Sustainable fashion is More than a trend, It is a Necessity

Written by Marisa

I wish to share a very personal and deeply held belief of mine: low-rise, bootcut jeans...preferably with bedazzled pockets are superior. Now that I have stirred the sweet kettle of controversy, let me defend myself. My enthusiastic support for a bygone trend, often dismissed as an early 21st-century fashion horror story, (Let’s be clear, this title should go to skinny jeans), is rooted in something that is an integral part of my daily life- my personal style through sustainable fashion. I am passionate about fashion sustainability and have continued to explore this topic outside of my trips to the thrift store due to the jarring truth about the fashion industry and its effects on our environment. Sustainable fashion teaches the importance of being purposeful, and informed while inspiring some cute outfits! This is where science meets style.

Picture this: me, a roguish and humble beauty, donning a get up that looks like Stevie Nicks meets Country Club mom who got lost at a dive bar, addressing my freshman year Sustainable Energy class. With conviction, I launch into my presentation, saying something to the effect of, “The fashion industry is responsible for approximately 10% of CO2 emissions...chemical pollutants in manufacturing, microplastics from synthetic fabrics, treatments for wool and leather etc. pollute our water, soil, and atmosphere... 80% of clothing produced ends up back in the landfill, a gross reflection of a quantity over quality, fast fashion, consumerist culture! Solutions for systemic change in the fashion industry include replacing current industry business operations with circular business models, putting money into research for sustainable fabrics, agricultural practices, and manufacturing processes ... there are still things that can be done on an individual level...if not, our Earth and the ecosystems within it will perish because of your Zara tees and Target impulse buys!” I take a deep breath and survey my audience, gauging their reaction. Their faces are vacant, but I know they feel grateful to be enlightened by my supreme wisdom!

​

Silk scarves, vintage tea dresses, what I deem to be an appropriate amount of animal print, bell bottoms, and platform boots-- so many boots. If I like it, I wear it. I have adopted many sustainable practices into my daily life, giving my vagabond soul a sense of purpose. I would like to say I immediately went all in, never buying anything new again. Alas, the cold, clammy grip of materialism was too strong. Fortunately, I did not let the fact that I am a pawn of consumerist culture deter me. Taking baby steps, I increased my thrift finds, traded clothes with roommates, bought less impulsively and made higher quality purchases that would last longer. The ultimate goal is to decrease overall consumption. It’s not an all-or-nothing deal; it’s a collective decrease.

​

While thrifting is an obvious solution, there are still repercussions. For example, fabrics such as polyester release microplastics every time they are washed. 500,000 tonnes of microfiber plastics end up in the oceans annually. And lastly, consumers and designers want to create and purchase new designs. The solution to this is sustainable textiles. Sustainable textiles are creeping their way into high fashion and name-brand companies. For example, Stella McCartney’s mushroom leather bag, or collaboration with Bolt Thread’s Microsilk; Ralph Lauren uses Mirum by Natural Fiber Works; And Dauphinette has partnered with TômTex for biodegradable leather. While I cannot stop millennials from wearing high-waisted skinny jeans, men from tucking in Chelsea boots into fugly khakis, and internet fashion girls from wearing Gossip Girl-esque opaque hosiery. I can hope the jeans are burned (just kidding, send them to Blue Jeans Go Green.), the boots are made from mushroom leather, and the tights are spider silk compounds. Fashion faux pas' deserve a redeemable quality; why not a planet-friendly twist?

​

Most people will not assume that a woman with my chic and idiosyncratic tendencies can go on and on about circular business models, agricultural plans, and textile sciences, and spew the devastating statistics surrounding climate change and loss of biodiversity in global ecosystems. But they sure will ask themselves, “Why is this lady still going on about rechanneling government funds, carbon-negative textiles, and the horrors of washing polyester? I just said I liked her coat.” I never suspected my love for zebra print and shiny things would connect me to sustainability science and business. Sustainable Fashion practices are in the hands of the individual and the fashion industry. Thrifting and clothing swapping can create a sense of community on a smaller scale while making an effort to invest in eco-friendly textiles is where scientists and designers in the industry can make their creations responsibly shine. Perhaps, seeking to create and consume responsibly is the key to feeling satisfied enough to stop over consuming. It just goes to show that sustainable fashion is both intellectually stimulating and totally sexy.