Eco Isn’t Extra
Sustainability has shifted from marketing buzzword to design ethos, with fashion’s new guard framing luxury through traceability, circularity, and conscious craftsmanship.
Hailey Bieber wears Marine Serre’s FW25 upcycled watch dress, assembled entirely from reclaimed metal straps. The sculptural silhouette and reflective texture embody sustainability as spectacle—merging waste materials with high-fashion polish. A sharp reminder that eco-conscious design can still command the spotlight. Photo via @haileybieber. © All rights belong to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended.
Everything has a dark side, even in the glamorous world of fashion. The numbers show that the current state of fashion is unsustainable and significantly impacts environmental and consumer health. As the second largest consumer of water, the industry is responsible for 10% of global emissions, 35% of the microplastic pollution in the ocean, and producing nearly 92 million tonnes of waste every year. These shocking numbers show that the fashion industry poses a major environmental threat. Many consumers don’t even realize that some of the chemical processes used in traditional manufacturing can cause skin irritations and even make you seriously sick. The more brands begin to understand how the design process can affect the environment and consumers, the more they can reduce their impact proactively. Turning to sustainable fashion is the only way for designers and brands to ensure quality goods that not only protect the environment, but consumer health.
More designers are looking for new ways to fulfill consumers' demands regarding sustainability, by prioritizing sustainable fashion and focusing on the longevity, impact, and legacy of their brands. With more than half of consumers asking for Fair Trade products, it's easy to see how brands can benefit from saying they're sustainable. But for brands and designers to be considered sustainable there are many important factors to consider. Like, are they implementing Fair Trade practices? Are they being transparent about their supply chain? What are they doing with their waste? And, what materials are they using? The Los Angeles-based brand, Reformation, has committed to being transparent by tracking its carbon and water footprint while providing consumers with accurate information on the environmental impact of each garment. They’ve also committed to promoting Fair Trade standards worldwide by working to expand programs that protect their worker's rights and safety. Unfortunately, right now the brand only has a limited number of suppliers who are considered Fair Trade Certified meaning they still have a ways to go before being considered fully sustainable.
With the increase in demand for sustainability, many brands have been portraying themselves as more environmentally friendly than they are. The brands that are called out for Greenwashing become untrustworthy sources in fashion, losing their credibility in the market. The second-largest fashion retailer in the world, H&M, was called out over Greenwashing claims. The brand has faced lawsuits for misleading sustainability claims, including falsely claiming the use of recycled materials in its products. These allegations hurt the brand's reputation and credibility, significantly affecting its place in the market with many consumers choosing to shop elsewhere.
Reformation has become a trustworthy source of sustainability because of its transparency in production. For consumers, transparency has become increasingly important with many demanding that designers and brands report where their clothes come from, how they’re made, and what they are made of- all to ensure ethical sourcing and production. Designer Mara Hoffman is a great example of this, not only did she keep all production in the US, but she employed local artisans in Los Angeles to manufacture her clothing. Hoffman’s decision to keep production in the US is one of the main reasons her brand became known as the most sustainable fashion brand, cementing her as a pioneer in the industry. Uniquely, she was also able to phase out polyester and nylon by replacing it with PYRATEX® Power 3 starting with her Fall 2022 collection.
It’s been almost inconceivable for other brands to keep their supply chain in the US, unlike Mara Hoffman, but there are ways to ensure the chain is Fair Trade compliant. Take Eileen Fisher for example, much of her supply chain is out of the US, but she still took great care to ensure it would support more than 450 families across Peru. Her brand promises fair wages and even invests in the local communities to give back to those who make their clothing possible. She’s even committed to providing living wages for all her employees across her brand. And has worked tirelessly to create a more positive and diverse work environment to promote inclusivity.
Every day consumers are becoming more conscious of their buying habits- they’re not just looking for clothes anymore. They’re not even just looking for clothes that are ethically made and sourced, but clothes that won’t go to waste. They want quality clothing that lasts longer and is made from natural materials. They also need a place where they can take these clothes when they’ve finally completed their life cycle, like Eileen Fisher’s “Renew” program where customers can return old clothing. Or Mara Hoffman who heavily encourages customers to recycle their clothes through her program, which uses the waste to make new fabrics. The more consumers learn about fashion’s environmental impact, the more they demand fashion become sustainable. Designers and brands looking to have longevity in the marketplace need to adapt to the new sustainability standards to be successful.
