Lately, everybody is proclaiming green movement in most parts of the world. From carpooling to recycling, everything is being done to reduce harm to our suffering environment, to avert the—to borrow from Al Gore—“inconvenient truth” that we are facing global warming threat. And this eco-friendly thing has found its place in the fashion realm.
Just several years ago—and, well, still now—the stylish bourgeoisies are spending their cash on items like fur, crocodile belt, and others, which can reach a six-digit price tag. Not only that, fashion magazines around the world also encouraged this kind of lifestyle, notably, Vogue, whose editor-in-chief Anna Wintour is almost always spotted wearing some versions of fur and was, for a very long time, the main target of PETA’s (People for Ethical Treatment of Animals) anger.
But now, given the climate—the meteorological and the financial ones—spending money on the aforementioned stuffs is not a responsible act to do. It is time to embrace the new lifestyle, fashion-wise: Ethical and Eco-Friendly.
The Ethical fashion means that you are buying fashion products that are produced through a humane procedure. Fur and some other animal materials definitely don’t fall into this category. To make, say, a chincilla fur coat, you will need more than fifty (!) chincillas, and how they are killed is an unlikely sight. Most of the time, these animals are hunted in wildlife, and trapped, and, even, electrocuted. This is totally inhumane and by keeping on doing it, the ecosystem will be broken down because those irresponsible actors have broken the natural food chain.
I’m not saying that we cannot wear clothes or accessories made from animal—I’m not a vegan—but I’m encouraging you to avoid buying things that are made not from farmed animals because for the most part, the production process is very inhumane and clearly unethical. I still think it’s okay to wear leather jacket and accessories.
Besides about the animal material, ethical fashion also means that the whole production process ensures the welfare of the labors making it. Labors in the Third World countries are usually having some kind of “hidden slavery,” where they are pushed to work outside of their limitations. It has to be made loud and clear to the fashion company, especially, the fashion-chain that hires a lot of labors in poor countries (e.g.: Gap, Zara) to revise their labor policy and treat their labors ethically. Besides the labor, it also applies to the material producer, such as cotton farmer. Topman, a famous UK menswear fashion-chain, uses Fairtrade cotton in some of its products which, it claims, “guarantees a better deal for Third World Producers.”
Meanwhile, the Eco-Fashion refers to products that are made from materials that will not harm the environment, namely, the organic materials. The material can range from the fabric, such as cotton, to the dye used in the production. The organic cotton, for instance, is grown without the use of pesticides at all, which, obviously, is friendlier to the environment.
Cameron Diaz on June 2009 Vogue (Mario Testino)
The action must surely be taken. In recent months, Vogue has published a monthly article called “Style Ethics” where eco-ethical fashion is shown. Moreover, in its June 2009 issue, the cover story that stars the Green Queen of Hollywood, Cameron Diaz, showcases her wearing organic fashion. This could be a sign that slowly, but surely, ethical and eco-friendly fashion will reign supreme. I hope that this is not just another trend, but rather, a real lifestyle change that can transport us to a better—and still stylish—world in the future.
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