Can sustainable fashion be affordable? And should it be, when too many of us treat clothes as disposable? Experts weigh in
- Luxury and mass-market fashion brands alike are creating eco-conscious collections, making their supply chains more transparent and finding ways to reduce waste
- However, sustainably made clothes can’t compete on price with fast fashion because it is artificially cheap. Experts say the answer is to buy less, but better
Fashion brands left and right – from luxury powerhouses like Gucci to high-street labels like H&M – have made sustainability a key element of their corporate strategies. It almost feels that not a day goes by without a brand announcing an eco-conscious collection or a socially responsible initiative aimed at reducing waste or making supply chains more transparent.
A key issue when it comes to sustainable fashion, however, is affordability. Can clothes and accessories made with responsibly sourced materials and by workers who are paid a fair wage in factories where conditions meet global standards actually be affordable? And should they be?
After all, overconsumption is another problem: by making clothes so affordable that they’re often as cheap as a cup of coffee, the industry only incentivises unnecessary consumption and waste. Besides, most consumers around the world – those living on minimum wages in developed countries or below the poverty line in developing ones – are likely to leave ethical concerns aside when given the choice of buying a low-price item made in a sweatshop or a pricier responsibly made product.
Let’s say you’re a single mother living in London and working a full-time job to support your two children. Would you rather buy a pair of eco-friendly jeans from Everlane or a mass-manufactured one from Primark that costs a fraction of the price?
Making responsible choices as an educated consumer is a luxury not everyone can afford.
Besides, making sustainable fashion available to the masses is no easy task. We asked five industry insiders to shed some light on this very important, and often overlooked, issue that is at the heart of sustainability.