Fast fashion has changed the fashion industry forever, but it’s not for the better. Companies like Fashion Nova, Forever 21 and Shein are leading the fast fashion industry, but with every piece of clothing, there is an entire industry depleting the Earth’s limited resources.
According to the Earth Day website, it is these fast fashion industries that contribute to harm such as stripping the Earth of healthy soil, contaminating fresh water sources, polluting the air we breathe, destroying our forests and damaging eco-systems and the health of their biodiversity.
There are also many brands that are fighting back against the world of fast fashion and implementing sustainability into their companies.
Reformation began in 2009, selling vintage clothing out of a small Los Angeles storefront. According to their website the brand grew very quickly and they quickly expanded into creating their own clothing, while leaving the focus of the company on sustainability.
Reformation maintains sustainable ideals even with the growth of their brand (Photo from: Reformation.com)
Reformation uses a RefScale that tracks the company’s carbon and water footprint, calculating how Reformation products help reduce these impacts. Reformation takes this information and shares it with customers on every product page.
The company, according to their website, also implements recycling ideals by donating their unused textile scraps whenever possible.
Reformation recycles their unused textiles (photo from: Reformation.com)
Reformation holds themselves accountable for their progress in sustainability. According to their website, they send quarterly sustainability reports rather than their quarterly earnings reports in their newsletters to customers, in order to hold themselves accountable.
Patagonia is another major brand that brings sustainability to the forefront of their brand. According to their website, this season, 94% of their line used recycled materials.
Patagonia has been using organically grown virgin cotton, that is grown without the use of harmful chemicals, in their clothing since 1996. According to their website, using organic cotton can save water and reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
Since 1996, Patagonia has used only organically grown virgin cotton for their products (Photo from: Patagonia.com)
One of the many things Patagonia is known for is their enviornmental responsibility programs that they have sewed into the heart of their brand.
According to their website, 89% of their fabrics this season were made with preferred materials, including hemp, polyester, polyurethane, organic cotton and other recycled materials.
This season, 94% of Patagonia’s line was created out of recycled materials (Photo from: Patagonia.com)