4 Eco-Friendly Fashion Brands
In recent research on the impact of fashion and the fashion world, it was discovered that the industry has employed over 75 million people worldwide and at a current value of more than $25 trillion. There have been obvious spontaneous growth over the past decades but it comes with some downsides. As we accept that the fashion industry is booming regularly, attention has been drawn to the negative impacts the industry is responsible for.
Negative Impacts of The Fashion Sector.
- Research done by Ellen MacArthur Foundation in 2017, noted that about 500,000 tons worth of microfibers is released into the ocean from washing clothes; which is the equivalent of about 50 billion bottles.
- The fashion industry is responsible for 8 to 10% of human carbon emission- which is more than all international flights and marine shipping combined. — UNEP 2018.
- Around 20% of industrial wastewater pollution around the world originates from the fashion world.
And the list goes on.
Shocking, I know, but the basis of giving these insights is the reason people have turned to eco-friendly fashion. As the name implies, they are earth-friendly and they do not harm the environment. Eco friendly generally means products that contribute to green living and also practices that help conserve useful resources like water and energy.
Lots of things (products) can be eco-friendly. Buildings and building materials can be eco-friendly, food packaging products can also be eco friendly and the likes. In this article, we’ll be dwelling more on eco-friendly fashion brands to look into against your next shopping encounter or something to talk about over dinner.
But there is a catch. Most times, we mistake eco-friendly for sustainability and vice versa. This article will help break down each term.
Eco-Friendly Fashion Brands
1. Eileen Fisher
An eponymous brand, named after Eileen Fisher. This is a private American company founded in 1984 with about $350 as startup money. The first retail store opened on East 9th Street in Manhattan in 1986.
The company has expanded outside the US since 2011, they opened the first Canadian store in Vancouver, British Columbia and more stores in London, England. They also started a recycling program to reduce fabric and fibre waste.
They ship across regions like Canada, Europe, Australia, Asia and the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean, Africa and the Middle East.
2. Levi’s
Known for their signature jeans which are categorised by fit (straight, skinny, bootcut, relaxed, tapper). They are known for shirts, leather products, socks, sweaters, underwear, eyeglasses, dresses and skirt.
The company was founded in May 1835 by German immigrant, Levi Strauss. In 1991, Levi’s came up with its Terms of Engagement- a Code of Conduct to guide their ethical production throughout the denim supply chain. Earlier this year, the brand launched a campaign ‘Buy Better, Wear Longer, that featured renowned personalities like Jaden Smith, Marcus Rashford, Xiye Bastida and Melati Wijsen to raise awareness about the impacts of the clothing industry.
They do not ship internationally, only within the U.S.
3. People Tree
This brand was among the first sustainable fashion brands, they realised that creating ethical and eco-friendly apparells was the most important rather than going into fast fashion. 30 years on, the company is still the only brand being credited by the World Fair Trade Organisation.
Heading to their website, they have an environmental policy to act as their guide and they make use of traditional crafts and handmade textiles.
They ship across the United Kingdom, Europe and outside Europe.
4. Patagonia
This American clothing line was founded by Yvon Chouinard in 1973, they are based in Ventura, California. They are considered an ‘activist company’, they are also a Certified B Corporation apparel company. Since 1995, they’ve committed 1% of their total sales to environmental groups, through One Percent for The Planet. They have stores in about 10+ countries spreading across 5 continents, not to also mention factories in about 16 countries.
They ship to over 110 countries including Thailand, the UAE, United Kingdom, Hungary, Denmark, Austria, Australia, Germany, Finland, Hong Kong, Kenya just to mention a few.
