Who really knows? No one. Seriously, no one knows what ethical fashion is. The term has gotten more refined over the last four years, since I started on this journey. But no one has a definitive answer. Even my definition has changed in the last four years.
There are a lot of opinions, and many of them are contradictory. Fur, for example, has been pitched to me (you probably can guess who pitched it) as ethical fashion. Obviously, animal lovers (and almost everyone else with common sense) would say the exact opposite. If farmed in a sustainable way (and even if not farmed sustainably, to some degree), fur is most definitely more eco-friendly than its synthetic counterpart, but ethical? I certainly don’t think so.
The counterpoint to that is that vegan leather is generally not at all eco-friendly. PVC, polyurethane, who knows what else, but NOT eco-friendly. But again, vegan leather has been pitched as ethical fashion. Cruelty free (if you are only counting cruelty against animals), yes. But ethical? No. The environmental effects, not to mention the effects on the (mostly) women handling the material might be considered cruel.
Long story short,
ethical fashion is largely undefined.
Ethical fashion can mean anything from fair trade to eco-friendly to transparency in production to very high quality to handmade to diy to … well, the list is practically endless. There are currently no guidelines in place.
But, if you are here, reading this, you are at the very least curious, and at the most, an expert, interested in hearing someone else’s opinion. And it is exactly that, an opinion. So, here is my (somewhat evolving) opinion.
1. The Planet
When producing the item, the planet is considered. Are the materials used sustainably sourced? Are they produced using less energy and water? What does the manufacturing process leave behind, as far as pollution and waste? I consider it ethical if the manufacturer has placed a value on the environmental impact in all aspects of production and sourcing.
2. The People
Ethical fashion does
not stop at the environment, although some companies would have you think that things like organic cotton or bamboo rayon are the end all be all of ethical fashion. While the environment is important, the people making the item are also important.
Are the people that made the product paid a fair and living wage? Has the manufacturer considered the entire supply chain, as something is not ethically sourced if the sewers receive a living wage, but the cotton was harvested using slave or child labor. Are the (mostly) women in the factory provided a safe and healthy working environment? Are their civil and human rights respected? Does making this item empower the women that make it and make their lives better?
3. Packaging
While getting better, this is something that I think many “eco-friendly” clothing brands miss. If you have organic linen, made in the USA sweaters (pretty ethical, right?), wrapped individually in plastic, you are missing the mark. Yes, I understand that there are certain rules that apply when exporting from certain countries (Chinese imports must all be individually wrapped), but why not try a different wrap? And, if it is not being imported, there is no excuse. The entire product must be considered.
4. Quality
Producing a recycled plastic bottle t-shirt in an LA based factory that is packaged plastic-free, and then shipped to the retailer with carbon offsets, but falls apart with just a few wears, is not ethical. If it is made from completely sustainably sourced, fair trade crops, and packaged in recycled jars, but doesn’t do what it promises, it is not ethical.
The item must be of high quality, not needing to be replaced or thrown away.
This is something that I have more recently considered. Cheap clothing (and I don’t mean exclusively price, but that is a consideration) is almost never ethical. The quality of an item directly effects the lifespan as well as the ability to pass it on once I am done. A low quality item won’t pass the 30 wears test. And, if I can’t wear it a lot, it is essentially disposable. Disposable fashion ≠ ethical fashion.
For specifics on what I consider ethical, take a look at my evolving ethical fashion dictionary. Most products aren’t perfect, and many manufacturers don’t know about their entire supply chain. And this is ok, for now at least. Especially when you consider how many places and hands touch each item.
However, I select items that are transparent in their design, manufacturing, packaging and distribution processes. I look for brands that are doing what they can to be as eco-friendly as possible without being price prohibitive. I look for items with a smaller footprint and a concern for the people behind the product. To me, if a brand is making strides to becoming more ethical and asking questions and making improvements, I want to support them. If they are slowing down their process and producing it mindfully, I want to learn more. And if they can offer something beautiful and/or effective at the same time, then I am sold.
The F:S Ethical Shopping Guide
I hope that by selecting these items, I will encourage the designers to make more of the same. I hope that traditional brands will begin to realize the value in creating ethical items. I hope that eventually everything will be created ethically and there will be no need for the label, our Future:Standard.
If you think I am missing something, reach out. I love to hear what other ethical stylists value. And like I said, my definition is evolving, so your thoughts are valued.
Live ethically…
Future:Standard
Updated 03.22.2018