Eco-friendly is the new trendy!

The situation is the following: you have seen this 10 euros shirt in Primark and you know you don’t really need it but ahh the shirt is so pretty and will match your new velvet skirt perfectly.  It is so difficult to resist a purchase! BUT, with big capital letters, before you run to the store, we have prepared a short article about sustainability. We will explain how that pretty shirt you want to buy is having a really bad impact on our environment.

We are pretty sure you have come across the term climate change. However, for those of us who actually are not so certain what that actually means, here is a short definition to remember: climate change, or global warming, is the rise in temperature on Earth caused by greenhouse gases that trap heat in our atmosphere. Now you probably wonder what does fashion have to do with this? Let us tell you immediately, probably much more than you think. The fashion industry is actually the second most polluting industry in the world and these are some frightening facts:

 About 7000 L of water are used to produce ONE pair of jeans

This is definitely way too much! The amount of water includes growing the cotton and manufacturing the garment, but it doesn’t mention the water used during the countless washings. To make it even worse, Greenpeace found five heavy metals in the waters used for the chemical intense washes of jeans. You probably are wondering right now: what can I do? Since the fashion business is responsible for about 21 billion tons of textiles that end up in landfills a year, I think the most obvious solution is: buy less! Check out Maxine Bédat’s Ted Talk to find out the high cost of our cheap fashion!

Textile production produces 1.2 billion tonnes of CO2 per year !!

 Can’t visualise how much this is? Well, the Fashion Potluck team can try to put this in perspective. This amount of emissions is more than that from international flights and all of the maritime shipping! Warning statistics: in 2015, production of polyester for textile use resulted in more than 706 billion kg of CO2e, this being one of the most dangerous gases. 

How can you help? Buy organic!

One of the best things you can do is to buy organic materials. They have much fewer pesticides and are way better for our health! Super eco-friendly materials are organic cotton, bamboo, hemp and tencel. 

Also if you want to know more about the vegan shoes and some cool brands related to this, take a read to this article by Martina or this one by Kashish. 

You might not be super used to these materials, but check out Fashion Potluck’s favourite picks you can order right now:

                                                                             Rust Organic Cotton Shift Dress by Blue Bungalow 

                                                                               Long Sleeve Dress Organic Cotton Grey by Annukka

                                                                       White Oversize Shirt Dress from Organic Cotton by Brown Boy

Also, don’t forget to check out these two sustainable fashion brands we love:

Gather& See: they have zero-waste policies and are eco-friendly and one of our favourite items is definitely this red dress which gives a special spark of confidence. 

                                                                  Building Block Ladder Rib by Gather and See

Woron: they create sustainable fashion lingerie but also comfy sports clothes and these soft leggings are perfect for a chill night home or a morning walk. 

                                                                                           Sustainable leggings by Woron

We believe these brands to be cool. If you prefer another sustainable option, a possibility is to buy handmade clothing. The latter is made out of high-quality materials, with a higher level of personal attention and quality control from the designer. It is made to last for years, rather than to be discarded after one or two seasons, in stark contrast to the fast-fashion consumerism that fuels demand for mass production. Check out some super cool handmade clothing brands on the Conscious Clothing  site. Last but not least, we have found some tips on how to prolong the life of your clothes and avoid buying new ones:

a)    always remember to wash in cold water,

b)    line dry, and

c)    use mild detergents that won’t break down the strength of the fabric.

Using cold water and line drying are more eco-friendly laundering practices than using hot water and machine drying.

These are Fashion Potluck’s top tips on being more sustainable. After all, eco-friendly is the new trendy so why wouldn’t you be?

xxx

The Fashion Potluck team