Being Sustainably Fashionable
With the current events on climate change, it’s no surprise that sustainability has come to the forefront of many industries, fashion being one of them.
It’s no secret that the fashion industry causes a lot of pollution: from brands disposing of their unsold stock by shredding and dumping, or just plain burning it all, to the amount of toxic pollutants being pumped into the water from the various processes to the microfibres created every time clothing is washed, and even the plastic packaging.
There are a few ways to be sustainably fashionable.
- Buy better quality – yes, these are usually more expensive, but they last longer, and most quality brands use natural yarn instead of synthetic which reduces the microfiber count during washing.
- Buy recycled/ second-hand clothing – This speaks for itself and is a cheaper option to buying newer, expensive clothing.
- Buy organic – We know you won’t be eating your clothing, but natural yarns grown responsibly, without polluting the environment, are one of the best ways to go sustainable.
- Buy from brands using recycled packaging – Being sustainable isn’t just about the clothing, the packaging can be just as bad. Look for brands that use recycled/recyclable/ biodegradable packaging. Every bit counts.
- The social aspect – Modern slavery is an ever-growing problem. Finding the perfect outfit can be even harder knowing that the person making it wasn’t paid a fair wage (or at all). Look for brands with a modern slavery policy and you can follow their supplier chain from source to suit.
These might seem like small things to look out for but the more people that do this, the more brands will change.
The fashion industry must and can do better. Peper Harow is consistently reviewing and introducing new methodology of production to meet standards of excellence.
Our knitting machines are state-of-the-art, using less energy and producing less waste. Speaking of energy, 20% of our energy use is supplemented by solar panels. All our packaging is now FSC approved recycled and recyclable, and all plastic we use in packaging – including the mailbag – is recycled and biodegradable, and finally, we are excited to announce the launch of our new Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) certified range of men’s socks coming in February.