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A passion for eco-fashion

By Fiona MacDonald - posted Thursday, 30 August 2007


There is the concern that the environmentally friendly fashion trend will result in sustainability becoming just another fad. From an environmentalist’s point of view, though, the popularity is overall a positive. “Fashion is great marketing. If we can harness that marketing to get the sustainability message out there then, absolutely, we should be doing it,” says Kate Noble.

Overseas, particularly in New York and London, the eco-fashion movement is thriving. International labels such as Edun, created by Ali Hewson and husband Bono; Preloved, a label using only recycled material; and Linda Loudermilk are generating a lot of hype. Meanwhile Loomstate, an organic cotton denim company with the provocative tagline “people who give a shit are sexy” and 80s rebellious “it” designer Katherine E. Hamnett are building cult followings. Even well established companies are going green, with Levi recently launching an eco-denim line.

The trend is a little slower to take off in Australia. When retail giants Myer and David Jones were asked if they stocked any eco-fashion labels the result was some very confused public relations representatives. Apparently sustainable fashion is not on their agenda or even their radar.

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Despite this, the market is clearly present here at home. A customer service representative at Fat, a local boutique, said that Aussie eco-labels Bassike and Skin and Threads were highly coveted and among their best sellers. Amazingly, boutique Order and Progress nearly sold out of the pricey Katherine E Hamnett t-shirts less than two weeks after getting them in. Clearly the eco-fashion message is alive in Australia even if stores are lagging behind.

But don’t give up hope! From the boutiques and the universities an army of environmentally sustainable designers and innovators is rising in Australia.

Melbourne store, Hunter and Gatherer (linked with the Brotherhood of St Laurence) supports sustainable fashion by stocking quality recycled clothing and sweat shop free new products. Reiko Miyazawa, manager of the Fitzroy store, explains, “We are targeting younger generations to be more responsible, there’s a lot of disposable fashion out there.” Hunter and Gatherer supports local designers and ethical working conditions through the creation of their label’s clothing.

Another mover and shaker in Australian fashion is Rachael Cassar, an up and coming Sydney designer. She uses only vintage fabric for her edgy and unique haute couture. “I wanted to create something sustainable that doesn’t compromise design and everything that people love about fashion,” says Rachael. Her chiffon ball gowns and embellished evening dresses are beautiful and, coincidently, environmentally friendly.

“The only way that people are going to accept eco-fashion is if they’re not sacrificing anything for it,” explains Rachael. The trick is to replace cheaply made fashion with equally appealing but sustainable items. Designers no longer have an excuse for not using alternative materials as technology is constantly improving. Cecilia Heffer insists, “The ranges of hemp are extremely sophisticated now.”

If it all seems a little too much for you, perhaps the easiest and cheapest aspect of eco-fashion to adopt is simply to choose quality over quantity. Replacing “fast fashion” items with well made, classic clothing that can be handed down from generation to generation is beneficial to the environment. Kate Noble says, “Perhaps fashion will go the way where we still have beautiful clothes and changing trends but there might be more of an emphasis on quality and durability rather than a massive turnover of resources”.

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Ignore the hype of organic, recycled and sustainable materials and maybe society just needs to invest in pieces that will last a lifetime. Perhaps Chanel had it right all along with her little black dress.

There are countless ways to reduce your fashion footprint. But however you look at it the sustainable fashion movement can only be a good thing. It is free advertising for the environment and good publicity for a sustainable lifestyle in general. Although it may not be huge in Australia yet, it is increasingly present in boutiques and online and is changing the way the public thinks about fashion.

Whether or not you decide to dress head to toe in sustainable materials it is comfort to know that the choice, and the message, of eco-fashion is out there. After all, trends come and go. But fashion (and hopefully the planet) will always be around.

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This article is republished in collaboration with ScienceAlert, the only news website dedicated to Australasian science.



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About the Author

Fiona MacDonald is features editor at ScienceAlert. She completed honours in reproductive zoology at The University of Melbourne and is currently studying journalism at Deakin University.

Creative Commons LicenseThis work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.

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