BLOG #4

Sustainability is important in today's world. More than ever, a growing number of sustainable Canadian brands are looking for ways to limit their impact on the planet, which is understandable. And if we want to promote sustainability, these brands need our full attention. Canadian sustainable fashion is booming, and local brands are leading the way. It's an impressive shift that's worth understanding and exploring. So, let's take a look at ethical fashion brands in Canada. What makes a brand sustainable? Before we dive into the top sustainable Canadian brands in the fashion industry, we'd like to explain what constitutes a sustainable brand. Products that serve as indicators of sustainability include: Previously used materials Employee treatment Environmental impact Corporate social responsibility One of the key factors in sustainable fashion is the use of eco-friendly materials such as organic cotton, bamboo, or recycled fabrics. These fabrics are often produced without harmful chemicals, which reduces their environmental impact. Furthermore, sustainable brands prioritize fair labor practices and ensure that workers have a fixed salary and work in safe conditions. Fast Fashion and Its Environmental Impact 1. Water The environmental problem of fast fashion includes the depletion of non-renewable resources, the excess of greenhouse gases, and the use of enormous quantities of water and energy. The fashion industry is the second largest consumer of water among industries, requiring approximately 700 gallons to produce a cotton shirt and 2,000 gallons to produce a pair of pants. Business Insider also warns that textile dyeing is the second most water-polluting activity in the world, as wastewater from the dyeing process is often dumped into ditches, streams, or rivers. 2. Microplastics Furthermore, brands use synthetic fibers such as polyester, nylon, and acrylic, which take hundreds of years to decompose. A 2018 report by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) estimated that 37% of all microplastics—tiny, non-biodegradable plastic particles—found in the ocean come from washing synthetic textiles like polyester. According to the 2015 documentary, The True Cost, the world consumes around 80 billion new garments each year, 400% more than twenty years ago. The average American now generates 37 kg of textile waste annually. Leather production requires vast amounts of feed, land, water, and fossil fuels for raising livestock, while the tanning process is one of the most toxic in the entire fashion supply chain, as the chemicals used to tan leather—including mineral salts, formaldehyde, coal tar derivatives, and various oils and dyes—are not biodegradable and pollute water sources. 3. Energy The process of making plastic fibers into textiles is energy-intensive, requires large amounts of petroleum, and releases volatile particles and acids such as hydrogen chloride. Furthermore, cotton, present in many fast-fashion products, is also environmentally unfriendly. The pesticides considered necessary for cotton cultivation pose health risks to farmers. To counteract the waste generated by fast fashion, some of the most sustainable fabrics that can be used in clothing manufacturing include wild silk, organic cotton, linen, hemp, and lyocell.