We have been preaching for years about individualism, unique expressionism, and allowing our personality to define what we buy, wear, or dress. But, now that the advocacy of self-expressionism is more apparent than ever, how long will we continue to regard fashion as a symbol of self-identity? To be clear, there is nothing fundamentally wrong with using clothes, bags, or other utilities to express our thoughts and beliefs. After all, our clothes reveal a lot about our style and identity. On the other hand, some people believe that because our clothing reflects our identity, one must continue buying new apparel to stay updated with the latest fashion trends. 

The Flaws In The Present Fashion Scenario

Fast fashion has reached new heights, thanks to capitalism, which has harmed the way the world revolves. The long-term viability of fashion has always been a hot topic of discussion. Get this— fashion business accounts for nearly 10% of global carbon emissions and remains to be the world's second most water-intensive industry. It consumes roughly 79 billion cubic meters of water per year. This figure is astounding given that 2.7 billion people are already affected by water scarcity. And based on World WildLife prediction, two-thirds of the world population may confront water scarcity by 2025, causing further harm to the world ecosystems. Now, how terrifying is that?

Environmental regulatory bodies and campaigners have been more outspoken about how fashion manufacturers should approach the creation of apparel and accessories as a result of the detrimental statistics. 

In reality, when purchasing cosmetic items and clothing pieces, just a small percentage of customers consider their carbon footprint and environmental impact. This is why manufacturers and corporations must increase their efforts in sustainable clothing, sustainable cosmetics packaging, and eco-friendly clothing packaging supplies. That is not to argue that consumers are not responsible for their shopping habits. It takes a village to raise a child, and the same principle applies to bringing about a change in the fashion business as well— every member’s participation counts. 

Because the cosmetics and clothes we wear are made in a variety of settings, the fashion industry plays such an important role in the sustainability of the environment. Are the bulk custom makeup bags made with 100% organic cotton or with harmful pesticides? Are your favorite makeup products and perfumes eco-friendly, or does it contain chemicals? If the answer is favoring the latter, then your choice of fashion may be doing more damage than good to the environment.

The Aggressive Relation Between Water and Fashion 

Cotton is used in 60% of all retail garments and home furnishings made in the United States, which implies maximum utilization of water. Keep in mind, cotton uses the most water of any crop. Cotton agriculture consumes between 7,000 and 29,000 liters of water to produce about 2 lbs of raw cotton. It strains the local water resources and deteriorates groundwater supplies, which take thousands of years to restore. Organic cotton uses up 91% less water in the growing process. Gallant’s organic cotton custom t-shirts are made from rain-fed cotton grown in India.

Is The Fashion Industry Doing Enough To Save Water? 

As much as the answer yes would be more pleasing to hear, sadly, it is still a work in progress.

Fashion is vast in and of itself, with multiple layers of covering, and undeniably a thirsty business. The ultimate consequences of water exploration of the fashion industry fall on the locals where manufacturing or production is taking place, resulting in water and sanitation problems. Sadly, the damage doesn’t stop there— waterways contamination is also another challenging concern. The fashion sector is responsible for approximately 20% of water wastage in the world, owing to the usage of water during the production process. These factors cause limitation of freshwater consumption and hazardous chemical pollution. 

Unfortunately, many largest names in the industry are still unwilling to abandon risky practices. Poor work conditions of the factory laborers, non-practice of sustainable packaging solutions, the release of toxic chemicals, all contribute to the deterioration of the ecosystem. But this doesn’t discount the obvious efforts being made by the smaller firms to better address water pollution and exploitation issues.

Without well-researched eco-friendly alternatives, negative consequences are bound to skyrocket. Many brands are becoming more proactive about their attempts to green marketing, but if we're serious about achieving sustainability, we'll need an infusion of effective methods. And, eliminating the manufacture of trivial clothing trends could remove a few of the major roadblocks to achieving sustainable development.

What You Can Do Is Get Involved! 

The topic of eco-friendly existence must remain relevant, as the road to completely defeating the harmful impacts of fast fashion is still far-fetched. This will continue to educate both consumers and business leaders about the pressing concerns of environmental awareness.  On our planet’s end, there are no shortages of environmentally friendly, sustainable, or earth-friendly materials. Instead of using paper or plastic packaging for cosmetic products, buy bulk cosmetic bags for your brand. The source of the problem is from our end— the humans. We must encourage one another about tolerance, diversity, innovation, and most of all, green consumerism. 

 1. Choose Organic Cotton

Cotton that is grown traditionally consumes a lot of water to grow— one cotton T-shirt might require up to 2,720 liters of water to manufacture. On the other hand, organic cotton consumes 91% less blue water than conventional cotton, making it a considerably more water-efficient option. Organic cotton agriculture in the correct region may require even less water and leave a minimal water footprint. In addition to various bags, Gallant also specializes in organic cotton aprons wholesale.

2. Say No to Polyester 

Polyester causes major water pollution implications. The dangerous compounds, including sodium bromide, antimony oxide, and cobalt, can infiltrate rivers if not effectively discarded. Polyester washing also releases millions of plastic microfibres. These microscopic particles of plastic find their way to drinking water and also threaten the life of marine animals that confuse it for consumable food. 

3. Wash Garment Less Frequently

The simplest technique to save water is to wash your clothes less frequently. We may or may not be aware but washing our garments has a large environmental impact. Yes, clean clothes and bags are important. But if your pretty, custom makeup bag is not very dirty, or you have worn your favorite top just this one time, you might want to hold back from washing them immediately. Moreover, saving water is beyond the number of washing; it is also about how you wash them. Instead of washing an individual garment, consider doing a heavier batch of laundry with loads of clothes to prevent unnecessary wastage of water. 

4. Organic and Ethical Sourcing

The more you understand how and where resources are acquired, the better educated you will be regarding the brand’s sustainability and marketing methods. It should not be hard to spot eco-friendly suppliers or brands as they practice chain-supply transparency and traceability and only offer products made of GOTS & Fair Trade Certified materials.  

Conclusion

The road to sustainability is a global effort, and we will never get there unless we keep raising and spreading awareness. Regardless of how gradual the growth is, it is worth noting that eco-fashion is slowly gaining the recognition it deserves. Manufacturers, designers, stylists, celebrities, and consumers alike are beginning to accept responsibility for the materials they promote and the causes they support. At the end of the day, all of us have a part to play in the equation— closing the loop is influenced by the products we buy, the items we use, and the way we discard unwanted apparel.