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IMPRESSIONS from a Cross-section

Veronique Lee
Veronique Lee
Merchandising Director
Modavanti

‘Sustainable fashion is trending upwards, slowly but surely, as people look to make better decisions and consider environment and ethics.’


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Business Area:
E-commerce site for socially conscious shoppers

 

Sustainable fashion is not necessarily pocket- friendly. Are consumers willing to spend for the same item available elsewhere for less? Is sustainable fashion just a trend?

There are many ways to be sustainable. So, the belief that sustainable fashion is high end, is not true.   More and more fabrics being offered are eco-friendly and do not necessarily have a higher price. Like, organic cotton that is ethically farmed and produced and dyed free of toxic dyes.  Many times, the biggest expense is in the way it is manufactured. So, the question then becomes, are people willing to spend more for an item that is made better?  This is an important question, because it may be that on the onset the lower priced item is attractive, but that item will not be made in the same way, neither is it made to last, protect the environment, and consider the people who made the item.   So are people willing to jump on the delayed gratification wagon? 

Sustainable fashion is not a passing trend.  Sustainable fashion is trending upwards, slowly but surely, as people look to make better decisions and consider environment and ethics.  The environment is in crisis.  As people become more aware, this directly impacts the efforts they make to better their lives for themselves and for others, today and in future. 

Many people look at where something is made and what it is made of, but when an alluring item jumps out at them, the focus may change. Some people are adamant about buying local, or made in the United States of America, so that will be a particular customer.  Some only want to buy cotton, so that is another. So, it really depends on the person.  Supply chains in fashion are often so complex, that it is actually quite difficult to know exactly what the fabric is made of, and where it is made in terms of its origin, fabrication and production.  That is why transparency is so attractive to many people.  So, consumers are becoming more and more aware.  It is in the beginning phases.  If we look at how far the food industry has come, we realize, the same is beginning in fashion. As the second-largest polluter after oil and gas, fashion holds particular importance.  It is also a basic necessity, like food, so there is no doubt that consumers will be checking garments more.  People will want to know why there are so many toxins in their clothes and why anyone thinks, that is alright.

Published on: 22/04/2016

DISCLAIMER: All views and opinions expressed in this column are solely of the interviewee, and they do not reflect in any way the opinion of Fibre2Fashion.com.