"Sustainable" fashion, the backlash

Sustainable fashion has been receiving quite a battering recently: so-called sustainable fashion, what even is sustainable fashion, it’s BS, there’s no such thing as sustainable fashion … it’s really rather endless.

We at Pop London regularly communicate about sustainability, ethical and environmental issues relating to sustainable fashion whether here on the magazine, giving guest lectures or speaking on the radio. Sustainable fashion is a generally misunderstood term although it shouldn’t be. Even amongst designers and brands within the sustainable niche there are often fraught discussions, accusatory and ‘what about’ -isms.

A really simple way to understand or appreciate sustainable fashion is: no harm or less harm - to people and the planet.

Most of us will be in the latter description of sustainable fashion: less harm as it is more realistic than absolutely no harm. As humans living and breathing on Earth it’s almost impossible to be zero waste as to be alive is to consume even on an absolutely basic level. At Pop London we have tried really hard not to be judgemental or moralistic in our communication as sustainability is about consciousness raising and helping as best we can and we are in the very early stages of transition. Our prosperity, our way of life is connected to over consumption.

There is a plethora of ways to be sustainable and no one option is more correct than the other. Be it sustainable fashion as designed and produced by Pop London from deadstock or surplus fabrics, upcycled, vintage, chairty shop or thrift store shopping, car boot sales, clothes swapping, clothing rental. There are all ways to be sustainable under the umbrella description of sustainable fashion.

Sustainable fashion is a relatively nascent term and industry therefore it is only natural that there should be discussion and debate related to its meaning and function. There is no clear definition of incredibly important words such as ‘life’ or ‘consciousness’ which have been mused over for over a millennia. Let’s give some space to the word sustainable.

Sustainable fashion is the future of fashion, that is for sure.