By Ceri Heathcote
Eco fashion is a term that is regularly used in the media and fashion press. It is used to describe fashion that has minimal or reduced environmental impact and includes organic clothing, clothing made from sustainable materials, recycled and second hand clothes. Eco fashion has become hot news as consumers start to recognize the impact of fast fashion in our throw away society. The effect on the environment of pesticides used in cultivation of cotton has been well documented and the manufacture, distribution and disposal of clothing also has many other impacts on the environment including the carbon footprint of manufacture and transport and the huge amount of landfill generated by clothing that is thrown away.
Consumers are looking for a more sustainable ways to look both stylish and fashionable. There are number of ways that consumers can buy eco friendly fashion that will give them a guilt free shopping experience and reduce their impact on the environment.
Second Hand clothing- Buying a selling second hand clothing is a great way to minimalise the impact of clothing on the environment and reduce waste. There are many ways that you can buy, sell or swap your second hand clothing including through consignment shops, on ebay, at a swishing (clothes swapping) party or through a clothes swapping website (where no fee is charged for buying, selling or swapping).
Organic Clothing - Organic clothing can be made form a variety materials. The most common is organic cotton which is cultivated without the use of chemical pesticides that are routinely used in high levels for the growth of conventional cotton. Other organic clothing includes hemp and bamboo which is very soft and comfortable. People choose to wear organic clothing both to protect themselves from the potentially harmful effects of pesticide residues present in conventional natural fabrics and also to minimize the environmental and ecological impact of the manufacture of clothing. Organic clothing has to adhere to strict guidelines for the growth of the fibres and manufacture as specified by a number of standards including The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) and The International Organic Accreditation Service (IOAS).
Clothing made from sustainable materials - In some ways there is some overlap with clothing made from sustainable material and organic clothing. Organic clothing is generally considered sustainable due to the way it is grown but sustainable clothing also includes clothing a wide range of fibers that do not use petro chemicals in their manufacture. Other sustainable materials include recycled fabrics or materials, hemp, bamboo and soy.
Recycled Clothing - Recycled clothing is made from recycled materials including waste fabric and other recycled materials that are made into fabrics. Both natural and man made fibers can be recycled. Ecospun is a recycled polyester fiber from recycled plastic pop bottles. Some companies now recycle clothing using the common threads system.
