It means going beyond simply following local labour laws. Speaking of which, I wrote about my 9 tips to shopping more mindfully! Of course, being transparent is only the first step towards being more sustainable and ethical. Are they the same? Starting your sustainable fashion journey can be tricky and it's easy to feel overwhelmed - how do you navigate through this ocean of information and terminology? There you have it: the ultimate sustainable and ethical fashion glossary? Here are 22 sustainable and ethical fashion words you need to know! All materials break down eventually, but some of them can take thousands of years and can release chemicals and harmful substances in the process. Organic cotton, in particular, is becoming popular, although its production is far from perfect. In light of this definition, sustainable fashion refers to a more environmentally-friendly approach to designing, manufacturing and consuming clothes, making sure we cause little to no harm to our planet and don’t use up all its natural resources. Sustainable fashion terminology: slow fashion. We talk about cruelty-free fashion when referring to a product (usually cosmetics) that has not been tested on animals. Brands & Consumers. Ethical fashion can also include the fair treatment of animals, vegan and cruelty-free fashion. How Soon Will Climate Change Force You to Move? Ethical and sustainable fashion are often used interchangeably. Use our Directory to search more than 2,000 brands. Ethical fashion covers a wide range of issues such as living wages, working conditions, health and safety, forced labour, child labour. Upcycling also turns waste into reusable material, but of better quality. For example, we’ve asked consumers what does sustainable fashion mean to them. Sustainable fashion? It means buying better quality garments less often that will last for longer, and values fair treatment of people, animals, and the planet. Lush is an excellent example of a cruelty-free company. One of the most popular sustainable fashion terms to look for is organic clothing; a general label that refers to clothes made without harmful chemicals, pesticides, … Conscious fashion is all about positively rethinking our decision and buying process to move away from mindless consumerism. This step is crucial to transparency: how can a company disclose information on a product if it doesn’t know all the steps involved in making it? Hate to break it to you, but there is no such thing as being 100% sustainable with fashion… It refers to raw materials that are not genetically modified (GM) and have been grown without any chemical pesticides and insecticides. Financial Times. Because organic products are becoming increasingly popular, using the word “organic” can be incredibly persuasive: beware of greenwashing and of fashion brands claiming to do better when they are still not addressing other vital issues. Being transparent means publishing all information about every actor involved in the production process, from start to finish, from the fields to the store shelves. It is worth noting, however, that cruelty-free doesn’t always mean vegan, so if you want your clothes and accessories entirely animal-free, don’t rely on this as the standard! It allows customers to know exactly what they’re buying, with details from every step of the production process. Greenwashing is an increasing concern nowadays as companies are trying to benefit from the growing demand for eco-friendly and ethical clothes. Second-hand is one of the most sustainable fashion options out there, as you’re reducing your impact by not buying “new”. Fairtrade is also a term we see quite a lot in our supermarkets. William McDonough and Michael Braungart’s Cradle to Cradle, Climate urgency: it’s now, and it might be you. Sustainable fashion means finding a balance when designing, manufacturing, and consuming clothes. There's no such thing. Companies usually market supposedly “environmentally-friendly” initiatives, like having one tiny eco-friendly line, using recycled packaging and switching to LED lights in their offices while not addressing critical environmental and labour issues. But true sustainability must incorporate three important factors: ethics, the environment and the economy. Synthetic clothes, which are one of the largest sources of environmental pollution, are responsible for more than one-third of all microplastics polluting our waters. At Good On You, one of the three areas we are most passionate about and look closely at when rating brands is animal welfare, so this is a definition close to our hearts! Is a minimalist wardrobe the key to a happier and more sustainable lifestyle? Being transparent means publishing all information about every actor involved in the production process, from start to finish, from the fields to the store shelves. It’s not about having nothing; it’s about having less. Coined by Kate Fletcher of the Centre for Sustainable Fashion, following the phenomenon of the slow food movement, slow fashion is, put simply, the opposite of fast fashion. Feature image via Unsplash. So some companies have started looking at recycling plastic into new clothes: for example, turning plastic bottles into yarn to make fleece sweaters or leggings. Fear not, we’re here to help! For some, ‘ethical fashion’ focuses more on the social impact of the fashion industry … William McDonough and Michael Braungart’s Cradle to Cradle, Learn more about the ins and outs of recycled plastic clothing, Discover the best ethical and sustainable fashion brands from all over the world, Here are some ‘Good’ and ‘Great’ organic brands, Discover our favourite vegan fashion brands, Read our guide to cruelty-free hair and skincare (on a budget), Here are our tips for selling old clothes online. In short, they’re not exactly ethical and sustainable. Lush, for example, is a well-known cruelty-free company. It refers to buying less, to reducing our consumption of clothes and focusing on things that will last longer (instead of that cheap polyester top that shrunk the first time you put in the washing machine, WHY). Green fashion, ethical fashion, fair fashion, sustainable fashion? Ethical fashion goes beyond your local labour laws and covers a wide range of issues such as living wages, working conditions, animal welfare, and vegan fashion. There are so many words and definitions, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed at first. In addition, fashion companies should contribute to encouraging more sustainable consumption patterns, caring and washing practices, and overall attitudes to fashion. It is often used to imply sustainability, ethical practices or eco fashion. By: Lauren Indvik. Slow Fashion also focuses on “style” rather than “fashion”; this means developing a personal sense of taste instead of frantically following trends. A capsule wardrobe is a logical selection of clothing that you not only love to wear, but that is practical and versatile. Here is: How to be Sustainable! "Many sustainable labels are genuine pioneers in seeking to transform the industry from inside out," Bel Jacobs, of Extinction Rebellion's "Boycott Fashion" campaign, said. It is like a living organism — always evolving and changing. Also based on the Cradle to Cradle approach, it’s a concept we’ve been hearing about more and more. Sustainable fashion wears a lot of different hats and can be approached from several angles. Organic is a term we see a lot in the food industry, but which also applies to fashion. Upcycling – is taking an item that is no longer needed or wanted and giving it new life as something that is either useful or creative. You’ve probably heard about fair trade before or have seen certifications on products at the supermarket. It means being able to trace back each component of an item throughout the supply chain, from the raw material to the zipper and everything in between. That´s why we have put together this glossary for you. At Good On You, we believe fashion brands have a responsibility and should be transparent about their impact. Like many other industries, fashion is shaped by economic and political forces. Circular fashion moves away from the traditional take-make-dispose business model. If you’ve heard of Marie Kondo, then you might already have an idea of what minimalism is. This guide from The Guardian breaks down the sometimes confusing terminology around sustainable fashion. All these terms are used almost interchangeably, however, they all mean something different according to their definitions. What do they all mean? Whether you have started, or are planning to become a sustainable fashion designer, designing on sustainability principles is a lot more than using organic fabrics, dyes, and textiles. Carbon offsetting happens when a company, or even an individual, invests in one or more environmental projects to balance out their greenhouse gas emissions and become carbon neutral. But since recycled plastic clothing is still plastic after all, the topic is contentious and highly debated in the industry. We’ve created this super sustainable and ethical fashion glossary so you can navigate the ethical fashion world with ease. In light o f this definition, sustainable fashion refers to a more environmentally-friendly approach to designing, manufacturing and consuming clothes, making sure … There’s an Overlooked Product That You Definitely Use That’s Destroying Vital Forests, Age of Super-Storms; Bane of Climate Change, Climate Change And Health: Get Ready For The Transition, National Environmental Policy Act Revisions — Another Case of Botch-ilism, A Quick Reflection On Our Use Of Plastics. The terminology around sustainable fashion can feel confusing. Traceability for a company means knowing its supply chains from start to finish, and being able to trace back each component of a product, from the raw material to the clothes tag and everything in between. It was born on 24th April 2013, when the Rana Plaza factory collapsed, killing 1138 people and injuring many more. Ethical fashion, sustainable fashion, eco-friendly, organic, fair trade, vegan… what do they all mean?! Circular Fashion moves away from the traditional linear take-make-dispose business model. It’s not a new concept, although we’ve been hearing about it more and more. Organic farming practices avoid using harmful chemicals while aiming for environmental sustainability and the use of fewer resources. It is about re-using and re-purposing old items to make something new, like using old bedsheets to make a face mask. Fairtrade, on the other hand, specifically refers to the certifying and labelling organisation Fairtrade International. People are increasingly looking for products that are better for them and for the environment. There are many fashion brands throwing “green terminology” around. That’s another word we’ve been hearing a lot since 2013. Whether you’re new to the world of sustainable fashion or an ethical fashion veteran, ethical and sustainable fashion terminology can be… confusing, to say the least. It forms a key part of the toxic system of overproduction and consumption that has made fashion one of the largest polluters in the world. It’s about ensuring the fashion industry both creates good and avoids harm, whether to people, the planet, or animals. The True Cost Documentary The True Cost is a groundbreaking film about the clothes we wear, the people who make them, and the impact the industry is having on our world. This could mean using regeneration processes, like donating a portion of sales to plant trees, or even investing in carbon neutral shipping. It’s based partly on William McDonough and Michael Braungart’s Cradle to Cradle design philosophy (they wrote a book about it, which I highly recommend). 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