Slow fashion has now walked beyond being a trend and has altered into a wave of change in the fashion industry. Every other day conscious consumers are drawing more and more toward sustainable alternatives.

People want to choose a better durable, sustainable, and eco-friendly fashion that does not hurt the planet. Stand-ins like switching to ethically sourced fabrics and fair-trade products are emerging more frequently than they ever used to be.

Fleeting at the rate of 8.3% CARG sustainable fashion industry has been estimated to expand from 7,548.2 million(2022) to 16,819 million(2032).

In the past few year’s popularity of sustainable and durable fashion has marginalized various small, fast fashion commenters to the corner. According to Good Market Tales report, approximately more than 50% of Genz consumers are willing to pay 10% more for sustainable clothes.

So, what could be the reason for entrusting itself ethically so much, that now it has addressed as the future of the fashion industry, vogue’s next conference 2018 it was announced that the future will be built on sustainability?

Sustainable fashion V/s Fast fashion

First, understand there is a huge impact of the fast fashion industry on the environment which is also the most vital reason why more and more eco-conscious consumers are turning to vegan and eco-friendly alternatives.

What is fast fashion?

Fast fashion is the apparel, clothing, and textile practices that involve the usage of chemicals and fabric materials that are either produced synthetically or through harmful means.

What synthetic fabrics are used in fast fashion?

• Polyester
• Nylon
• Polyvinyl chloride
• Microfiber
• Polypropylene
• Spandex
• Acrylic

Taking a closer look at each fabric you will notice all of these fibers are one or another form of plastic and chemical compound polymer.

These synthetic fabrics are mostly made of polyester, each fiber with a different form. Polyester is a type of polymer with the same ingredient as plastic that is mainly produced from fossil fuel- petroleum, a non-renewable resource of energy.

Petroleum is used in 99% of plastic manufacturing, standing at 1st place in terms of producing Greenhouse gases. Synthetic fabrics are solely dependent on non-renewable resources for so long that it has ranked as the 2nd largest polluter in the world.

The fast fashion industry is the second largest air and land pollution contributor. Responsible for releasing 200,000 to 500,000 metric tones of synthetic textiles micro-plastic in the ocean. Every year 92 million tones of textile waste are in landfills.

So, isn’t this all enough of a reason why more and more people are switching to eco-friendly and sustainable fabrics?

Now that you know how fast the fashion industry impacts the environment, let’s discuss where the sustainable fashion industry stands on the same ground.

How sustainable fashion is better than fast fashion?

Sustainable fashion embraces eco-friendly practices and materials like hemp cloth, repurposing existing materials, and creating new products with minimal environmental impact.

Sustainable fashion or the slow fashion industry prioritizes conserving nature at all levels. Upcycling, circular economy, plant-based fabrics, biodegradables, eco-friendly, fairtrade, and many more terms like this are used to describe sustainable fashion.

At present sustainable apparel industry is worth $6.5 Billion and is forecasted to be $10.1 billion by the year 2025.

What is sustainable fashion?

Sustainable fashion is better than fast fashion in various aspects from environment to production and human health.

Let’s dive deep and understand how sustainable fashion is better than fast fashion.

• Environment:

Sustainable fashion is mostly created with plant-based fabric like Hemp, Bamboo, and linen that is biodegradable and does not accumulate in an environment in the form of waste. Whereas fast fashion uses synthetic fabric to create products that do not decompose naturally and accumulate resulting in soil pollution, water pollution, and the list just never ends.

• Fairtrade & ethical sourcing of raw materials:

Sustainable fashion is mostly created with plant-based fabric like Hemp, Bamboo, and linen that is biodegradable and does not accumulate in an environment in the form of waste. Whereas fast fashion uses synthetic fabric to create products that do not decompose naturally and accumulate resulting in soil pollution, water pollution, and the list just never ends.

• Recycling and upcycling:

Whereas sustainable fabrics like hemp are easier to recycle, synthetic fabrics are better for upcycling old fabrics into new but still, that won’t help in reducing the wastage that happens in billion tonnes anywhere.

• Durable & Quality clothing:

Sustainable fabrics last 40% longer than synthetic fabric and are much more compatible with human skin compared to synthetic fabric. New sustainable fabric manufacturing brands like Weaving Vibes help consumers find the best quality eco-friendly, sustainable, and vegan textiles.

Why are sustainable fabrics better?

• It is eco-friendly
• Produced ethically without using any chemicals
• Hemp fabric and Bamboo fabric need no pesticides to cultivate in nature
• Sustainable fabrics cause no allergic reaction to human skin
• Carbon absorption as sustainable fabrics is sourced from plants, which will lead to more air filtration when these crops are yielded.

Where to find sustainable fashion products?

The main problem most people face while switching to sustainable fashion practices is- finding trusted brands and platforms that provide 100% environmentally friendly sustainable products.

In this era of resources, we can find 1000s of brands marked as sustainable, green fashion manufacturers. How much is that true?

To help you out with that matter. Here are some trusted and certified eco-friendly sustainable brands in India.

• 1. Weaving Vibes:

Based in Mumbai Weaving Vibes is a young startup that focuses on manufacturing 100% plant-based textiles. Weaving Vibes is popular for its Hemp & bamboo textiles which are produced ethically with vegan practices. If you are a new consumer or fashion designer looking for sustainable fabric material, then Weaving Vibes is sure a pick.

• 2. The Harra Label:

Making everyday wear for men and women THL is a design and apparel manufacturer that produces eco-friendly, sustainable, and fashionable clothes.

• 3. Leafaffa:

India-based bag and apparel supplier Leafaffa is an organic and sustainable fashion product creator. Majorly operating on Instagram leafaffa is a go-to all-event product manufacturer.

Conclusion

Lastly, we can say that future consumers of Genz are taking sustainable living one step forward than any generation ever did. Sustainable fashion, vegan skin care, electronic automobiles, vegan food, and what next, guess that’s never to be answered but to be shown.

Fashion has always been a medium of expression. Expressing culture, ideology, status, and beliefs fashion is more than just a piece of cloth it’s a statement, a story that the wearer tells the world with words but by only weaves.

So as more and more people are switching to sustainable fashion it has become obvious that a larger portion of active consumers is dedicating their purchases to a green future, a better future, or maybe the only future the upcoming generation deserves.