What Is Ethical Fashion?

As well as the term sustainable, ethical fashion can be rather challenging to understand. With a vast range of definitions being thrown around in relation to these, it can be difficult to understand the differences between each of them. These terms may include eco-friendly, sustainable, vegan and ethically made. This post will address the topic of ethical fashion and will help give you a better understanding of what it means.

WHAT IS CLASSED AS ETHICAL?

In the Collins Dictionary, ethical can be referred to:

"in accordance with principles of conduct that are considered correct"

In regard to ethical fashion, garments must be constructed without cause of harm to the planet, people or animals and everyone involved must be treated with great respect. As you may have guessed, fast fashion brands aren't ethical, with their frequent use of poor material choices and exploitation of garment workers. This is why the demand for more ethical production is essential in ensuring a more sustainable future becomes apparent in the fashion industry.

WHY ETHICAL FASHION IS IMPORTANT

For a garment to be classed as ethical, there needs to be evidence that the actions of the business selling these product are in fact ethical. This includes meeting verified standards that protect the people making the items, minimal use of hazardous chemicals and animal cruelty. It is important to follow these practices to help in the fight of making the future of fashion more environmentally friendly, minimising the risk of further damage at present.

I think the reason why it can be difficult to understand the requirements for what makes a garment ethical, is due to the plethora of attributes which can be associated to the term. An important factor in presenting ethical practices is the use of transparency shown by brands. Without clear indications on what a brands practices are towards sustainability, it can be rather difficult to get a clear idea. Thus, brands need to adopt the presentation of transparent insights on their supply chains, avoiding the act of greenwashing of course. To present this information correctly and informatively, becoming certified from the appropriate services should be applied.

ETHICAL FASHION CERTIFICATIONS

A good practice to carry in your search for finding sustainable fashion brands is checking for certifications. These will provide proof of their sustainability action plans within their business. For further information on the certification standards listed below, please click on their titles that provide a link.

Fairtrade

Fairtrade simply does what it's called, ensure fair trade is offered when a product is sourced. They seek to support workers on their working environments and ensure a fair pay of wages is distributed for their work.

B Corp by B Lab

B Corporation are passionate about people and the planet. They have an aim to " inspire and enable people to use business as a force for good". If you find a brand who is B Corp certified, it is evident that their business is meeting specific standards in performance, accountability and transparency throughout their supply chain and employees.

Bluesign

This certification is associated with chemicals, processes, materials and products. Bluesign help businesses find the best solutions to managing chemicals and consider alternatives to harmful substances which are much safer to use. This certification aims to offer the best level of safety for consumers, as well as ensuring the environmental consequences are investigated.

WRAP

Being WRAP certified shows that they are considerate of the ethical standards that should be practiced in business. These include demonstrations of their treatment of workers, ensuring a respectful working environment and showing that they are considerate of their environmental impact during production practices.

To find out whether a brand has been certified by any of these, or an alternative certification standard, head over to their websites as they are commonly presented on there.

Sabrina Cowper | Reform Your Fashion