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Green is the new black...
22 September 2011,
We aim to give eco glamour legs, a fabulous look and a slammin’ attitude that stops traffic and shouts the message: eco can be edgy, loud, fun, playful, feminine (or not) and hyper-cool.” -Eco fashion and haute couture designer Linda Loudermilk. Is green the new black? According to statistics the public, particularly the fashion conscious are seeking more and more ethical products, especially accessories. Designers started by using organic fabrics and ethical manufacturing to create a niche market but recently the high street and even super markets are following this new fad. The majority of young consumers are buying these products to follow their celebrity idols, beauty icons such as Cheryl Cole, Victoria Beckham and Lily Cole. Young consumer aspire to follow any celebrity trend but as well as setting a new inspiring trend, this could contribute to helping agiast polution, waste and child labour. For Eco-designers this is something that’s really important to them as well as gaining good publicity and bespoke clients who are willing to pay for this type of quality, stylish and economical Garments.
The biggest issue for designers and manufacturers is the production of the fabrics they chose, the production of cotton in particular causes a wide variety of problems. Cotton has to grown in a hot climate, however the majority of destinations are low on water supply so therefore artificial irrigation needs to be introduced. Artificial irrigation is the method of transporting water to grow crops etc. It is expensive and can cause a lot of pollution, cotton itself is usually grown using a wide variety of pesticides and fertilisers not to mention dyes and chemical finishes. These all contribute to both water and air pollution. Designers are beginning to use better fabric sources that are organic/bio degradable to avoid these sort of problems. Another issue the fashion industry is overcoming is considering what is morally right when it comes to cheap labour, the production of cotton and some other fibres can create a variety of health issues and farmers are often over worked due to high demand. Something the industry has experimented with and is becoming more and more popular is the use of other natural fibres so that the products can be recycled or are able to bio-degrade. Sources such as bamboo, banana leaf and even soya milk can be spun to make fibres and hemp in particular is often used as a cotton substitute. So many campaigns and exhibitions have been launched to promote sustainability and eco-fashion but consumers need to become more aware of the issues to motivate them to buy these earth friendly products, they may need to pay more than your average high-street item but their paying for quality that will last and fit right on trend now and in the future.
Some designers like Katherine Charlot have gone as far as making bags from umbrellas, and others are more subtle such as Katherine Hamnett and her “I’m not a plastic bag” shoulder bags. If more designers contribute to this idea on the catwalk or bring out an individual collection there will be a higher demand for these products and this will all benefit the industry and the earth.
The designers of “Estethica” are doing exactly this “The British Fashion Council founded Estethica, sponsored by Monsoon, five years ago to showcase the growing movement of cutting edge designers committed to working eco sustainably. Estethica, now in its tenth season has evolved to become the hub of London's ethical fashion industry. The success of this initiative, the internationally strongest of its kind, is evident in its rapid growth from its first season of 13 designers to over 20 for AW11's Estethica collective.
All Estethica designers adhere to at least one of the three Estethica principles of fair-trade and ethical practices, organic and recycled materials and are selected for both their ethical credentials and design excellence.”
There are some other organizations working to increase opportunities for sustainable designers. The National Association of Sustainable Fashion Designers is one of those organizations. Its purpose is to assist entrepreneurs with growing fashion related businesses that create social change and respect the environment. Sustainable Designers provides specialized triple bottom line education, training, and access to tools and industry resources that advance creative, innovative and high impact businesses. The organization’s mission is to create social change through design and fashion related businesses by providing education, training and programs that are transformative to the industry and to cultivate collaboration, sustainability and economic growth.
Blog written by Coral Rose, Derby University.
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