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What does sustainable fashion mean?

The fashion industry is becoming greener and greener

What does sustainable fashion mean? The fashion industry is becoming greener and greener

As if all this had been a well-designed plan, a spite towards man. In this total blockade due to the current, alas, global pandemic, nature has managed to take its revenge. From the decrease in pollution to the birth of animals of almost extinct breeds, these are the miracles that mother nature has given us, at a time when, not surprisingly, man has had to "give up his weapons".

Despite the duty to stay at home, it gave us back the time to experiment with that written and forgotten recipe, or to read dusty books on our library, at the same time it made us want to escape more and more. To escape from those cemented bars that after looong months have become almost a prison, breathe fresh air, and why not, maybe even with a nice cocktail in hand lying in the sun. If there is one thing that the pandemic has taught us, it is, without a doubt, respect nature (or at least start doing it).

Luckily, the issue of sustainability, elbowing, managed to be recognized even by the most famous fashion houses, triggering a chain reaction between the brands and thus becoming a real fashion trend. In fact, although it is impossible due to the problem of tight production rhythms, Sustainability has also managed to touch fast fashion. Zara, for example, promises to commit to using recycled or more sustainable materials such as cotton, linen and polyester, reaching 100% of the garments with these fabrics by 2025. Primark has a similar attitude, which in the latest “Time for Change. A Better Future”, presents a wide range of products made of sustainable materials. Uniqlo, on the other hand, decides to create a capsule collection called “Dry-Ex”, created thanks to the recycling of plastic bottles.

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Ethical fashion or greenwashing?

Will the intention of certain brands be true, even the most unthinkable ones, be true to approach a more eco-friendly ethics? Or is it just a marketing gimmick, in order to temporarily "wash" your face, riding the wave of the trend? Only time will tell. Meanwhile, there are many famous brands that have already given a boost to their philosophy.

Undisputed queen of sustainable fashion, it is certainly Stella McCartney who has long shown her eco-friendly ethics in various initiatives. Already in 2001 he decided to no longer use animal skin in the collections and a few years later, in 2008, to use organic cotton. It continues to maintain the title by proposing a different eco project every year, like this year with the "Stellawear" capsule collection that completes the autumn / winter Lingerie collection. The pieces of the capsule are versatile and functional, but above all made of breathable and sustainable materials such as the modeling yarn AQUAFIL and the increasingly popular ECONYL regenerated nylon, the result of the recycling of plastic recovered from waste.

Another master of recycling has always been Martin Margiela, who immediately decided to give his brand a sustainable imprint by reusing garments, and with the deconstruction technique to give it a new life. The current creative director John Galliano follows in his footsteps with the RECICLA project, which consists precisely in recycling vintage garments or accessories, dating back to the 1930s, giving them a new lymph.

Dior and Burberry say no to deforestation, with the goal of reducing emissions, Prada decides to propose the iconic Hobo bag in recycled nylon and Versace categorically prohibits the use of fur.

"Born To Protect" is Moncler's super sustainable plan, a set of objectives such as the elimination of single-use plastic or the reduction of production waste. Even the recycling of down, a characterizing element in some of the brand's garments, is designed to have a lower impact on the environment. Not only that, but more and more brands are talking about achieving carbon neutrality. Gucci initiative, which decides to purify the air by planting trees, in order to compensate for the emission of greenhouse gases that are harmful to the environment, is interesting. Aware that, at least for the moment, their total elimination is almost impossible. In addition, the brand has decided to create a new online shop, entering into a partnership with the TheRealReal app that deals with the sale of vintage garments.

 

Circular fashion

Ah! And about second hand, if you too are obsessed with shopping, but at the same time you want to give your support to sustainability, there are various apps or sites to take a look at. In addition to the veterans Vestiaire Collective (recently Kering has been investing on it) and The Vintage Bar, who select vintage products from the most desired brands, there is Depop, a buying and selling platform where "those who seek, find". Italian pride, on the other hand, is Renoon, the app that collects all the garments or accessories purely made with sustainable materials. Well, what are you waiting for? Kick off Circular fashion!