This presentation looks at the emerging movement to incorporate sustainability into fashion, underscores the challenges the movement is trying to address and the ways in which new startups can move the eco-fashion movement forward.

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ECO-
FASHION
Evaluating Sartorial Sustainability
Anupam Chakravarty
CCTP-817-01

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A Growing Movement
(Hoya Saxa.)

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Opportunity Areas
 Traditionally: Reducing harm to animals
 Limiting waste produced in clothing
manufacture
 Reducing use of Chemicals: Pesticides & Dyes
 Reusing & recycling materials
 Promoting fair trade & safe working conditions

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The Life of a (Conventional) T-Shirt
 10% of all pesticides are used
in cotton production
 Conventional cotton for a t-shirt
needs 15 bathtubs of water to
grow.
 The agricultural space needed
for 100 t-shirts is enough to
grow 1540 lbs of potatoes
 5% of all waste in US landfills is
textiles.

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Organic Clothing
 “Organic” usually means free of chemicals
 No pesticides, fertilizers, or GMOs
 Less pollutants to the environment
 Toxic run-off in water
 Health benefits of less allergens & carcinogens
 Clothes last longer
 Stronger fibers
 More porous
 More fade resistant

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Eco-friendly Materials:
Sustainable Cotton
Reduced No Less Ban on
water use chemicals chemicals GMOs
Conventional Cotton
“Better Cotton” X X
Organic Cotton X X X
Recycled Cotton X X X
Source:

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Future Eco-friendly Materials:
Silk from Slime
 Angry Hagfish yields Protein-Based Fiber

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Other Eco-Friendly Materials
Bamboo Modal
Tencel Hemp
Vegetable Dyes

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Energy Efficiency
 Reduce consumption of raw materials
 Recycled materials = no agricultural land
 Lower energy and water usage
 Sustainable cotton
 Ozone washing for jeans
 Avoiding petroleum-based materials
 Hand-made
 No by-products from mass manufacture

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Recycled, Upcycled, Reused &
Repurposed

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Social Responsibility:
Fair Trade & Labor Ethics
“Made in USA” signals adherence to standards.
Fair Trade principles apply to imports:
 Safe work-places
 Limiting chemical/toxin exposure
 Local/community conscious
 Should contribute to local industry and
empowerment
 Fair Wages

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Challenges & Room for
Improvement
 Organic fashion means organic clothing care
 Time-consuming and complex
 Encourages washing by hand
 Discourages detergents and dryer sheets
 Discourages machine washer/dryer use
 Heat affects organic clothing
 Energy expenditure from washer/dryer

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Challenges & Room for
Improvement
 Inconsistency in sustainability standards
 Is the emphasis on pollutants? Energy? Social
ethics?
 Example: TOMS vs. SoleRebels
 Individual standards  LEED for Fashion?
 Lack of large-scale availability
 Initially more expensive; consumer inertia

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Sources
 http://about.hm.com/content/dam/hm/about/documents/en/CSR/reports/Conscious%20Actions%20Sustainab
 http://organicfashionblog.com/organic-clothing-2/why-clothing-companies-should-invest-in-organic/
 http://news.discovery.com/tech/biotechnology/hagfish-slime-super-clothes-121203.htm
 http://www.ehow.com/about_5114223_benefits-organic-clothing.html
 http://mashable.com/2013/03/13/nice-laundry/
 http://www.heartsleevesblog.com/the-pros-cons-of-toms-shoes-and-another-option/
 https://modavanti.com/sustainability
 http://www.sewlove.co/
 http://www.catalogs.com/info/clothing/organic-clothing-care.html
 http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/258782061/nice-laundry-a-fresh-start-for-your-sock-
drawer
 http://wearpanda.com
 http://dogoodbeknotty.tumblr.com
 http://magnifeco.com/ethical-denim-brand-review-5-clean-jean-brands-for-spring/women/