What Is Sustainable Fashion?

The word ‘sustainable’ is used, and misused, in many different ways. So, what is sustainable fashion? It can be unhelpful as it isn’t explicit and definitions can differ. Broadly, it means an activity that can be continued indefinitely. Fashion, as it is, cannot sustain itself. Below, is an outline of Sustainable Fashion Week’s global vision for sustainability in the fashion industry.

Low Impact

A sustainable fashion industry is one that is significantly low impact. It doesn’t exploit workers. It doesn’t damage biodiversity, habitats, and the land. It doesn’t adversely affect human health or abuse animals. It doesn’t fuel climate change.

As we look to the future, our activity in creating and utilizing clothing must be regeerative — giving more to nature and communities than it takes as resources. This way of working must protect ecosystems and communities across the globe.

A Culture Of Exchange

A sustainable fashion industry is one that moves away from a culture of extraction, and exploitation, for a culture of exchange.

Sustainable Fashion Week’s ideal shift is to have a healthy exchange with nature, where clothing is produced with a “soil to soil” circular mentality. SFW wants new channels of exchange between individuals and communities.

What does this look like?

  • Swapping
  • Sharing
  • Collaborating

Additionally, transformative change includes an exchange between stakeholders in the fashion industry that can share data and best practices to help speed up progress for a more sustainable, just, and ethical future.

Collective Action

A sustainable fashion industry is one where everyone can come together as a community and as consumers. Together, we can stand against the fast fashion machine to reject the ideas that cheap and poor quality clothing is made in the best interest of people.

But, What Does All Of That Mean?

Sustainable Fashion Week’s four themes explore how we can be a part of the movement and work toward creating a clean, green, and just fashion industry and future. These are our beginning practical actions that support a vision for change: rewear, reconnect, regenerate, and repurpose.

Illustrations by Holly Maguire.

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