The fashion industry has made tremendous growth in implementing sustainable fashion best practices. As a result, pressure has been building for clothing manufacturers to boost sustainability of their clothes, thanks to conscious consumers and environmental groups. Of course, the majority of cost falls on the consumer. Therefore, the critical question is, can sustainable clothing be affordable?
Interested in exploring our sustainable clothing options, including sustainable plus-size clothes? Check out our current stock at the previous link!
Can Sustainable Fashion be Affordable?
The short answer is: yes. It all depends on where you, as a consumer, are looking–many thrift stores sell high-quality clothes, and secondhand clothes have gained popularity for their uniqueness. Apart from physical stores, some e-commerce sites are selling hand-picked secondhand garments.
When buying secondhand, though, it can be tricky to find clothing that fits anyone outside of a sample size. Our selection at Insyze has a wide array of affordable, high-quality sustainable clothing options to fit any style–and any size!
It has also been influential that many celebrities have embraced secondhand and sustainable clothing–so we're likely to see the emergence of more affordable sustainable brands as this uptick in demand continues to rise.
What Role Does Sustainable Fashion Play?
We have all seen the effects of global warming, including the extinction of some species of animals and plants. If we care for the environment, it will care for us. Clothing production plays a huge role in caring for the environment, as many clothing manufacturing factories are some of the world’s largest contributors to carbon dioxide emissions, and our landfills are filled with discarded clothing–especially from fast-fashion retailers. Reducing clothes consumption will help reduce pollution.
However, it's not just about caring for the environment–it's equally important to look after the welfare of the workers who make the clothes. Employees should receive fair compensation and have a good working environment, which is not always the case with fast-fashion and various other retailers.
Why Is Sustainable Fashion Often Expensive?
Sustainable fashion costs more because of several factors. For one, clothes made from organic material are free from pesticides–plants grown this way tend to produce lower yields and take longer to mature. Moreover, there are few certified organic fiber growers, which means the demand is higher than the supply, pushing the prices upwards.
Additionally, sustainable fashion is also about ensuring that workers are compensated well and can work in a healthy work environment, which many sustainable brands work to ensure.
Are Sustainable Fashion Brands of a Higher Quality Than Traditional Brands?
Over the years, there has been a continued debate on whether natural fibers in clothing are truly of a higher quality and not just on-trend. Does being certified-organic give manufacturers the right to raise their prices?
Sustainable fashion brands should, and many typically do, make a moral effort to manufacture clothes that last for many years. Higher-quality materials should equal longer-lasting clothing.
Will Sustainable Fashion Become More Affordable?
There is a light at the end of the tunnel–as more consumers become aware of the importance of sustainable fashion, the more we will see supply meet demand.
For example, organic food is usually a bit more expensive than traditionally-grown food. However, many people have embraced growing and consuming organic food–proving that people are becoming much more sustainability-focused, which allows the prices of organic foods to drop as it becomes more of a mainstream option. If more people make the shift toward sustainable fashion, fashion brands will have no choice but to meet those demands, and make those prices align with mainstream clothing prices.