The fashion industry is among the largest industries in the world. It also contributes disproportionately to environmental pollution, accounting for approximately 10 per cent of greenhouse-gas emissions globally (1).

For this reason, significant changes to the industry are necessary, beginning with creating an awareness of sustainable fashion practices.

Sustainable fashion is both a method of manufacturing and a change movement in the fashion industry itself, with a focus on its connection to ecology, social justice and integrity. Therefore, sustainable fashion can be complicated to understand. And yet, it has a significant effect on the entire supply chain, from producers to consumers to recycling facilities. This makes it paramount to have a comprehensive guide.

Significance of Sustainable Fashion

1.Reduced garbage waste in sustainable fashion

First of all, one reason for sustainable fashion’s significance to the industry is that it reduces waste. A large amount of textile waste ends up burned or dumped in landfills. Most of these textile wastes are created by a fast-fashion industry that frequently introduces new trends at cheap prices and with poor-quality products.

In addition, sustainable fashion aims to produce long-lasting, quality-based products, which reduces the amount of trashed textile materials and thereby cuts pollution and increases recycling. Not adopting sustainable fashion practices could lead to the extinction of future industries in the sector. Consequently, a focus on a circular economy is essential to the fashion industry’s future.

2.Employees working conditions in sustainable fashion

Moreover, sustainable fashion also provides better and safer working conditions than fast-fashion products. Many fast-fashion products are manufactured under punitive working conditions, which include long hours for employees, poor health and safety conditions, barely livable wages (especially in developing countries) and even the exploitation of child labor, based on the need for a more and cheaper workforce to meet manufacturing demands (2). Sustainable fashion, by contrast, ensures that individuals experience proper working conditions and fair wages (3).

3. Sustainable fashion saves water

Furthermore, sustainable fashion is also crucial because it saves water in both washing and manufacturing. This is significant in an industry that consumes a major amount of water. In addition, the fashion industry pollutes freshwater by draining toxic chemicals into waterways (1).

Besides, sustainable fashion advocates for policies that reduces water usage when manufacturing and processing clothes. Moreover, sustainable fashion products are primarily made using organic textiles like linen and cotton, which require limited to no water in production. What’s more, costs incurred by manufacturers of sustainable fashion products are lower than those of non-sustainable fashion products (4).

4. Sustainable fashion protects and balances the ecosystem

The production of sustainable fashion also protects the animal ecosystem (2). In addition, the threat to animal safety is a major concern, because each animal plays an important role in ensuring that the world is habitable. The fashion industry also influences animals’ ability to survive (1). The manufacture of products using leather and fur, such as shoes and fur coats, compromises the co-existence of animals by reducing certain animal populations.

Moreover, the pollution created during fashion production additionally affects the animal ecosystem. Hence, sustainable fashion reduces the exploitation of animals by using alternative materials. Therefore, to create a sustainable fashion market, it is important for individuals to adopt green fashion, which proposes to protect the environment. It should be noted that Green or Eco friendly fashion is about making clothes that take into account the environment and the working conditions of people in the fashion industry.

How to Improve Sustainable Fashion

i. Application of technology in the fashion industry

Some in the fashion industry have recently developed modern technologies that are transforming the industry. In the first place, several fashion brands have acknowledged their responsibility for waste management and reducing environmental pollution. Although most of these advanced technologies have not yet been declared viable, their development is meant to minimize the use of raw materials and thereby customers’ consumption of those materials.

For instance, some in the sustainable fashion industry have developed trial processes that enhance the breakdown of material fibres to their initial components. These are then re-fabricated into different fibres that can make new garments of similar quality. Subsequently, this would reduce reliance on the original fibres (5).

Apart from this, other brands have developed an advanced technology that generates raw materials from parts of plants and uses them in production instead of depending on animal materials like leather. One advantage of this transition indeed is that it creates attractive new investment opportunities within the fashion industry. Thus, the sustainability of fashion will be determined in part by the guiding process of investments and business owners’ evaluations of appropriate investment strategies to improve their competitiveness in the market (3).

ii. Adoption of second-hand fashion products

Each of us needs to reduce clothing waste

Tips for reducing your closet’s impact on the planet

1. Buy less and keep clothes longer.

2. Buy second-hand.

3. Invest in sustainable brands if you can.

4. Stay away from big oil’s fabrics.

5. Repurpose old clothes.

Additionally, operating a sustainable fashion business requires the organization to promote where they have done it correctly and communicate their progressive sustainability goals. Therefore, some brands have adopted renting and swapping fashion products instead of ensuring that individuals own each piece of clothing. Obviously, this is applicable and has grown due to the increased market of second-hand clothes, which helps disposal of fashion products to protect the ecosystem.

Moreover, the United Kingdom Environmental Audit Committee (UKEAC) claimed that in 2016 there were over 300,000 tons of discarded clothes in the UK alone (2). Therefore, changing customer behavior can help reduce this (6). For example, some brands have adopted renting and swapping fashion products instead of promoting individual ownership of clothing. This practice has grown along with the increased market for second-hand clothes, both of which reduce the disposal of fashion items and protect the ecosystem (7).

iii. Improvement of working conditions and development of policies

Overall, sustainable fashion businesses have the added advantage of higher worker recruitment and employee retention rates. Many people would prefer to work in companies or organizations with appropriate working conditions and strong environmental protection policies.

Even though sustainable fashion can take longer to make a single garment than fast-fashion products, employees are provided with appropriate working conditions that are safe and healthy. These include reasonable hours and breaks to make them comfortable at work. Thus, these conditions are appropriate for retaining employees as well as attracting additional workers during recruitment (3).

Therefore, before you shop next time check if the brands pay fair wages. Usually sustainably clothing brands pay fair wages to their employees. On the other hand, fast fashion brands tend to pay employees in developing countries under the living wage.

Sustainable fashion also utilizes local production and sourcing. This also increases transparency in the supply chain and guarantees appropriate working conditions and environmentally friendly production.

In addition, sustainable fashion businesses can even communicate their progressive sustainability goals to help build or improve their brand image. The adoption of sustainable fashion production illustrates a business’s responsibility toward society and the environment. With many customers now preferring to buy environmentally friendly products, a related brand image can help attract more customers to the business. 

Finally, sustainable fashion ensures that products have a long lifespan. This attracts customers, reduces production and manufacturing costs, and has a beneficial impact on the environment, society and the economy. For these reasons, individuals are encouraged to adopt sustainable fashion.

• So what can we do for sustainable fashion?

• Next time you go clothes shopping:
  • Remember to check if the products are from sustainable fashion brands
  • Try to recycle your old clothes

References

1. Bhardwaj, G. and Ditty, S. (2018) Understanding Sustainable Fashion. [online] Chatham House – International Affairs Think Tank. Available at: <https://www.chathamhouse.org/2018/10/understandingsustainablefashion?gclid=Cj0KCQjw6pOTBhCTARIsAHF23fJ67tIVH8kbXjpTmHYUZyrjLL0uv4kXSntDhDZLlAGMIuKebUvFLoaAqYiEALw_wcB>.
2. Alves, A. (2021) What EXACTLY Is Sustainable Fashion & Why Is SO Important . [Online] The VOU. Available at: <https://thevou.com/fashion/sustainable-fashion/>.
3. Henninger, C.E., Alevizou, P.J. and Oates, C.J. (2016) What is sustainable fashion? Journal of Fashion Markworketing and Management: An International Journal.
4. Pucker, K. (2022) The Myth of Sustainable Fashion. [online] Harvard Business Review. Available at: <https://hbr.org/2022/01/the-myth-of-sustainable-fashion> [Accessed 26 April 2022].
5. Shafie, S., Kamis, A., Ramli, M. F., Abu Bedor, S., & Ahmad Puad, F. N. (2021). Fashion Sustainability: Benefits of Using Sustainable Practices in Producing Sustainable Fashion Designs. International Business Education Journal, 14(1), 103-111. https://doi.org/10.37134/ibej.vol14.1.9.2021
6. Kim, E.D. (2010) The influence of sustainability and social responsibility on fashion trends. International Journal of Costume and Fashion, 10(2), pp.61-71.
7. Jacobs, K., Petersen, L., Hörisch, J. and Battenfeld, D. (2018) Green thinking but thoughtless buying? An empirical extension of the value-attitude-behavior hierarchy in sustainable clothing. Journal of Cleaner Production, 203, pp.1155-1169.

The post Why Is Sustainable Fashion Important To You? first appeared on wbsdigital.

More about the foundation here

Charity Social Media Audit

The Sponsor a Gambian Girl (SAGG) Foundation is a non-profit aiming to utilize education in empowering girls and women through sustainable initiatives. The foundation’s social media presence spans four social media platforms: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn. On Facebook, it posts blog posts and videos every 2 to 4 days. On average, a post may earn between 3 to 8 likes. Posts tend to focus on two thematic approaches: societal impact and inspiration.

The Facebook profile links to the foundation’s website to direct Facebook traffic to the website. SAGG updates its cover photographs and profile on a regular basis. The social media marketing team responds to comments on all posts in a timely manner. SAGG’s current social media track record indicates good performance.

On Instagram, SAGG has a reach of 1,662 followers and links its profile to its website for boosting traffic. The profile follows other Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) profiles on Instagram and responds to comments, but the level of engagement is average. SAGG posts every 2 to 4 days. Most of the comments cover admiration and support for the brand with some focused on making inquiries regarding the foundation.

The audience from Facebook and Instagram was from different towns (&countries) as shown in the following graph.

On Twitter, SAGG has a reach of 165 followers with an average posting frequency of 2 to 4 days. Though SAGG’s Twitter profile links to the website directly, it rarely responds to comments. The sentiment of the content targets the impact of SAGG and other related NGOs on the Gambian society at large. The limited engagement is an indication of SAGG’s poor performance on Twitter. On LinkedIn, SAGG posts on the impact of the foundation’s efforts on girl’s education and the society at large with the aim of driving traffic to the website. On average, it posts twice weekly to earn an average of 1 to 3 likes per post. These figures indicate average performance.

Competitor’s Social Media Audit

ActionAid is one of SAGG’s competitors that has a social media presence across 4 social media platforms: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. On Facebook, ActionAid posts on a daily basis with an average number of 5 to 10 likes per post.

It focuses on making blog post announcements and other generic Facebook posts. It links directly to the foundation’s website, but they do not respond to the comments. All posts span topics such as societal impact, and relevant news surrounding current humanitarian crises. The observations are an indication of good performance. On Instagram, ActionAid has an astonishing reach of 19.7 million followers that focuses predominantly on following other similar NGOs and influencers. It makes a post every 2 to 4 days and responds to comments, which users capitalize on to show support for the mission. The observations are an indication of excellent social media performance.

On Twitter, the foundation has a reach of over 50 million followers that links directly to the website. Followers make reposts 2 to 8 times on average. All posts span topics such as relevant news surrounding current humanitarian crises, niche information, and societal impact. The daily upload frequency is an indication of the mission’s good performance on Twitter. The foundation uses YouTube to post informative videos and other videos on its societal impact. The profile links to the website and has a subscriber base of 2320. The profile averages 15 likes and 949 views per video with a posting frequency of 4 videos a year. All factors point to good performance.

Donor’s Social Media Audit

Kuben’s social media presence spans Facebook and Instagram. On Facebook, it earns 30 to 90 likes on average with a posting frequency of 2 to 3 days. It posts articles and other short form posts while linking the profile to its website to direct Facebook traffic to the website. It adjusts its cover and profile information regularly as the need arises. It also responds to users’ comments that mainly cover brand support. Its posts mainly cover entrepreneurship, education, technology, and career path. The assessment is an indication of excellent performance. On Instagram, Kuben has 2,083 followers with an average posting frequency of 3 days. All factors are indications of the mission’s good performance on Instagram.

Social Media Recommendations

The assessment of competitor and donor social media presence unearthed key trends that SAGG can utilize to boost its current social media reach. Firstly, SAGG has to increase its posting frequency across all platforms. Currently, SAGG has a posting frequency of 2 to 4 days across all social media platforms. The relatively lower posting frequency coincides with the low engagement levels it registers. On the other hand, ActionAid, SAGG’s competitor, has a relatively higher posting frequency across all platforms. It posts daily on Facebook and Twitter, twice a week on Instagram, and 4 times a year on YouTube. The frequency generates substantial audience engagement to record either good or excellent performance on all platforms (Chen and DiVall, 2018). It is in SAGG’s best interest to adopt a similar posting model that increases the posting frequency significantly.

Secondly, SAGG should widen the thematic scope of all social media posts to appeal to a wider online audience. Currently, SAGG’s thematic scope across all platforms is limited to societal impact and individual inspiration. The average performance of the mission across social media is an indication of the limited engagement they generate (Ashley and Tuten, 2015). Kuben and ActionAid have a wider thematic scope and attract more engagement across all platforms compared to SAGG. Kuben’s and ActionAid’s thematic focus spans societal impact, humanitarian crises news, informative content, education, technology, entrepreneurship, and career path. SAGG has to perform an internal assessment to determine the appropriate thematic approach and expand its social media reach by adopting YouTube as its fifth social media platform. The highest performing social media brand assessed by the social media audit has a good presence on YouTube (Khan, 2017). SAGG has to lean on YouTube’s global reach to expand the multimedia content reach beyond Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram and increase website traffic.

SOCIAL MEDIA RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SAGG FOUNDATION

Sponsor a girl today here!

Donate now

Website: https://www.saggfoundation.org/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SponsoraGambianGirl/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saggfoundation/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/saggfoundation

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sponsora-gambian-girl/

References

Ashley, C. and Tuten, T. (2015). Creative strategies in social media marketing: An exploratory study of branded social content and consumer engagement. Psychology & Marketing, 32 (1), 15-27. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/mar.20761

Chen, E. and DiVall, M. (2018). Social media as an engagement tool for schools and colleges of pharmacy. American journal of pharmaceutical education, 82 (4). https://www.ajpe.org/content/82/4/6562.abstract

Khan, M.L. (2017). Social media engagement: What motivates user participation and consumption on YouTube?. Computers in human behavior, 66, 236-247. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0747563216306513

The post Sponsor a Gambian Girl / Social Media Audit first appeared on wbsdigital.