Buying clothes is inevitable. After all, we can't all walk around naked. However, while we cannot exactly stop ourselves from purchasing a piece of clothing now and then, what we can do is control how we do it. Making eco-conscious wardrobe choices is as important as adopting eco-conscious food habits and leading a green lifestyle overall. With that said, if you are big on sustainability, these sustainable fashion trends to watch out for in 2021-22 might pique your interest.
What are the sustainable fashion trends to watch out for in 2021-22?
While on the topic of trends, sustainable fashion is a type of trend in and of itself. But, we aren't here to talk about it in general. We are here to take a deep dive into what it is that makes it ethical and worth practicing this season. And guess what - your sense of style doesn't have to suffer in the process!
Sustainable fashion is a trend in itself, or better yet, a lifestyle choice.
#1 Reduce, reuse, recycle - or better yet - upcycle!
You've probably heard the phrase ''reduce, reuse, recycle.'' While you are certainly encouraged to reduce the number of clothing items you own, reuse them whenever possible, and even recycle them, the ever-growing sustainable fashion industry suggests you turn to upcycling. Now, you may wonder what this term means, and that's why we're here to explain it.
The word itself sounds similar to ''recycling,'' and essentially, both are closely related to one another. However, ''upcycling'' still differs in a couple of ways. The main idea behind it is taking something old and turning it into something new - new and improved - without changing its purpose. That generally means that if you were to upcycle a clothing garment, it would remain a clothing garment, only a better one.
Recycling, on the other hand, takes a slightly different approach. Namely, when you recycle something, you are only making a new thing, but it doesn't necessarily mean that you're getting a superior product. The opposite is often true. The product of recycling is, in most cases, an item of lower quality. Furthermore, a variety of chemicals can be used for the purpose of recycling, thus directly counteracting the positive side of it.
Even if you wanted to recycle your clothes, that wouldn't exactly be an easy thing to do yourself unless you are a chemist. Yes, you could take the contents of your wardrobe to the recycling center, but why bother when you can upcycle instead.
Upcycling is as easy as riding a bike (cycling - get it?). You only need a few old pieces and a bit of creativity. There are so many ideas you can get from the Internet, as far as repurposing old items is concerned, making only the sky your limit!
#2 Ditching the common materials for plant-based materials
Many people have already started making their homes eco-friendly. To create a sustainable environment in your home, you cannot but include plants in it. They allow you to control your carbon footprint and even help you reduce it if, for instance, you are growing certain species to consume them. Well, much like plants help turn your house into an eco-friendly place, they are also capable of transforming the fashion industry into an eco-conscious one.
Widely-used materials, such as leather or cotton (organic cotton not included), contribute to greenhouse gas emissions and deforestation in such a way that it would only make sense to turn to alternatives. More and more brands are turning to plant-based materials in an effort to make the world a better place. The best thing yet - if you didn't know these garments were made from sustainable materials, you would not even be able to tell the difference.
Leather, being harmful to the environment, is being replaced with plant-based alternatives these days.
#3 Introducing product passports
Passports, much like ID cards, are what identify us as individuals. It's all the same with product passports; only they do not identify people but, surprise, surprise, products. This trend has recently gained popularity, making it one of the sustainable fashion trends to watch out for in 2021-22.
A big part of the green fashion movement is transparency. After all, knowing exactly what a particular item is made from, where it's made, or rather, being familiar with its complete history, is highly important to anyone who even remotely cares about the environment. Entire transparency has become a reality thanks to product passports typically stored in QR codes. On top of being able to tell the products' story, these passports also help confirm their authenticity.
#4 Local production
The origin of a clothing item matters just as much as how it was produced. Modern fashion has, for so long, been all about mass production. It still is, although positive changes are slowly but surely being made. It's common for companies that focus heavily on quantity rather than quality to base their production abroad. Typically in countries where labor is cheap, and laws protecting workers are practically non-existent.
It's time to put a stop to these unethical practices! And that's precisely why, in 2022, local production has become a massive part of sustainable fashion. It's easier to ensure fair working conditions when products are made and sold in the local area. On top of that, the whole transporting becomes less of an environmental issue. After all, with fewer miles to cover, the lower the carbon footprint.
Among sustainable fashion trends to watch out for in 2021-22 is none other than local production. With good reason, as it reduces carbon emission and puts a stop to unethical working conditions.
Baby steps towards a better tomorrow
While they haven't yet taken a full swing, the sustainable fashion trends to watch out for in 2021-22 suggest that the fashion industry as a whole is becoming more aware of the negative impact it used to have - and still does to some extent - on the environment. The good news is that even the most prominent fashion brands are starting to implement eco-conscious practices in some way. The change is gradual but apparent. And while the steps they are taking are, at the moment, baby steps, we hope that, over time, it's precisely these baby steps that will lead to a better tomorrow.
