What is sustainable fashion?
Sustainable fashion literally means “sustainable fashion”.
In general, the word sustainable is used to refer to actions that take into consideration the natural environment and society, and development that helps maintain it.
In addition, it is considered important not only to consider the environment, but also to consider the safety and employment of workers engaged in work.
In other words, sustainable fashion refers to initiatives that give maximum consideration to all processes (environment, society, economy, etc.) ranging from production to sales and consumption in fashion.
Why sustainability matters in fashion
The reason why sustainability has started to attract attention in fashion lies in the background of the environmental destruction problem that is becoming a serious problem around the world.
The fashion industry has so far been based on mass production and mass consumption due to the popularity of fast fashion.
However, the polluted water and greenhouse gases generated in the production of clothing not only have a major impact on the global environment, but it has also been pointed out that the disposal of large amounts of inventory lacks consideration for nature. .
In addition, slaughtering animals for fur used in fashion and making workers in developing countries work at low wages have become problems.
Therefore, at the 2019 conference of seven major countries, fashion agreements were announced with the aim of improving serious problems in the fashion industry and reducing the burden on the environment. began to pay attention to
Basic concept of sustainable fashion
Next, I will introduce the basic concept of sustainable fashion. Understand the basics of sustainable fashion and take this opportunity to work on sustainable fashion.
organic material
One of the basic ideas of sustainable fashion is to incorporate organic materials.
Organic materials refer to materials such as natural cotton grown without the use of pesticides or chemical agents (organic cotton) that take into account the health of the global environment, producers, and wearers.
In addition, the production of organic materials takes into consideration the employment environment of the producers, making the products environmentally and socially friendly.
animal free
The fashion industry proposes the use of animal-free materials as a way of thinking about sustainable fashion.
Animal materials used in fashion include fur, leather, feathers, wool, etc., but many of them have become problematic because they are used after slaughtering animals.
Recently, more and more brands are banning the use of animal-derived materials, and more and more fashion items are using organic cotton, eco-fur, and vegetarian leather as substitutes.
reuse
Reuse, which is emphasized in fashion, refers to reuse, and is one of the concepts of an environmentally friendly recycling society (3R).
Reuse in fashion refers to reusing existing items, such as listing unwanted fashion items on flea market apps and purchasing clothes at recycle shops.
Reduce
One of the 3Rs, Reduce, refers to the reduction of waste, and is an essential concept for sustainable initiatives in fashion.
In terms of fashion, reducing refers to reducing the amount of fashion items you throw away and trying to avoid buying new clothes. For example, wearing one piece of clothing for a long time by learning how to properly care for it, or choosing items that can be worn for a long time.
recycling
Recycling, which is regarded as important in a recycling-based society (3R), is also one of the important ideas in sustainable fashion.
Recycling refers to the recycling of resources, and in sustainable fashion, efforts are being made to recycle resources, such as selling and selecting clothes and bags that reuse plastic bottles and other materials, and turning unwanted clothes into bags.
Brands making sustainable efforts in fashion
Recently, a wide range of companies have started sustainable initiatives, and fashion brands are no exception. Here, we introduce brands that are making sustainable efforts in fashion.
DESCENTE
DESCENTE is a long-established Japanese sports brand that develops and sells many sportswear such as ski wear and running wear.
High-quality Descente clothing made with cutting-edge technology has long been loved by top athletes.
In addition, Descente wear is not only pursued for functionality, but also has a stylish design that is recommended for those who want to be particular about the appearance of the wear.
DESCENTE Sustainable Initiatives
Descente has launched a new label called RE: DESCENTE from the perspective of “3R”, one of its sustainable initiatives. Re: DESCENTE handles fashion items that have little impact on the global environment and aim to realize a circular economy.
At Re: Descente, from the perspective of reducing (reducing waste), we have newly introduced “RE: DESCENTE SEED,” which uses natural materials such as Japanese paper, and collected clothing from the perspective of reuse. We are developing two product categories of “RE: DESCENTE BIRTH”, which has been reborn as a unique product.
Descente contributes to sustainable fashion by manufacturing products using naturally derived materials and recycling activities by collecting used fashion items.
