We’ve all heard cries for more "sustainability.”

We hear it across all facets of our lives. Unfortunately, so much of modern consumerism is focused on buying “more,” not necessarily “better.” And, of course, companies want to turn a profit. It seems like a win-win. But there is a cost to all this.

It’s just not a financial cost.

So today we’re looking into sustainability”in the fashion industry. We’ll be doing a deep-dive, exploring the following:

—What sustainability really means. (We’ll even do a delightfully nerdy etymology lesson on the word. We can’t resist.)

—What are current stats are. (Spoiler: they’re not good.)

—What to look for when you’re shopping. (What the hallmarks of an ethical business are.)

—How to care for your things so that they last longer. (Bingo!)

—Some sustainable brands/boutiques we love. (When you’re shopping strategically and smartly. Part of the message of this article is to consume less!)

So buckle up. It’s going to be a bumpy ride.

Sustainable. Based on the Latin word “sustinere.” Broken down into parts, “tenere” is “to hold” and “sus” is “up.”

What’s really interesting about this word is looking at the trends of its usage over time. It wasn’t really until the 1980s that the term was used specifically to look at the environmental impact of business. In 1987, the landmark Brundtland Report, published by the World Commission on Environment, defined sustainable development as one that “meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

On the one hand, it’s wonderful that guidelines existed decades ago to help shape the industry. However, even a legal newbie can see that terms like “without compromising” or “meet their own needs” do not have a sharpness or clear focus to them. Even worse, all of the terms in this definition are measured in the future and not in the present. How can we know exactly what the ramifications will be for future generations? We can’t. So it’s easy to kick the can down the road. And kick the can, we have . . .

What about sustainability statistics in the fashion industry today?

The global fashion industry is responsible for . . .

—The production of up to 10% of global carbon dioxide (greenhouse gas emissions) output. To put a finer point on it, that’s more than maritime shipping and all international flights combined.

—20% of the 300 million tons of plastic produced globally every year.

—93 billion cubic meters of water every year, used in the production of clothes. To put that into perspective, that’s enough for 5 million people annually. Cotton, although we love this natural fiber for its breathability, is especially thirsty.

—Approximately 20% of the wastewater expelled every year comes explicitly from the dyeing and treatment of fabric.

—500,000 tons of plastic microfibers are dumped in the ocean every year. These microfibers are for life, and we currently don’t have a way of removing them from the ocean. They are “forever” plastics, and spread throughout the food chain. To be clear, the full ramifications of this are not fully understood.

—Every second, one garbage truck’s worth of textiles is either thrown into a landfill or incinerated.

And sure, we could all just point fingers at Fast Fashion as an industry (ie, Shein, Zara, Temu)—but that’s too easy. The truth is that Fast Fashion is filling a perceived need. A need to purchase things quickly, easily, and to only use a couple times before throwing away. It’s a cycle that a lot of people have found themselves in. And in a world where people are hurting economically, Fast Fashion is giving them the opportunity to follow “trends” and feel like they’re still a part of the fashion conversation. We don’t agree with it, but we recognize that it can be a privilege to shop elsewhere.

Sources: United Nations Environment Programme, The Roundup, and The Columbia Climate School.

Where can you shop your values?

Assuming you’re like us, and you want to shop brands that are not harming the planet AND are kind to their workers, there can still be a lot to navigate. Sustainability is legislated loosely and to varying degrees in every country. If a brand slaps the word “sustainable” on their website, it can be hard to trust. Furthermore, it’s probably impossible to find the “perfect” brand, so instead we advocate that you make informed decisions and just do your best. It’s about progress!

One of our founding principles that Natalie has been preaching since founding BU Style in 2010 can help guide you in finding a balance between sustainable practices and strategic shopping:

“Buy better, buy less, wear longer.”
—Natalie Tincher

Here are some ways to do this:

—Natural fibers that also use responsible sourcing. For example, fibers that reduce the amount of water needed for their production. Organic is also a smart purchase, as it’ll reduce the amount of pesticides and herbicides needed for production.

—Low environmental impact fibers including modal and lyocell fabric.

—Reduce as much as possible buying new garments in synthetic fibers like polyester, nylon, spandex and acrylic. These have greater ramifications on the environment, including microplastics. Note: we know this is hard, especially in this day and age when almost everything is at least blended with a synthetic.

—Research how the brand treats everyone in its business, from start to finish in its supply chain. Look for brands with holistic ideas about sustainability and who believe in living wages (which are NOT always equal to minimum wage; more on that another time).

—Go through this list and decide what specific certifications are important to you. Try shopping within those parameters.

—Take the above list with a grain of salt. Often, very small and sustainable local businesses don’t have the funds to apply for these certifications. Buying small and buying local can be a great way to shop smart.

—Understand that if a brand is incredibly cheap, there’s a hidden cost. As my uncle used to say, “If it feels too good to be true, it is.”

—The power of our purchasing choices can change the industry over time. We are not powerless.

If you are in the market for a new item of clothing (although we advocate for buying less!), here are some terms you might come across:

—Green is a very broad term. It can be used to describe ANYTHING that benefits the environment.

—Eco-friendly is that something won’t harm the environment.

—Fair Trade is a government certification that protects producers of goods in developing countries. It ensures that these workers and farmers have received a fair price, in trade for their products. This certification also typically promotes ethical treatment, sustainable farming practices, and the reduction of poverty.

—Ethical refers to the working conditions of those workers. Ethical is not legally certified, but it means that workers have fair job hours, legal rights and fair wages. It also means that laborers are protected health and safety-wise, in their workplace.

So you bought something that you love. And now it’s looking a little worn. What’re you to do? Do you throw it away? No!

A life hack to living a more sustainable life, is to take pride in your ability to be self-sufficient, resourceful, and kind to the planet.

Here’s how to get started:

—The Sustainable Baddie’s guide to mending clothes without a sewing machine. What we love about the ethos of this company is how they frame mending your own clothes as a way to exercise your creativity. (ie: “if you don’t have any matching replacement buttons for a particular garment, you can use a mismatched button to make your garment stand out.”)

—NPR’s guide to Visible Mending. This is a lovely article that is chock-full of tips on how to mend your own clothes, and how “visible mending” can be a source of pride. The article offers guidance on embroidery stitches, scotch darning, Swiss darning, and patching. For inspiration, you can search terms like “mendspiration” and “visible mending.”

—Tailors can help your clothes evolve as your body does. It gives you the opportunity to have your clothes move with you, rather than being chucked in a landfill or given away. in addition to those changes to fit, tailors can help you do things like: drastically change the length of a garment, remove sleeves, add straps, add top stitching, line sheer garments, replace collars and cuffs, and change necklines. Think of tailors as a tool to help you see a garment’s potential. If the bones of a garment are good, try changing the more superficial components until you love it. It’ll pay for itself.

—Cobblers can resole shoes, fix heels, replace zippers, add toe taps. . . The list goes on. What we also love cobblers for is to add small internal leather patches for comfort.

—Cobblers & leather specialists are also available to help give belts and handbags a new life.

So, you’ve looked at your closet and made a Strategic Shopping List. You’re looking for something in particular and want to make a sustainable fashion choice.

Where do you look?

—The Good On You platform allows you to search brands and see their sustainbility rankings by category.

—Here is a list from The Good Trade that gives options, based on your priorities.

—One of our favorite hacks at BU Style is to shop secondhand/vintage and to lean on cobblers and tailors to help fabulous finds fit us perfectly. It’s kind to the planet, to your wallet, and to local craftsmen.

—Shop at some of our brand collaborators: