In the last few years, many fashion brands are making commitments about their commitment to the environment and reducing their carbon footprint. As the fashion industry is notorious for causing significant amounts of environmental damage, it is great that many companies are making changes to reduce damage and we hope that every company follows suit. From new sustainable clothing brands to ones that have been around for years, you will have a wonderful brand that you can support to encourage them to continue their hard work at making their brand more eco-friendly.
Patagonia
Patagonia is a brand that is entirely centered around their commitment to being environmentally friendly and reducing their carbon footprint. Their website has three main sections about their commitment to the planet, being their climate goals, their footprint and their 1% to the planet pledge.
Firstly, through their climate goals they have a commitment to completely transforming how they make their products in order to stop climate change, protect nature and work with communities to reduce the use of fossil fuels. Whilst they are on a road towards being carbon neutral, they also recognise that this isn’t enough. 95% of their emissions come from the supply chain and manufacturing materials, which they take full responsibility for. To cut down on this, they are getting the oil out of their clothes, cleaning up every part of the business, supporting transitions to renewable energy sources and strengthening the global movement to protect the planet.
They also have a range of different robust environmental and animal welfare programs to take responsibility for their carbon footprint and the processes used to make their products. They make sure that their products are produced under safe, legal, fair and humane conditions, they know exactly where and how the clothes are made and they regularly update their progress to show the difference they are making.
Finally, since 1985, Patagonia has pledged 1% of their sales to the preservation of the environment. This is a significant contribution and has helped to pave the way for more corporate responsibility not only for Patagonia, but for the rest of the fashion industry.
Stella McCartney
Since the beginning, Stella McCartney has always been committed to being responsible for their carbon footprint and has worked hard to have a positive impact on the environment, people and the planet. The company was founded in 2001 and has never used any leather, feathers, fur or skin.
In 2008, they began using organic cotton, in 2010 they went PVC free, in 2012 they started using recycled polyester and then in 2013 they stopped using angora and began using solar panels and LEDs in their stores. From here, in 2014 they made all of their packaging sustainable and then continued to use cutting edge materials and animal alternatives to reduce their impact as much as possible.
They continue to recognise their weaknesses and make adjustments consistently by measuring their impact and constantly rethinking their strategies.
We Are Foolish
Foolish is a new brand with a commitment to helping people create a timeless capsule wardrobe that they will wear and enjoy for years and years. With vegan leather blazers, collections of organic clothing and wonderful quality materials, these products are designed to last. By fully embracing the slower side of fashion, this brand is helping to reduce waste and the use of harmful chemicals.
All of the products are ethically made and comply with labor laws and they identify that there is always room for improvement, so are consistently exploring sustainable processes to grow as a brand to become more sustainable. The polybags and swing tickets are also fully biodegradable.
Overall, with Foolish you can build a staple wardrobe that isn’t going to go out of fashion. You will buy less and help the environment for years to come by investing in slow fashion pieces.
Levis
Another company famous for their commitment to the environment is Levi’s. The world’s most famous denim brands are on a mission to change the clothing industry as a whole and they are certainly leading by example. They know how much of an impact clothing has on the environment and are urging people to buy better and wear for longer.
Levi’s products are sourced in better ways, made from better materials and they are better quality, making them extremely durable. You can save money by buying less often and you can enjoy better quality, all whilst helping the environment. Their slogan is “better clothes, better choices, better planet”, which is reinforced by their commitment to repairing or redesigning any piece of their clothing to last a lifetime.
They have already made amazing progress by saving 4.2 billion litres of water and 75% of their cotton comes from sustainable sources. Firstly they encourage people to buy what they already own and if they do need new clothes, buy better.
Final Thoughts
Thankfully, some of the world’s biggest brands, as well as smaller ones, are identifying how they are damaging the environment and working to reduce it. To support these companies, make sure that you avoid fast-fashion where possible and buy better clothing less often. Aim to create a staple wardrobe of timeless pieces you know won’t go out of style. Also, ask yourself the 30 wears question – if you won’t wear something at least 30 times, it is not worth adding it to your wardrobe. Finally, the best thing you can do is wear the clothes you already have. Try styling them in a new way to bring old pieces of clothing to life!
When you do need new clothing, that is the perfect time to do your research and buy from sustainable brands. Patagonia, Stella McCartney, Foolish and Levi’s are all doing their bit, so it’s time to support them to help the planet. Now is the time to take action, and as consumers, we have much more power than you might think. Let’s all work together and be considerate with our choices to help the planet once and for all.
