion remain the same: the ultimate meaning of ethical fashion
is fashion that “aims to reduce the negative impact on people, animals, and the planet.”

Ethical fashion takes into consideration the rights of both the people who make the clothing
and the animals from which some materials may be taken, and the environmental impacts
the creation of the clothing may have on the environment.

Ultimately, our ethics are our own, and the ethics we hold with the highest regard can
dictate how we participate in ethical fashion as individuals.

Slow fashion

Slow fashion is both a mindset and a mode of production; it is essentially a movement

intended to slow down the process between the consumer’s need for clothes and the end of
a garment’s life.

To understand it a little better, we need only look at its opposite: fast fashion. Whilst the
core of fast fashion is to pump out as many styles as possible in as little time as possible,
the intention of the slow fashion movement is for consumers to craft a relationship with
the clothing they buy.

What’s more, slow fashion brands have a more considered approach to garment production,
including made-to-order models and limited runs.

Sustainable fashion

Then there is sustainable fashion. Basically, sustainable fashion seeks to create an industry
that is completely devoted to moving fashion towards a more environmentally and socially
conscious future. Longevity surrounds every aspect of a forward-thinking, sustainably
operating business, from its finances to its environmental features, and sustainable fashion
companies are no different. To be quite frank, it is only these businesses that we have room
for on this earth.

Although ethical fashion, slow fashion, and sustainable fashion each hold immense
importance individually, when combined, the three are unstoppable—kind of like
Destiny’s Child. If every one of the principles ruling each of these respective fashion ideals
were merged to create some miracle business model, there would literally be no need for
any abuse, exploitation, or sweatshops in our supply chains. Ethical, slow, and sustainable
fashion may be different in their individual aspects, but the overall goal behind each
remains the same.
Fast fashion

“Need a shirt? Buy a new one. New shirt gets a hole in it? Buy a new one.” This is basically
the concept behind fast fashion. As Melinda Tually, the coordinator of Fashion Revolution,
says: “you know something’s fast fashion if it’s sold in high volume with a low profit
margin.” Essentially, fast fashion is known for its pace; you can bring an item from the
factory to the shop in three to four weeks, and because it’s as cheap as a cup of coffee,
people keep buying it in high amounts. Fast fashion jips the people who buy into it, has
horrific consequences for garment workers who create it, and is a practice that is
completely unsustainable on this planet.

FACT

“It would take 12 years for H&M to use up 1000 tons of fashion waste – the amount of
clothing they produce in about 48 hours.” – Lucy Siegle

“Among 71 leading retailers in the UK, 77% believe there is a likelihood of modern slavery
(forced labour) occurring at some stage in their supply chains” – ethicaltrade.org

“10% of global carbon emissions come from the fashion industry, which is more than
shipping and aviation combined” – Ellen Macarthur Foundation

QUESTIONS
1. What makes a brand ethical?
2. Why is ethical fashion important?
3. What fashion brands are ethical?
4. Why is ethical fashion expensive?