The apparel industry is now driven more than ever by the demands of its consumers. The lower and upper ends of the market have seen the most significant growth during 2010. This shows that the value perceived by most customers falls within the ‘quality luxury brands’ or ‘affordable disposable fashion’ division.
The fashion conscious shopper has become increasingly fickle and the increased complexity of the different trends and styles being presented in retail is indicative of the savvy nature of today’s shoppers.
Collectively, consumers have developed a greater awareness of the options available to them and with an ever-increasing selection of materials and new fabrics being developed, they have more options than ever to choose from. Organic and natural fibers such as bamboo and hemp are becoming more widely available and widely accepted as staples for garment construction within the fashion industry. These plants are much easier and faster to grow and much less destructive to the soil and they are definitely the future in terms of eco-friendly clothing and textiles.
However, the market remains largely saturated with poor quality disposable fashion garments, posing a global environmental challenge. Furthermore, cotton cultivation is degrading the soil in India; manufacturing processes in China are all about dollars with little or no consideration for environmental impact. For example, the dyeing and bleaching processes used in the creation of jeans are highly toxic and many of these pollutants are simply dumped into rivers etc.
Style and fashion with a conscience is a choice. It’s time to end ignorance through education and accountability; this must be addressed by companies at all levels. Consumers can also play their part through increased awareness. Shoppers can be armed with the power of choice when shopping for clothes.
Sustainable clothing can be produced effectively by using environmentally friendly raw materials, through low-carbon systems and low-toxin production processes. To achieve this, the textile and clothing industry as a whole must take effective action to reduce the devastating impact it is having on our global environment.