Understanding Ethical Fashion
Ethical fashion goes well beyond aesthetics; it is a profound commitment to reducing the industry's negative impact on people, animals, and the planet and viewing each of these relationships as symbiotic. Every supply chain step is meticulously designed to ensure fair and ethical treatment for everyone involved, from the cotton farmer to the seamstress.
Ethical fashion, in partnership with sustainable fashion, is crucial when you consider that a staggering 98% of fashion workers worldwide are not paid a living wage. The non-payment of living wages is correlated to a lowering of production and work standards more broadly: payment of minimum wages is not unlawful in many fashion production countries, but the practise of meeting the “bare minimum” of standards is often scarcely sufficient to ensure worker wellbeing, down to being downright exploitative of vulnerable people. Ethical fashion attempts to foster a more humane approach to fashion making.
The Environmental Impact
Fast fashion's environmental footprint is colossal. Millions of tonnes of textile waste, excessive water consumption, high levels of greenhouse gas emissions, and hazardous chemicals are some of the damaging practices that fast fashion perpetuates. Ethical fashion seeks to eliminate or mitigate these practices, understanding that harming the environment inevitably harms humanity, and often in the world’s most vulnerable communities or geographies (i.e. the “Global South”).
The Human Cost
Fast fashion's impact on human lives is equally dire. Garment workers often toil in appalling conditions, facing slave labour-like conditions, exposure to hazardous chemicals, and woefully inadequate wages. Ethical fashion prioritises the humane treatment of workers, ensuring safe working conditions, fair pay, and respect for all individuals involved in the production process, taking into account suppliers and their respective workers in the earliest stages of the supply chain.
Protecting Animals
Fast fashion's reliance on petrochemical textiles, which are predominantly plastic, pollutes waterways and the broader animal food chain. Ethical fashion avoids these harmful materials, protecting workers and consumers from their toxic effects and safeguarding animal ecosystems. Most ethical labels will eschew animal products or by-products in their garments altogether, and we can leave “animal testing” back in the dark ages where it belongs.
Defining an Ethical Fashion Brand
An ethical fashion brand ensures that every individual who interacts with a garment throughout its lifecycle is treated with fairness and respect. Transparency in the supply chain is paramount, allowing brands to effectively address labour exploitation, child labour, and unsafe working conditions.
Signifiers such as the use of certified, fair trade or ethically graded materials, B Corporation status, and supply chain transparency on brand websites can help consumers discern the truly ethical from those brands simply paying lip service to sound ethics.
Examples of ethical fashion brands include Kowtow, which ensures fair wages and safe working conditions while using certified organic materials; Eileen Fisher, which emphasises fair labour practices and uses sustainable materials; and Outland Denim, which provides training and employment opportunities for women rescued from human trafficking while adhering to sustainable manufacturing and procurement practises.
By understanding the origins of materials and the working conditions of all involved in creating fashion products, ethical brands take decisive steps to minimise their environmental impact and foster sustainability and human dignity in an holistic way. This approach ensures that ethical practices are embedded at every stage, from seed to shelf.
FAQs
What is the difference between sustainable and ethical fashion?
Sustainable fashion focuses on minimising environmental impact, while ethical fashion centres on the human aspect of the industry. Despite their distinct focuses, both practices are interconnected; environmental harm invariably leads to human suffering and vice versa, making both essential for a truly responsible fashion industry.
What is the difference between ethical and fair trade clothing?
Ethical fashion ensures fair and humane treatment of all workers involved in the production process, while fair trade specifically guarantees that workers receive just compensation. For fashion to be ethical, it must adhere to fair trade principles.
How does ethical fashion impact local communities?
Ethical fashion empowers local communities by prioritising local leadership and sound manufacturing practises over blind outsourcing to cheaper, often exploitative, labour markets where the rule of law is questionable and human and environmental standards are lacking. This approach supports local economies, enhances community well-being, and fosters a sense of pride and satisfaction among workers. However, garment workers across the globe are in need of work and raised standards, so we do not recommend blacket factory boycotting while advocating for better pay and conditions unless workers have adequate safety-nets.
Can fashion be both cheap and ethical?
While fast fashion is synonymous with low-cost garments, ethical fashion typically comes with a higher price tag due to its commitment to fair wages and premium quality materials. However, ethical fashion's durability often means that its cost per wear is comparable to or even lower than that of fast fashion. It's important to note that a high price tag doesn't necessarily guarantee ethical practices—you must know what to look for.
