Sustainable Fashion
The United Nations has defined sustainability as “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”
In the fashion industry, sustainability is a term used to describe efforts to reduce the environmental impacts of textile manufacturing and packaging. Toxic dyes, chemicals and pesticides are examples of the types of industrial practices sustainable companies are trying to reduce or eliminate.
Sustainable fibre used to make fabric is often organic, grown without pesticide, and requires little water. Bamboo is a good example of a fibre that grows quickly without the need for fertilizers or pesticides, and with little water. Organic cotton is grown without harmful chemicals, and it is often colored using safe dyes meeting the bluesign CRITERIA. Recycled wool, nylon and polyester are also sustainable fibres that socially responsible companies like to reuse to make new garments.
Cutting CO2 emissions, Carbon Dioxide, from manufacturing and transportation is another goal of sustainability. Powering a manufacturing plant with LED lighting and electricity generated from renewable sources of energy such as solar panels is helping to reduce the environmental impact of textile companies.
Purchasing carbon credits and available space on traditional shipping options like the United States Postal Service (USPS) enables transportation companies like Sendle to offset their carbon footprint. It’s important to note, though, that carbon offsetting has recently come under scrutiny by the European Union (EU). As of 2026, the EU has banned carbon offsetting terms such as “climate neutral” and “climate positive” due to the fact that they are often misleading, a practice known as “greenwashing”. Under new EU rules, companies marketing their products as climate neutral or eco-friendly must provide proof, and that proof may not be in the form of an offset.
In addition to reducing emissions, overproduction and pollution, an important goal of the sustainable movement is to ensure that garment workers are paid a living wage, and that they have a healthy and safe environment to work in. In our opinion, taking care of people is the most important socially responsible thing a business can do.
