the ethical fashion initiative | a consumers' fight for the rights of workers
dè a th’ ann am fasan beusach?
Fast Fashion not only created a production model where very cheap low-quality garments were made very fast following trends with no regard to the environment and the people, but it also gave more importance to fashion movements that wanted a sustainable fashion industry.
Bhon uairsin, dh’ èirich gluasadan fasan mar Fasan Beusach, Seasmhach agus Slow chun uachdar in one way or another, rud math a th’ ann ma bheir sinn fa-near na builean uamhasach a th’ aig Fast Fashion air an t-saoghal againn, producing 10% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions and 20% of global wastewaters that pollute our rivers and seas.
Tha Ethical Fashion a’ toirt iomradh air gluasad fasan a bhios a’ lorg aodach dèanta a thaobh an luchd-obrach a bhios gan dèanamh,an luchd-reic agus gnìomhachasan beaga aig a bheil pàirt anns a’ phròiseas toraidh,malairt chothromach, and the ethical treatment of all the agents related to the fashion industry, including the environment.
So in simple terms, it focuses on the ethical treatment of humans, and animals to achieve a sustainable fashion industry, with support for small businesses and the development of countries that are right now in unfavorable conditions.
how is ethical fashion different from sustainable fashion or slow fashion?
We have seen what Ethical Fashion is, but what do Sustainable Fashion and Slow Fashion mean? Aren’t they the same at the end of the day? Well, do not worry because we will be answering these questions now. Having said this, here are the differences between Ethical, Sustainable, and Slow Fashion:
- Is e gluasad a th’ ann am Fasan Seasmhach a tha ag amas air seasmhachd an aodaich a bhios e a’ dèanamh, making sure they are ecological and made from organic and biodegradable materials that have the minimal environmental impact possible. It basically wants to achieve a sustainable fashion industry by reducing the great environmental footprint it has. Read our Fasan seasmhach 101 to learn more about the subject.
- Tha Slow Fashion na ghluasad a tha gu dìreach an aghaidh Fast Fashion, às an sin gheibh e ainm. It promotes garments made with slow manufacturing cycles with respect to the workers that produce them and the environment, strongly avoiding overproduction, disposal, and unnecessary consumerism which Fast Fashion promotes. It also encourages small businesses to promote competitiveness and innovation. If you want to know more about the subject feel free to read our Fashion mall 101.
- Tha fasan beusach, air an fhear eile, ag amas air còraichean luchd-obrach agus riochdairean a tha an sàs sa phròiseas toraidh, in this way achieving sustainability in the fashion industry. It searches for garments made with ethical, decent wage labor with humane working conditions for all of its workers, while also promoting small businesses and vendors involved in the production process.
Mar a chì thu, faodaidh iad a bhith beagan eadar-dhealaichte, ach tha na gluasadan sin uile ag iarraidh an aon rud a choileanadh, gnìomhachas fasan seasmhach gu làidir an aghaidh Fast Fashion agus a h-uile buaidh uamhasach a tha aige. Normally, businesses that sell ethical, slow, or sustainable fashion have garments that comply with all of these movements at the same time, mar sin cha bu chòir dhut a bhith a 'faireachdainn gu bheil thu ann an suidheachadh a bhith a' taghadh eadar fear no fear eile.
If you want to know more about Fast Fashion and its consequences don’t hesitate to check out our Fast Fashion 101 article.
the ethical fashion initiative | EFI
Ethical Fashion is actually the oldest of these movements that want to achieve a sustainable fashion industry, and it is not a surprise, as Sustainable Fashion and Slow Fashion were born as opposing forces to the Fast Fashion industry introduced by Zara in the 90s when environmental issues were beginning to be taken very seriously.
Ethical Fashion instead was born with the beginning of mass production and the bad situation of the workers of a still unproductive industry that was beginning to fully form. This happened roughly in the 50s and it has evolved greatly since then, but it has also gotten worse with the rise of Fast Fashion and the production of low-quality, cheap, and low added value garments.
This movement has not remained isolated, however, and organisms like the UN have begun to take action with their UN Alliance for Sustainable Fashion and their Ethical Fashion Initiative (ETI) to begin changing the world and avoiding terrible permanent damages.
This program aims to guarantee the ethical production of garments in the countries where modern slavery is likely to take place, applying standards for humane treatment and compensation for work that will also assure the development of these nations, as well as gender equality and all the rights people should have but are often forgotten about. You can read more about their Ethical Fashion Initiative Program on their website.
how to support ethical fashion
We have seen a lot of things about this fashion movement, but how can you support Ethical fashion? What can you do to be more ethical and support a sustainable fashion industry that cares for the workers, the environment, and also you? Well, you are lucky because there are a lot of options you can do right now from the comfort of your home! Having said this, here is how to support Ethical Fashion:
- Shop from businesses that you know are respecting their workers and agents involved in the production of their garments, preferably small businesses because you will be also supporting small families that also have to eat, and sadly today most big businesses simply do not care about their actions on the world, because of the Diffusion of responsibility phenomenon.
- Do not simply avoid all clothes made from underdeveloped countries, the fact that they are made in a country with less favorable conditions does not mean that the garment has been made with inhumane labor, countries that are rich today like Singapore, Taiwan, or South Korea have been producing garments with cheap labor for years before they finally developed. The problem is that Fast Fashion with its cheap low added value garments exploit the workers and do not even contribute to a fair development of the producing countries, which is very bad. That is why you should look for the ways the clothes are produced, and not where they are produced, because even in developed countries there can be garments made with forced labor.
- Read the business’ morals and how they are dealing with the sustainability of their operations, if they don’t even talk about sustainable practices then do not have trust in them, it is better to find a good business that cares for the people and doesn’t treat them like buy-n-throw tools to make extra money.
Here are some of the key things you can do to become more ethical with your fashion choices and support a sustainable fashion industry that cares for the people and the environment. Now you just need to put this into good practice 🙂
geàrr-chunntas
We hope you have learned a lot from this article because we have too! Now is the time to put all of this information into good practice, by changing your fashion habits a little bit at a time to achieve a sustainable and ethical fashion industry that will save our planet and species from doom. As we always say, you don’t have to go all crazy on it, one good deed at a time makes a big difference in the future.
Tha sinn air leth toilichte a bhith a’ teagasg dhaoine air feadh an t-saoghail 🙂 Cuideachd,an robh fios agad dha-rìribh dè a th’ ann am Fast Fashion agus a’ bhuaidh uamhasach a th’ aige air an àrainneachd, a’ phlanaid, an luchd-obrach, an comann-sòisealta agus an eaconamaidh?A bheil fios agad gu cinnteach dè a th’ ann an gluasad Fasan Slow no Fashion Seasmhach?Bu chòir dhut dha-rìribh sùil a thoirt air na h-artaigilean seo mun chuspair seo a tha air a dhìochuimhneachadh agus gun fhiosta ach gu math èiginneach agus cudromach,cliog an seo gus leughadh “Am faod fasan a bhith seasmhach a-riamh?”, or Fast Fashion 101 | Mar a tha e a’ sgrios ar planaidoir is e eòlas aon de na neartan as cumhachdaiche as urrainn a bhith agad, agus is e aineolas an laigse as miosa dhut.
Tha iongnadh mòr againn dhut cuideachd!Leis gu bheil sinn airson còir a thoirt dhut air eòlas fhaighinn oirnn nas fheàrr, tha sinn air duilleag ullachadh gu faiceallach Mu ar deidhinn far an innis sinn dhut cò sinn, dè an rùn a th’ againn, dè a bhios sinn a’ dèanamh, sùil nas mionaidiche air an sgioba againn, agus mòran a bharrachd rudan!Na caill an cothrom seo aguscliog an seo gus sùil a thoirt air.Cuideachd, tha sinn a 'toirt cuireadh dhutthoir sùil air arPinterest,far am bi sinn a’ prìneadh susbaint seasmhach làitheil co-cheangailte ri fasan, dealbhadh aodach, agus rudan eile air am bi thu gu cinnteach dèidheil!
