What is Ethical Fashion?
We may all agree that ethics helps us become better individuals, but what exactly does that mean?
Shopping ethically can mean a lot of different things to different individuals. There is no easy way to define it. An ethical shopper, in my opinion, buys from places that align with their values. So ethical fashion is defined as clothing that is designed, manufactured, and distributed with the goal of minimising harm to people and the environment
“Benefiting those working along the supply chain and creating a better future for everyone—not just for those at the top.“
Ethical fashion seeks to answer - Who made this garment and is that person earning a fair living wage? But it is also more than that..
Consumers are sometimes overwhelmed and readily susceptible to greenwashing, as well as misinterpreting a brand's specific ethics if fashion firms do not provide clear information on how, where, and by whom clothing is created
The greatest approach for brands to dispel misconceptions is through certifications, extensive reports, and honest answers to consumer questions. Or, more basically - better transparency
So what do you value?
Perhaps you can't justify the expense of a new, ethically created garment and prefer to shop secondhand which is a very sustainable way of shopping for clothes (most of my own wardrobe is about 75% secondhand, 20% new and 5% clothes swapped). Alternatively, perhaps vegan clothing is your main priority. When not everyone's values are the same, it's difficult to pin down. Because the whole fashion revolution movement is still learning and evolving, it's hard to simplify the topic or provide a precise definition
So to conclude: Clothing companies must pick what values matter most to their brand, rather than seeking what they think consumers want to hear. It's in their best interests to present all the facts; the good the bad, and ugly in my opinion
At Hanova Studio I use quite a lot of deadstock fabric, which is always STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX®, sometimes using LENZING™ ECO-VERO™ sustainably made viscose and on occasions, Earth Positive organic cotton. You can read more about the brand values here
All the garments are made to order locally in my hometown of Brighton by seamstresses who set their own rates of pay and all my packaging is plastic free using boxes that are reuseable, recyclable and compostable. Tissue paper, postcards and swing tags are acid free and made from recycled sources. There are still improvements I can make as the brand grows and consumer patterns shift to more sustainable and authentic demands
Thank you for reading my journal post about ethical fashion - I hope you've found it useful - do email me if you have any suggestions of your own or feel free to like this post or leave a comment
Love Lisa x
