Conscious-consumption-of-clothes

October 12, 2020
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Sustainable fashion is increasingly in demand, thanks to the fact that the conventional fashion industry's operation is becoming more visible.

We have become accustomed to finding a wide variety of clothes at low prices quickly. But we don't know anything about how that garment was made.

The manufacture of conventional clothing mostly goes through relocation, miserable working conditions, and environmental pollution.

But there is good news. There are alternatives. Sustainable fashion exists.

What does it cost to produce a conventional garment?

Nowadays, you can quickly get cheap clothes or at a very affordable price.

In most cases, this price does not correspond to the real cost of the garment.

To produce any conventional garment you need:

Many liters of water: on the order of 2900L for a basic cotton t-shirt (counting on growing cotton, dyeing, washing, etc.). About 30% of the total water used is contaminated.
Pesticides for large areas of cotton.
Chemical detergents and bleaches for washing cotton.
Dyes and softeners. Health and quality of life of the people who make the clothes.

In addition to CO2 emissions during production and transport.

The chemicals used to treat fabrics are many and of recognized toxicity for personal health and the environment, such as chromium, phthalates, antimony, etc.

Also, as we saw with bisphenol-A when we talked about plastic bottles, many of these chemicals act as endocrine disruptors associated with reproductive diseases, some types of cancer, etc.In addition to health problems such as allergies or multiple chemical sensitivity.

Producer's health and living conditions

Most clothing companies have moved their factories to countries where labor and environmental laws are rare.

Thus, these companies can have a production cost well below what it would mean to make the same garment while respecting the environment and the people who work.

Economic benefit as the only objective.

The people (mostly women) who make our clothes:

They work in semi-slavery conditions
With days between 14 and 20 hours
With salaries far below the minimum to subsist in their own countries
With no or few security measures. Many have fatal accidents that occur in these factories.

I especially remember the 2013 collapse of a factory in Bangladesh, where more than 1,100 people died.

What can I do?

You can make a responsible consumption of clothes.

With sustainable fashion, you avoid favoring this industry that does so much damage to the planet and people. You support a type of economy that enhances social, environmental, and economic balance. This is a useful vote!

Some criteria that you can use when choosing your clothes:

That human rights have been respected in their manufacture: they have the fair trade seal or that the "made in" label includes a country (European if you are in Europe) where you can guarantee decent working conditions. Also, local craftsmanship can be an option. That the raw materials are sustainable (organic cotton, linen and hemp, peace silk, recycled fabric, ...).

That the design, manufacture, and sale is the closest to where you live: this gives more guarantees of better working conditions, as I said before, and promoted the local economy.

When I speak of local, I do not mean a multinational branch that is close to where you live. I am referring to those companies whose capital is from your city, region, or country.

Where do I find sustainable fashion?

There are more and more designers and brands that work under the criteria of sustainable fashion. In Blanqsand we work with sustainable brands to give you the best quality.