Help save our environment with sustainable fashion choice
Learn about sustainable fashion
Hold on, don’t throw away all your clothes yet (that’s actually a huge part of the problem). Fortunately for the planet, there are some visionaries who are leading the way in a sustainable fashion. There is a fashion line called Proto101 - a men’s and women’s clothing producer that makes sustainable, EveryWEAR clothing. It was founded by Liyin Kok, Ashleigh Corker and Raphael Soto; this diverse group of fashion disruptors has been sharing their insights about fast fashion on podcasts and in the media. Here are some ways that they suggest reinventing the apparel industry that resonated with me.
Get clothes that will last
It is best to support fashion that only uses the highest quality materials to make clothes that last. For example, use pieces that are designed and constructed for longevity and will stand up over time so you don’t have to needlessly replace them. An alarming 85% of all textiles end up in landfills.
Avoid fast fashion and get timeless clothes
Build a wardrobe around versatile, seasonless cuts and colors that can be worn in any situation and coordinate with everything in your wardrobe. Proto101 is leading by example, by designing essential pieces and using quality materials that won’t go out of style like the perfect t-shirt, hoodie sweatshirt, and maxi dress. Trend-driven fashion lines such as Zara and H&M have been known to put out 12-24 collections annually – making big bucks by supplying the world with fresh supplies of low-cost fashion. However, it comes at the cost of the planet’s health. Fast fashion produces an excess of clothing at a low cost for consumers that is about quantity, not quality. The more clothes that are circulated, the more emissions and contamination the fashion industry are polluting into the environment.
Reduce your carbon footprint
To offset the carbon footprint of producing apparel, support fashion that offsets your carbon footprint. Liyin, Ashleigh, and Rafael are planting 1 tree for every tee purchased, with a mission to plant 50,000 trees this year. Trees absorb harmful carbon dioxide in the atmosphere that causes climate change and cleans our air and water. It’s key to source sustainable materials that are planet and people-friendly. All cottons used should meet the standards of Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) to reduce water and energy usage and to improve global cotton production for the people who produce it and the environment it grows in. Tencel is one of the most sustainable fibers made in a closed-loop process from eucalyptus trees.
Love your planet
Be mindful that the fashion you support should ship in compostable, biodegradable packages that are made of 100% recycled materials. It’s possible, Proto101 is doing it. Even the plastic bags protecting their garments are made of 100% recycled plastic. By consuming less, getting better quality, and supporting responsible, sustainable fashion, you are doing your part to reduce your carbon footprint and protect the planet.
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