A to Z of Sustainability: Part 2

(Continued)...

F for Fast Fashion-

A term used by fashion retailers to describe inexpensive designs that move quickly from the catwalk to stores to meet new trends.

Fast Fashion (Includes)

• Trend Replication
• Rapid Production (Sometimes an entire line is created within a week)
• Low Quality (Think flimsy Forever 21 tops)
• Competitive Pricing
• Poor Working Conditions & Unfair Wages
• Fashion at the cost of the environment
• Would you still endorse it?

G for Green Washing-

The process of conveying a false impression or providing misleading information about how a company’s products are more environmentally sound than they really are!

Here’s a classic greenwashing example:

Many of you must be aware of H&M’s Green Garment Collection Program. For those of you who are not, H&M runs a cloth collection program, where you give them a bag full of discarded, old clothes and they claim to recycle it. 

Well, the problem doesn’t lie in H&M’s classic reuse, recycle approach, but the fact that fast-fashion brands are themselves a part of the problem.

You drop a bag of old clothes at your nearest store, get a coupon, shop some more and now you have more clothes and the cycle goes on and on and on. There is no end.

H for Hand Crafted-

An article or product made skilfully by hand.

Also known as the labour of love by the ‘hands that make’.

I for Innovation-

The application of better solutions that meet new requirements, unarticulated needs, or existing market needs.

Innovation (in sustainability) is the need of the hour.

• Be it creating newer environment friendly fabrics (Eg- soy, hemp, banana etc)
• Or alternatives for making ethical products (vegan leather made of cactus)
• Or creating products that reduce our dependency on harmful chemicals and materials ( Pressed toothpaste tablets by Bite)
• Every small step leads to a bigger step to the goal.

Innovate. Create. Sustain.

To be continued...