Apparel April 2019 Apparel April 2019 issue | Page 64

‘SUSTAINABLE’ IS A
BUZZWORD NOW WHEN WE
BUY AND WEAR CLOTHES.
ETHICAL FASHION IS
GAINING POPULARITY
AMONG DESIGNERS AND
CONSUMERS.
58
I APPAREL I
India would be at the inflection point of the
sustainability debate because of the sheer
manufacturing power it wields in the global
fashion industry. But winds of change have
also touched the industry here and the Lakmé
Fashion Week triggering off a Circular Design
Challenge, asking designers to show off their
sustainable fashion, conveyed that sustainable
fashion is here to stay.
Even larger organisations like Arvind Limited are
vocal about their focus on sustainable fashion.
Sustainability, it says, is at the core of its business
and this is demonstrated in the manner ZLD
technology is implemented at Arvind Denim’s
effluent treatment plant (ETP), with a capacity to
treat 17,500 million litres per day (MLD) of textile
effluent. The effluent is fully recycled and used in
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company’s Gaston Foam Dyeing Technology has
a new dyeing technology that disrupts the way
indigo dyeing has been done since the past 150
years. Once installed, this technology is expected
to reduce water consumption by almost 90 per
cent, compared with traditional rope or sheet
dyeing technologies. The company is also part of
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ethically grown cotton.
Aditya Birla too recently showcased its home-
grown sustainable fabric called ‘Livaeco’, which
is made from wood pulp from sustainable forests
and is biodegradable.
April 2019
FEATURE
CHEAT SHEET FOR CONSCIOUS
CONSUMERISM FOR INDIANS
‘Sustainable’ is a buzzword now when we buy
and wear clothes. Ethical fashion is gaining
popularity among designers and consumers.
The creation process of what you wear and its
impact on not only the environment needs to be
kinder to qualify for a truly sustainable fashion
garment. Sustainable fashion needs to be socially,
commercially and environmentally ethical. Here
is a cheat sheet to know if what you wear is
truly sustainable:
• Upholds the creator’s rights: this includes
workers’ rights, providing them safe working
conditions and supporting sustainable living;
• Provides training and resources;
• Has minimal pesticides and chemical use in
its material;
• Encourages minimal wastage of water and
recycling, and is energy-efficient.
To name a few sustainable fashion brands to
consider: Nicobar by Good Earth, an upcoming
ethical clothing brand that is a perfect blend
of culture and craft; No Nasties, probably one
of the earliest ethical brands which started
manufacturing ethical tees and now has moved
to other forms of clothing that has a visible
Fair Trade Stamp. Earlier this year, well-known
designer Anita Dongre joined hands with Tencel
and showcased their collection at the Lakmé
Fashion Week. This is in addition to her venture
‘Grassroot’, where she empowers rural women
through SEWA.
As Mr H E Siim Kiisler, President of the UN
Environment Assembly, said earlier in March,
“By using fashion as a form of activism and
empowerment, the UN Alliance for Sustainable
Fashion doesn’t perceive sustainability as a
limitation to fashion, but rather a trigger for
bringing real creativity and passion into the
industry.” The creative curve for sustainable
fashion is just beginning.