At a time when the fashion world tends to become aware of the impact of its industry on the environment and on health, more and more ethical fashion brands are launching. This is not surprising when you see the challenges of sustainable development and the way fashion is consumed at breakneck speed. Between slow life, slow fashion and the desire to consume less but better, ethical fashion is doing well game successfully. Why do we love ethical fashion for women? How do you know if a piece of clothing is “ethical” ? Here is our opinion and our advice for consuming better and dressing ethically!
When ethical fashion opposes fast fashion
Ethical fashion is an alternative to so-called “renewal” and short-lived fashion. Indeed, fast fashion as it is called, is a capitalist industry in which the collections are renewed every month or every week. Barely time to buy an accessory or a trendy garment, it is already no longer in the top must-have to own. This frantic race highlights the lower quality emitted by certain fashion brands in their quest for productivity . The focus is now not on the garment itself, but on the desire to sell at all costs, and then to replace new with new.
Faced with this observation, many people have become aware of the importance of consuming less and better . Buying clothes, yes, but always favoring quality over quantity. And quality doesn’t always mean luxury. Ethical fashion is quality fashion in the intended sense. Halfway between fair trade and sustainable fashion, it finds reason to exist .
3 tips for recognizing an ethical fashion brand or ethical clothing
Traceability, transparency and commitment to limited environmental impact
The fabrics and raw materials used to make women’s ethical clothing come mainly from local industries. This practice makes it possible to encourage local activity to work, to highlight national know-how, to limit pollution and above all to have perfect traceability . This does not mean that a Chinese company cannot be ethical, but inevitably when the production is French, several regulations are respected, in particular well-studied specifications.
Materials used and environmental labels
Ethical fashion tends to be as natural as possible in the manufacture of its fashion pieces. Use of natural raw materials, recycling, upcycling , overproduction is minimized and the materials selected have a very low impact on the environment . However, be careful not to confuse ethical fashion with organic fashion.
To recognize ethical clothing, look at the materials used. Organic cotton, recycled cotton, hemp, linen and lyocell are materials widely used for their natural properties. For leather clothing and accessories , check that it is indeed recycled leather or vegetable leather.
Labels make it possible to ensure the low impact of the raw materials selected on the environment . Among them, we find in particular the labels GOTS , Oeko-Tex, Fair Trade, etc.
The place of manufacture and social labels
Another very important point when we talk about ethical clothing is the respect for the conditions of the workers . An ethical clothing brand respects healthy and measured working conditions. The rights of everyone are highlighted and are integrated into the heart of the manufacturing processes. The attention is turned on the human (not on the maximum overproductivity which can sometimes damage the human aspect in certain large companies).
Look at where your garment was made . Although the goal is not to carry out a real investigation when you have a crush on an ethical piece, you have to look at the traceability of the product. Generally, a garment made in France, made in Italy, Portugal or even Spain is a guarantee of safety. In these countries, the rules of labor law are strictly applied. A garment made in Bangladesh or China lends itself to a little more questioning. However, there are companies in China and Bangladesh that fully respect the social standards of workers. To be sure, check if the garment is labeled by a reliable label.. If you see the label “Fair Trade” or “Fair wear foundation”, it is indeed a brand that respects good working conditions in its manufacturing processes. One more point in favor of an ethical purchase!
