09 May Is Fashion Sustainability Helping Our Planet?
Sustainability in our country has gradually gotten better. However, that doesn’t mean we’re at the standard that our earth subliminally wants. Our planet is crying, with waste in our oceans and synthetic clothing taking over one hundred years to decompose, our only alternative is to turn to sustainable measures.
Charity shopping has almost become a trend, but this is a good thing. Thrift stores have seen a massive increase in sales over the past decade, however fast fashion has also taken the industry by storm too. Charity retail promotes re use and recycling. Buying from charity retailers like Cancer Research and Barnados, provide people in the UK with a sustainable and ethical option. Whether it be clothes, furniture or beauty products, charity shops can reuse and recycle over ninety percent of donated clothing.
In the average UK household, nearly a third of clothes worth over one thousand pounds haven’t been worn. Clothes worth over twelve point five billion have ended up in landfill as three hundred thousand tons of textiles are binned. By promoting sustainable options, less clothes end up in landfill.
The waste hierarchy has also become a point of interest as it explains that you need to reduce, re use, recycle, recovery and the end option being landfill. The highest tier is reduce which again, encourages individuals in the UK to take more of a sustainable approach and shop at charity shops more. The second tier, being re use, assists in going to charity shops and donating rather than throwing the clothes in the bin and it going to landfill, for it to only take over ten years to decompose. Shopping in charity retailers also aids in the recycling aspect.
Prettylittlething which is a multi millionaire fashion brand by the Kamani Brothers. Since its introduction it has received mass backlash due to being one of the biggest fast fashion brands today. Meaning, the cheap alternatives are faster to make, but cause more harm on our environment. However, they might have redeemed themselves. They introduced an alternative campaign that encourages sustainable fashion and shopping. Their PLT recycled range offers fast fashion and sustainable fashion lovers a dream. By creating this hybrid they’ve unbolted numerous doors in the textile industry by enlightening other fast fashion companies on the waste of material and how it affects our environment. The Prettylittlething CEO also quoted ‘This is another step in the right direction towards sustainable fashion’ on his Instagram account.
By moving upwards on this sustainability journey, we’re able to preserve our planet for longer. Buying from these charity shops and opting for more sustainable options allows you to reduce the carbon footprint and exploitation of material. On the otherhand, fast fashion brands like Prettylittlething who constantly receive backlash are finally speaking up and have taken the more sustainable route in order to aid on this quest to reduce waste on Earth. More fast fashion brands should storm through the door that PLT Recycled has opened for them, and also produce a recyclable line.
