It's no secret that in recent years, sustainability has become a hot topic. As the global climate continually worsens, people are becoming more conscious of their purchasing habits. On top of that, with the popularity of social media, people are voicing their opinions regarding the issue on various social platforms. If you think about it, you probably found out and learned about sustainable fashion through social media.
Here’s the good news - because of the increasing demands for more ethical business models in the fashion industry, many fast fashion companies are slowly but surely creating sustainable clothing collections.
Here's the even better news - you don't need to completely boycott your favorite fast fashion companies to be sustainable.
In this blog post, we will be sharing three of the many fast fashion companies that are striving to make a difference.
201H&M
When talking about fast fashion, we’re certain that H&M instantly comes to mind. The company is known for its trendy and cheap clothing items. If you pay close attention, you’d notice that the company releases new clothing collections on a bi-weekly basis and always has ongoing sales.
Despite being a world-renowned fashion company, H&M has been called out on multiple occasions for its poor and wasteful practices. However, since then, the company has strived to make small changes to incorporate sustainability into its business model.
In 2014, the company released denim garments made using recycled fibers. That was the start of the company's slow yet steady journey toward sustainability.
Currently, the company has a "Conscious" clothing collection. According to H&M's website, all clothing from the conscious collection contains "at least 50% sustainable materials, such as organic cotton and recycled polyester — but many of [their] garments contain more than that."
The prices of H&M's sustainable clothing items are certainly a little higher than their average products. However, there's a reason sustainable clothing is more expensive. And, in the long run, it's a worth-it investment.
Zara
Zara produces trendy clothing that is of higher quality compared to most fast fashion companies. However, like H&M, the company's business model is not the most sustainable and ethical.
Thankfully, in recent years, the company has strived to reduce waste, and overall, become more sustainable. In fact, the company has publicized a list of its environmental commitments.
Here are some of them:
As you can tell, Zara is not only concerned about being sustainable with their clothing. They are also trying to implement sustainable measures within their offices and workplace.
UNIQLO
If you've ever shopped in UNIQLO, you'd know that they have amazing quality items. Unfortunately, from the prices of their products, you can instantly tell that they aren't the most sustainable and environmentally friendly. However, like most fast fashion companies, UNIQLO is striving to change.
Recently, UNIQLO adopted the sustainability mission statement "Unlocking the Power of Clothing." In fact, Doraemon, a Japanese manga series character, has become the company's global sustainability ambassador. As stated on the company's website, "Aiming for harmony, the sustainable stewardship of natural resources and responsible development of human potential, we focus on planet, society, and people. We believe that our clothing has the power to change the world for the better."
As part of UNIQLO's journey toward sustainability, the company has introduced circular sustainability programs, which encourage customers to recycle unwanted clothing that is still in relatively good condition. To prevent those items from going to waste, UNIQLO donates them to refugees, disaster victims, and others in need.
Conclusion
See? You don't need to completely boycott your favorite clothing companies to be sustainable. Obviously, the companies we’ve mentioned are in no way perfect. However, they're striving to make changes, and at the end of the day, that's what counts. As you support the sustainable clothing collections of fast fashion companies, they will be more motivated and inspired to increase sustainable clothing options.
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