Consumers of today are pretty
much aware of facts such as global warming and environmentally friendly way of
living. It is a human aspiration that everyone likes to look beautiful, and
also to keep the clothing budget within control. Though consumers understand
the concept of nature's way of living, they expect the lifestyle to suit their
preferences, be according to trends and fit their budget as well. Eco clothing
is still at a nascent stage, and requires a considerable amount of money and
time for the cotton cultivators to change from conventional to organic crop.
Similarly, manufacturers need more investments in machinery for eco clothing.
Eco Vs Conventional clothing-Costs
involved:
Many myths flourish regarding
sustainably designed apparels and accessories, the first being that they are
way too expensive. Eco clothing and accessories are of superior quality, but
they are not mass produced. When designers attempt to come up with a product
that will benefit the environment and the living beings, the cost of organic
and eco friendly raw materials prove to be expensive.
Raw materials used in making eco
clothing are generally planted and harvested in one place. Then it is sent to a
factory for processing it and later is spun into yarn. This yarn is transported
to a factory and is woven into fabric, which is then sent to a dye mill for
coloring. Later the fabric is sent to a manufacturer, who with a designer
drafts the patterns for the clothing, cuts and sews the garments. The final
product is then packed and is available at the shops for consumers. At every
state, it involves workforce, who are paid for their labor.
Eco fabrics are generally more
expensive due to the fact that mass production is not practiced currently. Organic
cotton is available only in limited quantities. Low impact dyes are used in
coloring these fabrics which causes less or no impact to the environment as
well as to the human skin. The extra processing applied for avoiding hazardous
chemicals makes it all the more costly. The manufacturing process for eco
clothing makes the complete cycle more expensive. All these factors go into the
price of the finished garment giving a hefty price tag to the eco apparel.
Though ultimately the consumer gets what he wants, still the garment goes a way
beyond his clothing budget.