Sustainable fashion isn’t a trend. It’s a monumental shift in the way we design and consume. Get ahead of the change. Build sustainability into the DNA of your brand and people will come. This article explores some crucial elements to grasp when starting a sustainable fashion brand. Define Brand Ethics Take a long look at these two vital aspects: environmental responsibility and social responsibility. They are crucial to include in your planning. Environmental responsibility in the fashion industry includes attention to every phase of an article’s lifespan. This goes beyond simple fabric sourcing. It accounts for everything from production through to disposal of the item once the consumer is ready to discard it. Some necessary questions to ask will be:
What is the environmental footprint of each garment? How many seasons will you release a year? How can consumers wash your product? Is your product biodegradable?
Embody these responsibilities to the environment and the consumer, but remember that ‘sustainability’ is not your concept. The market is already saturated with plenty of self-claimed ‘eco-conscious’ brands that are in many cases guilty of ‘green-washing’. They make many claims regarding their sustainability practices, however many of them are not true to their marketing. These brands are also drastically underestimating their consumer. Your consumer knows better and your consumer cares. As Gonzalo Pertile stated recently in one of CommonShare’s digital show webinars “If a brand doesn’t have a focus on sustainability or a strategy around it, in the long-term they will become obsolete because the customer is asking for it.” Gonzalo Pertile is Madewell’s Director of Corporate Social Responsibility.
Connect Establish connections with larger brands you admire. The fashion industry is very collaborative when it comes to sustainability matters. The current age of sharing has made connection and collaboration an important tool for startup businesses working within the fashion industry. The cross-over of marketing and resources can be mutually beneficial for all parties involved by the exposure of each other’s networks. Get Certified Make sure to have certifications (preferably third-party) to back up your sustainability claims. As mentioned earlier, consumers know better and care more than ever before. For example, if you state you are fair trade, then make sure you have the documentary evidence to back that up. Be Up to Date with Innovation Upcoming fashion brands need to be on the lookout and connect with new innovative technologies from the start. Make sure you are ready to implement them at a large scale when they become more widely available. Source Sustainable Fabric & Ethical Labor Your two fundamental sourcing questions to answer while sourcing will be ‘what?’ and ‘from where?’. What fabrics will you use to ensure the lowest possible environmental effects? From where will you source the fabric, construction, and assemblage to ensure that your brand is socially responsible and supports an ethical and transparent supply chain? It’s important to not compromise during this important stage.
Natural Fiber Fabrics: Natural fabrics such as hemp, linen, and wool come from natural sources (plants and animals), and require minimal processing, typically have a long product life, and are biodegradable and or compostable. Their source, manufacturing, and end-of-life phases have a much lower impact on the environment than synthetic fabrics. Hemp for example can be grown and processed using methods that produce a carbon-negative fabric.
Semi-Synthetic Fabrics: Semi-synthetic fibers are sourced from natural sources, but the fibers are processed intensively. The sustainability of the fabric depends on the processing of the fiber. So in this category, you have lyocell (brand name Tencel) which is a very sustainable fiber, and bamboo rayon which can be a very polluting fabric. Bamboo is a fast-growing plant and the fiber is a prime candidate to become a sustainable fabric. Unfortunately, bamboo is often treated with rayon/viscose processing methods. which involve the use of harsh chemicals. Look for a closed-loop system when sourcing semi-synthetic fibers. This means that all chemicals used in the process are reclaimed and reused.
Synthetic Fabrics: Polyester, polyamide, nylon, and acrylic are examples of synthetic fabrics, which come from fossil fuels (natural gas, oil, and coal). The sourcing, processing, dyeing, and manufacturing of synthetic fabrics is dirty and polluting. They continue to pollute each time a consumer washes them - releasing plastic microparticles into the waterways. These plastic microfibers then make their way into lakes, streams, oceans, and eventually fish. They are not biodegradable and we currently have no way to effectively clean them up, so if you want to be truly sustainable, stay away from synthetic fabrics.
Recycled Fabrics and Dead-stock: There is one and only one exception to using synthetics in sustainable clothing and that is: recycled fabric. Recycled synthetics take a problem and turn it into a solution. Deadstock or surplus fabrics are leftover or unused by mills, factories, or big brands, and then re-sold at an affordable price instead of being tossed into the garbage. Many brands base their lines purely on recycled or dead-stock fabrics which is alluring to consumers.
Ethical Labor Ask the following questions when sourcing a factory to produce your garments.
Are they transparent in their ethical and fair trade working conditions and workers’ rights? Do they follow closed-loop processing for chemical treatments and dyes? Do they have responsible waste management systems in place? Do they conserve water and energy in their processing?
Create Timeless Pieces From the quality of the fabric to the construction, to the packaging, to your brand message - make it timeless, ageless, classic. You want pieces from your brand to be treasured and passed from generation to generation. Don’t allow yourself to be tempted by fast fashion. Promote, Promote, Promote Establishing your ideal consumer before launching campaigns will optimize the time and money you budget for marketing. If social platforms are your target, you’ll need to create a campaign that will break through the noise of hyper-saturated greenwashing apparel accounts. Your campaign should convey a clear message that is consistent with your brand’s purpose. Create images and phrasing that captivate and inspire your consumer to invest in your brand. Tell your brand story - your struggles along the way and why you felt inspired to create the sustainable brand you have created. Be consistent Finally, be consistent. Don’t cut corners in the name of profit. Your customer will know. Brand accountability is more important today than ever. If you remain consistent and true to your brand and customers, they will, quite literally, carry your brand’s purpose on their shoulders. To finish with my quote in the intro, build sustainability into the DNA of your brand and people will come.