Fashion is the second largest polluting industry! Yes, that's right, not so pretty after all.
So, I'm gonna hit you with some statistics...
The fashion industry accounts for 10% of all global carbon emissions - which is more than all international flights and maritime shipping!
The average British or European person now buys 60% more items of clothing and keeps them for about half as long as they did 15 years ago.
In the UK alone, 2 million tonnes of clothing are thrown away each year and only 16% of that waste is reused.
Shocking, right?
When I initially went into the fashion industry I quickly realised what a greedy, destructive industry it actually is. This is when I discovered the value sustainability and the importance of protecting our planet, whilst still enjoying the positive side to fashion. We are seeing a huge awakening in conscious consumers - people adopting sustainable habits and altering their ethos.
We as consumers have the ability to vote with our money. I think we need to realise how much control we have, it's called 'consumer demand'. Someone once said, if everybody in the UK stopped buying one specific brand of toothpaste [for example] within the week it'd be gone.
I want to mention not all of fashion is bad. Fast Fashion is the destructive sector of the industry, where brands sell clothes cheap enough to throw away. Just think about that for a second, because that's insane. We are creating a disposable fashion trend which is killing the planet. Nature is our only home, and we are destroying it.
It is no secret that sustainable products come at a higher cost, this is due to the fact garment workers are paid a living wage, raw materials don't use harmful chemicals, therefore aren't grown at un-natural rates and the quality of the fabric and stitching is a lot higher as they are expected to last throughout trends.
But, sustainability helps reduce the cost in the long run, to you and to the environment - it's an investment.
There are hundreds of ways to be more sustainable within your wardrobe and in your day to day life. An important point is there is no right and wrong way to do it, as long as you're giving it a good go! It is impossible to be 'perfectly sustainable' so don't beat yourself up about it. Not everyone can be the next Greta Thunberg! Sometimes life takes over, and it isn't our greatest priority and you know what, that's alright!! The very fact you're reading this blog shows your interest in sustainability. It's about turning on a lightbulb within you that allows you to make better, more informed decisions. If you are interested in finding out more ways to be sustainable in your day to day life stay tuned for my next blog post '25 ways to be more sustainable'.
We are the first generation to understand climate change and the last generation to do anything about it - Dilys Williams (Director of the Centre of Sustainability)
Amy xo