2. Introduction to Green Fashion:
It refers to the production of a product that does not
deplete non-renewable resources, does not pollute through
production, and can be absorbed harmlessly back into the
environment at the end of its life. Here a product is created
and produced with consideration to the environmental and
social impact it may have throughout its total life span,
including its "carbon footprint".
3. Carbon Footprint may refer to the total amount of
green house gases that the product emits during its
entire lifecycle ,from plantation till being
discarded.
4. Harms that garments contribute at various stages
of their life:
a) During the cultivation -Cotton is one of the most widely grown and
chemical-intensive crops in the world. Conventionally grown cotton
uses approximately 25% of the worlds insecticides and more than
10% of the worlds pesticides. In conventional cotton farming,
Nitrogen fertiliser is a key source of emissions.“Water consumption –
especially the extensive use of water in cotton crop cultivation – can
also be a major environmental issue.
5.
6. b) During the conversion of cotton into conventional clothing, many
hazardous materials are used and added to the product.
The “spinning, weaving and knitting” stages use a lot of energy,
produce solid waste and generate dust.Many processing stages result
in large amounts of toxic wastewater that carry away residues from
chemical cleaning, dyeing, and finishing. This waste depletes the
oxygen out of the water, killing aquatic animals and disrupting
aquatic ecosystems .
7. Chemicals used for finishing contain, amongst many others, heavy
metals like copper, chromium and cobalt which are known hormone
disrupters, and formaldehyde, a chemical.
Formaldehydes are used in wrinkle-free, non iron finishings but also
as a fixing agent for cotton. It is an irritant to the skin and also a
hormone disrupter.
Moreover the amount of distances the clothing has to travel
throughout its entire life uses
a large amount of energy.
8. c) After the garment is made it may not directly
release any harmful substance but leads to the
usage of large amount of energy and water also.
The way we wash, dry and care for our clothes
decides how high these impacts are.
9. d) At the end of its usage by its customer a cloth has an end
life too which again affects the environment by the way it
is managed. A very large quantity of clothing still goes to
our landfills
It costs municipalities a great deal to manage landfills,
which are often almost full. Destroying waste is costly,
and incineration causes pollution.
10. Ways to prevent such a damage to the
environment:
1. Eco-friendly fibres should be used like-
The cotton that is being grown conventionally should be
grown organically. Organic farmers work with nature to
feed the soil and control pests. By choosing organic cotton,
low impact farming, we can significantly reduce our carbon
footprint and because organic farming does not use
petroleum based chemical fertilizer, pesticide or herbicide,
it is less reliant on fossil fuels and has a lower carbon
footprint.
11. Hemp: It is a commonly used term for the varieties of the
cannabis term. Hemp fibre was widely used throughout
history. Items ranging from rope, to fabrics, to industrial
materials were made from hemp fibre. Hemp was often
used to make sail canvas, and the word canvas derives
from cannabis Today, a modest hemp fabric industry
exists, and hemp fibres can be used in clothing. Pure hemp
has a texture similar to linen.
12. Bamboo: Recently, bamboo clothing have entered the
textile industry and many commercial banboo fabric
products are claimed to be ecofriendly and antibacterial.
Antibacterial agent in bamboo is identified as ‘kun’ which
represents a hydroxyl(-OH) functional group. It also has a
soft feel and flowing drape.
13. 2. In place of using synthetic dyes which contain huge
amount of chemicals that are harmful natural dyes can be
used which are easily available from natural sources and
are environment friendly also. Natural dyes are dyes or
colorants derived from plants, invertebrates, or minerals.
The majority of natural dyes are vegetable dyes from plant
sources –roots, berries, bark, leaves, and wood — and other
organic sources such as fungi and lichens.
14. Natural dyes such as indigo, pomegranate rind, myrobalan,
lac and manjistha as well as benign chemicals like
aluminium and iron are eco-friendly alternatives to the
synthetic dyes and hazardous chemicals used in
conventional fabric dyeing.
Dyes approved by GOTS(Global Organic Textile Standard)
should be used.It is one of the strictest
and well known standard for textile
processing.
15. 3. During its consumer stage maximum loss of energy is in washing and
drying only so green washing should be adopted. The customers should
be informed through the wash care labels to “wash cool and hang dry”
and should use low impact wash powder.
Ironing should not be done on all clothes. It should be done only on
such kind of clothes as cotton which have low resiliency and that too
only on party wear clothes.
16. 4. Alternatives should be taken to reduce landfills like-
Reusing the old clothes.
Recycling the waste things.- Recycled or reclaimed fibers
are made from scraps of fabrics collected from clothing
factories and even the waste bottles etc, which are
processed back into short fibres for spinning into a new
yarn.
17.
18. RPET (Post-Consumer Recycled Soda & Water Bottles)-
PET Poly-Ethylene Terephthalate is the plastic used in most soda
and water bottles and is highly collected for recycling.Once the
recycled bottles are color separated, they are cleaned, chipped
and then processed into fibers which are spun into threads. The
thread is used to make multiple textures and weaves that can
mimic many standardmaterials such as mesh, nylon, canvas and
non-woven.By using PCR PET, you use less virgin plastic, you
divert bottles from landfills and you support sustainable
markets. At the end of its life, RPET can also be recycled with
other fabrics
19. Recycled cotton leather-Cotton leather is made of 100%
cotton made from a mix of Post Industrial scraps &
Post Consumer clothing & rags.First we make pulp out of
Rags and then make individual sheets of size 22×30″. After
which it is screen printed and PU coated (Lead free) and
then a leather texture is given.Since it is made from Cotton
and looks like leather it is named “cotton leather”.
20. Why green fashion is useful:
Its better for the earth-. Choosing organic fibres or
sustainable fabrics--like those made from bamboo or
hemp--can also trim the amount of carbon you give off and
chemicals you bring into your life, and there's no doubt
that's a good thing.
Its better for people-: Buying clothes labelled under
the Fair Trade Act is sustainable on several levels: You can
be sure it was produced under safe working conditions, it's
sweatshop free, and the person who made it earned a fair
wage.
21. Its better for animals-. Making sure your closet is stocked
with cruelty-free clothes i.e not made of leather ,fur,wool or
silk means you can get dressed without worrying about
what went into what you're wearing.
It lasts longer-: While buying organic, renewable fibres is
often the least toxic way to go, finding timeless, durable
pieces can be just as green. . Reducing waste and cutting
back on your consumerism will do more for the earth--in
terms of saving energy and resources--than stocking up on
unnecessary fashions .
22. Its more personal-We should think local. Check nearby
boutiques for fashions from designers in your area,
and call on your favourite neighbourhood tailor to keep
your favorite pieces fitting perfectly.
Its more than just organic-We've already mentioned
local designers and timeless pieces, but sustainable
clothing also includes vintage pieces and handmade
options--both of which make your wardrobe one-of-a-
kind.
23. THE DESIGNERS AND ORGANISATIONS
ALREADY WORKING IN THIS FIELD-
Stella McCartney
Carrie Parry
100% NY
25. Future of green fashion:
Green is the new status symbol. Green products and lifestyles are
definitely no longer for tree huggers.
The Fashion-carbon-footprint of today dispels that myth as sustainable-
fashion-designs increase in popularity, and fashion styles move into the
direction of eco-friendly apparel.
With the ever-growing green-movement and the wish to rid our
surroundings of pollutants, there is the desire to re-use, reduce and
recycle.
Accountability is becoming huge in all types of business and modern-
day fashion-designers are striving to be more responsible towards
lowering our fashion-carbon-footprint.
26. Noir has launched luxury eco-fashion products,
including organically certified African cotton products, and Linda
Loudermilk's Couture line includes glamorous and sophisticated pieces
made from bamboo and soya. This new luxury eco-fashion is
increasingly more available, and celebrities are also jumping on
the environmental bandwagon. Lindsay Lohan is wearing secondhand
clothing for environmental reasons, Alicia Silverstone is a vegetarian
and Leonardo DiCaprio co-produced, wrote and narrated the eco-
documentary "11th Hour" to, he said, "raise awareness about global
warming and the problems we face in promoting a sustainable
environmental future for our planet."