Eco Fashion

What piece of clothing in our wardrobe can we classify as ecological, or ethical? Should such a certified ecological textile have downsides? Probably not!
In many areas of everyday life, we have already converted. Our kitchen shelves are filled with organic foods, whole grain bread; shelves in our refrigerator are filled with organic vegetables. We already control organic farming and organic meat, in the bathroom natural cosmetics are non-animal tested and without chemical additives, but the thought of what is in our closet is sobering.

The subject of ecology and sustainability is present in everyday areas in which a transition can be made without great effort, and economic advantages are offered. The ecology of health, especially diets and wellness are used and marketed successfully. – All the while, our clothing is still somewhat neglected.

Let’s examine why is it so difficult to implement environmental and sustainable thinking in the area of clothing. It all goes back to the 1970/80-s, years when the social and political movement full of daily life with their environmental philosophy, developed. In the course of which new clothes and body concepts influenced ecological image of clothing.

Since the late 1990s, with another major boost in 2006, a new eco-fashion scene has developed, from “hippy-style” of bygone days and positioned itself into the high-fashion range. Young designers and new green labels to conquer the market and convince consumers with fashionable styling, creative and experimental ideas, redesigning the way with innovative materials.

There are different parameters and criteria for green fashion. The wide variety includes, on the one side the material, raw material extraction, processing and farming methods. As an example, conventional cotton, which is most often used throughout the textile chain, is causing huge environmental problems with it’s raw materials and production methods.

The material is one of the main issues, whether only natural products are allowed to set environmental standards or, more recently on the market, newly developed “fibers” represent acceptable alternatives. Second, there is equipment and finishing processes in the textile industry to consider. This leads to an impressive range of bright colors, textiles and non-iron shirts, but at the same time brings various chemicals in touch with the skin. New, environmentally friendly and toxic free methods that ensure that benefits of green fashion are no longer neglected, must be implemented. The focus is increasingly on consumer’s purchasing decisions. Ecology idea along the textile chain, from raw material extraction, through manufacture to packaging is to successfully implemented, but is a much more complex and less transparent than expected.

For all of us, who want to choose and decide for green fashion, it is quite difficult to cope with the considerable number of different labels, certificates, organizations and associations, as they often contribute more to confusion than to enlightenment. The understanding of the subject must be made easier by introducing symbols that give consumers the opportunity to see at a glance how “green” the labels really are.