Is Sustainable Fashion the Future?

May 13

No, sustainable fashion isn’t the future. Sustainable style is.

People may think that sustainable fashion is the future for any number of reasons, including:

-Awareness and education
-“Consumer” demand (we aren’t consumers, we are citizens)
-Industry collaboration
-Technological innovations
-Regulatory pressures

However, sustainable fashion can be quite expensive, complicated, bland, and even hopeless.

Buying anything will cost money, but buying things that account for environmental and human costs is even more costly.

Sustainable fashion is also inherently complicated because there are so many layers and so much nuance that most people don’t really have the time or expertise for.

I’ve also heard many people complain about the aesthetics of sustainable fashion, which can seem quite bland… I don’t think this is always true, but I can see why people feel this way.

And finally, sustainable fashion can seem quite hopeless… Learning about the many problems and then being told that buying stuff that’s expensive/complicated/bland is the only solution makes it seem like sustainability is only for a few people… But the future should be for everyone!

That’s why I think sustainable style is the future. It’s inexpensive, simple, fun, and hopeful (not to mention inclusive)!

Sustainable style doesn’t require you to buy anything, so you can save money. It’s also really simple, because the most important factor in this equation is you; it basically boils down to what you love (although there are some caveats)… And what you love ties into the fun of sustainable style! With you at the center of the narrative, you’ll be able to have fun with fashion and your wardrobe. And finally, sustainable style is hopeful! Not only will it empower you on an individual level, but your personal transformation is connected to our collective liberation and systemic change. By doing what’s best for you, you can do what’s best for other people and the planet!

So there are quite a few barriers on the individual level to sustainable fashion, so I think the movement has its limits… But with sustainable style everyone can participate in their own way.

The future is both diverse and inclusive, which is why I say sustainable style is the future!

Thank you!

LAND AND LABOR ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Reforme U is currently based in what is known as the United States and wants to acknowledge the unceded land that it currently occupies in order to help decolonize spaces, recognize indigenous stewardship of the land, air, and water we claim as our own, and to combat the invisibility and erasure of Indigenous peoples.

We also acknowledge that much of our country’s culture, economic growth, and development throughout history has been made possible by the violent, coercive, and exploitative forced labor of indigenous peoples, enslaved Africans, Chinese and Japanese immigrants, and migrant workers from the Philippines, Mexico, and Central and South America.

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Is Sustainable Fashion the Future?

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