Photo by Muffy Aldrich
The Modern Guide to The Thing Before Preppy

Wednesday, May 12, 2021

Community Question: Should Consumers Support Sustainability in Clothes?

 

With 17 requirements on its action plan, by 2023, Copenhagen Fashion Week will require that brands meet specific benchmarks — like pledging not to destroy unsold clothes, using at least 50% certified, organic, upcycled, or recycled textiles in all collections, and using only sustainable packaging and zero-waste set designs for shows — in order to be able to participate on the calendar. 

Instead of showcasing new trends... new collection[s] reimagines essentials like soft knits, relaxed suiting, and oversized coats — which [House of Dagmar] hopes inspires shoppers to wear their clothes season after season rather than a few times before the trend is over...   

- How Copenhagen Put Sustainability At The Forefront Of Its Fashion Week <https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2021/02/10296619/copenhagen-fashion-week-fall-2021-sustainability/>

 

22 comments:

  1. Why on earth would I want to wear a highly fashionable item like a 3/2 blazer or a Southwick herringbone odd jacket year after year? This is clearly crazy talk.

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  2. It's a worthy goal, but if you wear traditional style, high quality clothes, you're supporting sustainability anyway.

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  3. Sugar-free cake, dairy-free ice cream, fat-free foie gras, meatless cheeseburgers, artificially carbonated spring water, alcohol-free whiskey, fashion-free fashion, joyless existence.

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  4. I'm not very interested in the fashion industry, but the majority of the photos in the article don't look like anything a person would wear year after year. Also, the fashion industry depends on tastes and trends changing so people buy more stuff. So, in my opinion, this is more well-meaning and designed to get the attention of people who care about sustainability than some kind of transformative change in the industry.

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  5. The whole notion of fashion is in direct opposition to sustainability.

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  6. Andrew, I think they call it "virtue signaling." Let us not forget that the fashion industry exists to sell people new clothing each year, which it does by changing the design of clothing from year to year. Its business model is, by definition, antithetical to the concept of sustainability. Bud's Eye is correct: If you wear traditionally-styled high-quality clothing, you are (and have been for years) ahead of the sustainability curve. The relatively recent "fast fashion" industry has only exacerbated the problem. There was a good article on "fast fashion" in The Atlantic a month or two ago.

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  7. I still have loafers I bought in 1986, a blazer from 1988, sweaters and dinner jacket from the early '90s. I could go on. I think I'm doing OK with the sustainability bit.

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  8. One should support “sustainability” in all aspects of life. What could possibly be a viable alternative?

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  9. I support the notion that in wearing high-quality traditional and functional clothing - and not pandering to and indulging in 'fashion' - one is already practicing sustainability.

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  10. My traditional, quality garments, and shoes are still going strong!

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  11. Well said, everyone! I object to (what I consider) the rise of the "sexy sustainability" concept - feels like an oxymoron to me.

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  12. I'm old enough to remember when "sustainability" was the standard for most things. One bought quality, looked after it and it sustained you for years!

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  13. Is there something about cotton or wool or even leather that isn't sustainable? They're all renewable natural resources, no matter who makes them or where they're from. Complications enter the picture when modern miracle fabrics are used, of course. Nylon, first used before most of us were born, is a petroleum product. But some manmade fabrics are made from wood products, which are sustainable forest products. Rubber is also a natural renewable product. Then there is the question of transportation, referring to the distance from production to consumer. If it isn't made where you live, it's imported. Natural rubber is imported, same as coffee and tea. The whole thing quickly becomes complicated.

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  14. I agree with "...wearing high-quality traditional and functional clothing - and not pandering to and indulging in 'fashion' - one is already practicing sustainability."
    Appears, the fashion industry is advancing an ad campaign not unlike the campaign pushed by the oil/chemical industry around recycling.

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  15. Stating the highly obvious, fashion, like houses, cars, etc. require "renewal" in order to create a functioning economy. Houses with "great rooms" and "keeping rooms" are just marketing ploys and yet they employ bazillions of people and keep our global economy alive.

    Please don't misunderstand me, I am not for throw-away fashion trends, nor "keeping rooms" (for pete's sake how ridiculous), however we are all capitalists, so allowances must be made for others to earn an income and eat, etc.

    Cheers.

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    1. They were called parlors where I lived, though few had them and fewer still ever actually used them, rather like dining rooms. The chief use of a parlor was as a place to hold a wake, when such things were still held at the house. As near as I can tell, they added nothing to the expense of keeping house. The blinds were even kept closed so the rug wouldn't fade. But I imagine they have no connection to great rooms or keeping rooms as you have used the terms.

      As for keeping the economy running, the cost of keeping a house was in the utilities, followed by the food you put on the table. Clothing was not a major expense, although buying a new suit for a funeral was customary. These days, where I live, our major expense is income tax, followed closely by property tax. I suppose that all helps the economy.

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  16. I watched a documentary about recycled clothing on the CBC network a few years ago. It's basically a scam. Most of the clothing made today cannot be recycled because of the fabric blends that often contain spandex. Unless it's 100 percent cotton or wool or rubber, it ends up in a large landfill in Africa and the microplastics end up in our oceans and drinking water. Most clothing made today- recycled or not- won't last several seasons unless it's high quality regardless of price. When I need a basic piece of clothing, I look on Ebay and Etsy for an exact replacement.
    My husband I thought about going shopping for a few new spring and summer items and then decided not to as it just seems pointless anymore to waste time searching, compromising and spending money on sub quality items. It's so frustrating.

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