When choosing sustainable materials for your products, make sure they’re durable and wear well
Sustainable fashion can lower environmental pollution and reduce costs, according to studies. Consumers are highly interested in buying ethical fashion, with 55% saying they’d consider sustainable clothing. 1 in 3 even say they’d buy all their clothes from a sustainable fashion store if one existed. As there’s a clear need for more ethical fashion stores, launching one online now is a viable idea. So, how do you get started and what technology should you use to ensure everything is as sustainable as possible?
Source materials & suppliers
Research has found that people typically wear items of clothing just 7 times before they throw them away. This is often because poor quality materials are used and the items easily get damaged or become misshapen. When choosing sustainable materials for your products, make sure they’re durable and wear well. Organic cotton, hemp, Bamboo, TENCEL™, and Biobased polyester are a few materials to consider.
Technology has made it possible to track the origins of materials, such as organic cotton. Often referred to as “from farm to consumer”, this technology will help your customers to trust you and will show you as a leader in the sustainable fashion industry. You also need to find a manufacturer that shares the same values as you. Companies that supply clothing made from sustainable materials that are sourced ethically are key to your business. Some manufacturers in this niche include Natural Clothing US, ARGYLE Haus, and Wuxi Kuanyang Textile Technology Co, Ltd.
Use sustainable practices
Every year, the fashion industry creates 92 million tonnes of textile waste. To make a real impact with your business and show that you’re serious about sustainability, you need to use sustainable practices when making your items. AirDye is a sustainable technology that uses a paper carrier and air to color fabric. The process cuts water use by 90% and energy use by 85%. DyeCoo’s technology, on the other hand, utilizes CO2. The CO2 is pressurized which turns it into an SC-CO₂. This makes dyeing quicker and more effective. Best of all, it’s chemical-free.
Consider your packaging
As an online business, you’ll need to package your fashion items securely to send to your customers. It’s important to use sustainable packaging and avoid using excess packaging. 81% of shoppers say sustainable packaging means a lot to them. Options include bags made from the starch of root vegetables which dissolve when hot water is poured onto them. If you’re worried about packing going to waste due to excess space inside it, technology from the likes of Packsize can be used to create the smallest packaging possible for the items you need to dispatch. A nice idea is to give back to the environment with each purchase made. Seed paper is biodegradable and contains seeds. All the consumer needs to do is plant it and water it after opening their package.
Starting a sustainable fashion business is a great way to protect the environment and make some money. Make sure you think carefully about the products you’re going to source and sell and remember to make as many aspects of your business as sustainable as possible.
Article by Briana Hilton
