In today’s world, where environmental awareness and social responsibility are increasingly important, sustainable fashion is gaining significant ground every day. And in this landscape, a special niche, sustainable streetwear fashion, emerges as a fascinating trend, combining an “urban” lifestyle with environmentally friendly production practices.
So, as you may have already guessed from the title of this article, we’re going to explore the concept of sustainable streetwear together, highlighting its advantages and benefits for the environment, society, and your wardrobe, while also discovering some of the industry’s leading brands, such as Patagonia and Reformation, that you can find on Edropit.com, and that year after year are revolutionizing the way you, I, and all of us think about and buy “streetwear fashion”
Let’s set out to discover a world of fashion where style and sustainability meet to create a better future for us and the planet.
But first, a necessary forward.
Fashion and its Impact on the Environment
Before we highlight the benefits of a sustainable choice when picking your outfit, we feel that it is only necessary to briefly explain some of the less-known facts about the whole process involved in the production and transport of your clothes.
When it comes to fashion, we must state quite clearly that, although many do not realize it, the production of clothes is one of the dirtiest industrial processes out there.
Let’s start from the beginning: the primary product.
The materials out of which our clothes are produced can be divided into three main categories according to their origin:
- natural, like cotton and wool
- artificial, like polyester and other hydrocarbons-derived materials
- mixed, as some yarns that are used to produce knitwear
All three categories imply a certain degree of pollution. Cotton coming from plants needs a significant use of pesticides and other chemicals to reduce the risk of damage to the harvest, be it from parasites or lack of nutrients.
The production of yarns and textiles from hydrocarbons should require no explanation as far as its consequences. Both the extraction and the processing of crude oil to produce gasoline, kerosene, diesel, and ultimately, the raw material that goes into polyester and viscose have an enormous impact on the environment.
On top of that, we can add the transport from the extraction locations and the occasional incidents.
The mixed materials obviously have a little bit of both.
Then comes the actual processing of the materials in order to transform them into that piece of clothing you are wearing right now.
This includes dying chemicals to give it that color, cutting and sewing machines that consume a lot of energy, which, for example, in China is produced by burning coal (40% of the power requirements of the whole country is produced by coal, China has a lot of it), the disposal of production waste, which is often not carried out according to sound environmental best practices. Simply because in the countries where all this is done, said practices sometimes do not even exist.
Finally, your piece of garment has to be transported from the other side of the world on carriers that obviously require oil to function, and that pollute the oceans in other not-so-secondary ways (another topic, for another time).
The Clothing Industry and Modern Slavery
Just when you thought we were about to wrap it, here comes another underestimated problem of the fashion industry.
Together with mining, the fashion industry has been widely and repeatedly accused of modern slavery. The claim is not unfounded.
To produce fast fashion – but this concerns bug companies too – brands have resorted to delocalize the production in places where the conditions reserved to the workers in the factories are comparable to those of the beginning of the industrial era.
Most of the time workers live on the premises, in dormitories with ten or more people in small rooms, common restroom facilities, scarce hygiene and no air conditioning in summer or heating in winter.
Wages are low and they have little or no legal protection, in a system where the supervisor, often himself not in an ideal work condition, has the power of letting them go whenever he wants.
The average day of a worker in a factory in South China begins at 06:00 in the morning with a simple breakfast, on foot, just outside the gates of the factory, at his expense.
They start working immediately, have a break for lunch one hour in which they have to eat and rest.
Then they reprise work till 05:00 p.m. When deliveries approach, they work afterhours, till 01:00 a.m. sometimes.
They have one free day per month, apart on National Day (October 1st), when they can enjoy three free days in a row.
Then before Chinese New Year (January – February), after working like robots for 10 plus hours, they can return home, back to the families they’ve not seen the whole year. And stay there for two weeks.
After that, they will have to emigrate once again, maybe to the same factory, maybe not. Workplaces are not guaranteed, and at the beginning of the new year they are given away on a first come first served basis.
All of this allows us to buy cheap and the companies that sell the fast fashion we wear, to turn a profit.
But it is not fair. We really care about it. We know you do too.
Now, we have depressed you enough, probably. Let’s take a look at the benefits of sustainable streetwear fashion.
The Benefits Of Sustainable Streetwear: Style And Consciousness For A Better Future
As previously anticipated, in the developing fashion landscape, sustainable streetwear fashion stands out as a fascinating trend that combines urban style with environmentally friendly production practices, where choosing sustainable streetwear doesn’t just mean sporting a fashionable and up-to-date look, but also brings many concrete benefits for the environment and society, as well as for your closet.
Lower Environmental Impact = Greener Future
Recycled materials such as cotton made from plastic bottles or organic cotton grown without pesticides drastically reduce the ecological impact compared to traditional garments, and in this respect, a couple of brands, which you may already know and have heard of at least once – Ecoalf and Patagonia – stick out as real pioneers in the field.
Quality and durability are hallmarks of sustainable streetwear. Fine fabrics such as organic cotton and merino wool, used by brands like Outerknown, provide you with comfort, breathability and durability, reducing the need to buy new garments frequently, as today’s consumerist society prescribes. And this helps your wallet as well as your environment, putting you in a win – win situation.
Ethics And Transparency
By choosing sustainable streetwear fashion you also support ethical and transparent practices. We are sure you remember what we wrote about working conditions before, right?
Well, companies such as Patagonia, mentioned above, with its “Footprint Facts” guarantee decent working conditions and fair wages, while also offering full information on the origin of materials and production processes.
And that doesn’t mean at all you have to renounce style! Despite their focus on the environment and ethics, sustainable streetwear brands have not given up helping you carry it forward; quite the opposite, if we may say. Thanks to innovative and fashionable, customizable and limited-edition designs, such as those offered by Reformation, these brands allow you to express your individuality and create your own unique wardrobe.
So as we are pretty sure you’ve started to guess on your own, wearing sustainable streetwear is a conscious fashion choice that is good for the planet, supports a fair supply chain, and still allows you to sport a unique and trendy look.
Since we spoke about China before, a famous Chinese saying goes “a journey of ten thousand miles begins with the first step,” and this is the first step towards a more sustainable future for the fashion industry and for all of us.
Stories Of Passion And Commitment: How Sustainable Streetwear Brands Have Revolutionized The Industry
Now, we are human beings, both you and we. As such we love to grow and learn through stories to which we connect, in which we find the same values we cherish and would love to spread to the world.
Well, following you’ll find the stories of some of the brands we have met and that are just that; the stories of people that share the same values that burn inside us.
We are talking about market-leading names behind which we discovered stories of passion, commitment and innovation.
So, let’s discover together the origins and paths of some of these pioneers who have revolutionized the way streetwear is conceived and made.
Because in today’s fashion landscape, sustainability is no longer just an option, but a core value for a more responsible future, where sustainable streetwear emerges as a disruptive trend, combining style and environmental consciousness.
It is a necessity.
Patagonia
The story of Patagonia is a tale of passion, determination and courage, because its story is inextricably linked with that of Yvon Chouinard, its founder, a former climber, now a famous U.S. entrepreneur who dedicated his life to creating a brand that would not only focus on the production of sportswear, but also be deeply committed to the preservation of the planet.
In fact, Patagonia’s story dates way back, to 1953, when Chouinard began climbing the mountains of Yosemite, and developed his passion for climbing and outdoor sports. It was this that led him to become a self-taught blacksmith first and to found Chouinard Equipment later. And because of this Patagonia exists today.
It is here that his dedication to creating a brand that would focus on quality and sustainability begins to come to the fore, because Chouinard does not simply produce sportswear, but works hard to create products that are not only functional and high quality, but also sustainable and environmentally friendly, which is why Patagonia will make a name for itself in the future, that is, in the present day, in the world of sustainable streetwear because of its environmental and social ethics.
Not to mention that since the 1980s, the company began donating 1 percent of its sales to environmental groups, with a program formalized in 2001 under the name “1% for the Planet Program” leading to $140 million in donations for the preservation and restoration of the natural environment, while in 2013, Patagonia became one of the first companies to become a B-Corporation, getting a certification for meeting certain environmental and social standards, which is why its mission has now been changed in “We are in business to save our planet”, to emphasize its commitment to this endeavor.
Recently, Patagonia divested 98% of its shares to the nonprofit Holdfast Collective and kept only 2% as the Patagonia Purpose Trust, donating 1 percent of each sale to initiatives that are addressing some environmental issues. This step was taken to strengthen its environmental and social mission. Patagonia’s story is an example of how a company can combine a passion for fashion and the environment.
Reformation: Transparency And Innovation For Sustainable Fashion
The story of Reformation is a tale of innovation, sustainability, and passion for fashion; it is the story of Yael Aflalo, its founder, a U.S.-based fashion designer and entrepreneur who dedicated her life to creating a brand that not only focused on fashion, but also had a deep commitment to safeguarding the planet. In fact, in 2009, Aflalo founded the company because it aims to offer modern, trendy styles to women at affordable prices.
However, Aflalo did more than just create a fashion brand, as she was determined to create a company that also focuses on sustainability and environmental responsibility, so much so that Reformation began to use sustainable materials, such as organic cotton and recycled satin, and to reduce the environmental impact of its operations by donating 10 percent of its sales to nonprofit organizations that focus on environmental protection and women’s rights. Reformation today has established itself as a company in the world of sustainable fashion through its environmental and social ethics.
Aflalo’s passion for sustainability has always been at the heart of its business strategy, and today, it has led Reformation to develop a waste management system that allows it to reduce production waste and use waste materials to create new products. The company has also implemented a used clothing collection and recycling program, which allows customers to return their used products and receive a voucher to buy new ones.
Reformation has established itself as a leading brand in the sustainable fashion industry through its determination to create a company that focuses on sustainability and environmental responsibility, an example of how a company can combine a passion for fashion with a commitment to the environment and society, becoming a leading brand in the sustainable fashion industry.
A Future To Sustainable Fashion
Sustainable streetwear represents, as you have seen, a breath of fresh air in the fashion landscape, demonstrating that it is possible to combine style and environmental consciousness by choosing garments produced responsibly and with eco-friendly materials, with which we can reduce our impact on the planet and support companies that are committed to a better future and a better world.
Sustainable fashion, then, is not just a consumer choice but a real cultural movement that embraces values such as responsibility, transparency, and ethics, that is an invitation to reflect on our relationship with clothes and make conscious choices that have a positive impact on the world we will leave to our children or grandchildren.
The sustainable streetwear brands presented in this article on “sustainable streetwear fashion” represent just a small bite of what this trend offers you because more and more designers and companies are attempting to create environmentally friendly and fashionable products, proving that sustainability is not an obstacle to creativity.
So, play your part with us at Edropit in the sustainable fashion revolution, too, by exploring the brands we’ve introduced if you don’t know them yet or discover new ones (like ours).
Because when you choose their high-quality, durable garments, you give new life to old clothes. And together, we can build a future where fashion looks cool but is responsible and accessible to all.