In recent years more and more designers and fashion brands are creating a sustainable image for their brand and clothing. Issues within this have been raised by the press, social media and fashion forward individuals globally and the fashion industry has been quick to adapt. In the past, being eco-friendly in the fashion industry wasn’t considered ‘glamourous’ enough and was often referred to as being cheap. Now, designers are basing everything they do around being sustainable, and customers are more drawn to brands that are. The new generation of fashionistas and designers worldwide are building a more conscious approach to fashion at it’s very core.
Being sustainable doesn’t only mean being eco-friendly, but for a long time, the most successful designers had someone being exploited in order to get the latest trends on their clothing rails, but that’s all that was important. However, since disasters such as the Rana Plaza building collapse back in 2013, fashion brands have ensured that the people who supply their clothing are looked after to avoid the bad image Primark got.
A significant increase in people are becoming more aware about the processes and people behind getting their favourite fashion garments into their hands. How many hands have these fabrics touched to get the end result, how long did it take, and how did a cotton plant turn into my staple piece? – These are all questions running through people’s minds.
A popular country designers are sourcing their fabrics from is India. Richard Malone has collaborated with some female workers in Tamil Odu, to produce naturally made fabrics whilst ensuring only natural dyes are used and very little water is wasted. These women are kept away from harmful chemicals and they work in a safe, secure environment. But he doesn’t stop there – he has introduced techniques which turn old plastic and viscose into yarn and fringing! “It’s always a long process but it’s incredibly important research that can have a wider effect… I see it as the only way to move forward – it’s 2018 and things need to change.” – Richard Malone.
Alongside Richard, Samantha McCoach of Le Kilt says “I want to encourage people to understand the value of their garments: the number of hands who have worked on them, the length it took, how long it took to weave the fabric or where the raw materials came from. That’s when they stop being disposable.” She has also now launched her children’s-wear line, Le Kilt Mini, in Liberty which is made from recycled fabrics from scraps they had building up in the warehouse.
In addition, Elliss Solomon has stitched sustainability into all her work – all her garments are produced in the same building which keeps her carbon footprint to a minimum. She also uses a process called ECONYL which uses fishnets and nylon waste to produce her swimwear.
Another designer which has caught the eye of celebrities such as RAYE is Chloe Marlow of Marlow London – an accessories brand whereby one collection ‘This Bag’ consists of a collection of mini bags with the disclaimer label (usually inside the garment or accessory) laser cut onto the front to reinforce the importance of knowing the process of making the item. It is made using vegetable tanned leather which uses natural tannins, and the only downside of that is that its age shows faster – but is it a disadvantage? It continues to stress that the bag has been through so many memories with the owner and it becomes less disposable.
New Delhi-born designer Manish Arora has previously trialled turning rubble into his show-stopping AW12 collection. Arora isn’t the only famous name to make eco-friendly moves like this; Textile Guru Joanna Williams who made a career out of sourcing fabrics through jetting to countries such as Mexico for clients such as Oscar de la Renta, made a trip to India last year to experience their historic textile heritage for herself! She has been one to collect Indian textiles over the years, and on her visit, she collected many vintage and antique textiles dating back to the 18th century to use in her work, and I think this is a pure demonstration of the industry’s progress.
India is home to many textiles that are sourced for your favourite designers’ collections; Anokhi is one of the most popular fabric shops with locations across the country in New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Jaipur just to name a few. They are famous for their traditional Indian craftsmanship making it a popular shopping destination for the tourists and fashion industry alike.
To this day, India holds its title as one of the most popular and iconic places for fabric sourcing to this day. In more recent years, weavers and workers within places like India are starting to be more respected and looked after – for example, after the Rana Plaza disaster, Primark have put polices in place whereby their workers across the globe are expected to work in safe conditions and earn a fair wage – although their factories are not owned by them, they ensure all of them meet these standards.