Ethical fashion is a topic that consumers pay minimal attention too. When purchasing clothing some consumers’ mindset are not to think about how the garment was manufactured or the steps taken to create the particular garment. As a fashion student, my mindset on a garment and the fabric in which it was manufactured is very different from the average consumer. One may wonder, what exactly is Ethical Fashion? When looking at the definition of both words ethical is defined as “conforming to accepted standards: consistent with agreed principles of correct moral conduct” (Bing.com). As for the word fashion, this is defined as a style of dress that people posses to show their creativity. When combining those two words, the definition that is used for ethical fashion is giving different approaches of the fashion industry and minimizing the effects it may have on the environment. The huge issues that will be discussed in ethical fashion are the use of pesticides and insecticides and their effect on the environment, chemical dyes, fair trade, workers rights, and animal cruelty.

Pesticides and Insecticides have been used to dye and bleach fabrics. When these pesticides and insecticides are used small amounts usually seep into the water. The result then effects the environment and people whom come into contact with the pesticides and insecticides. The pesticides and insecticides used on fabrics are of great importance due to that fact that they kill or rebel living organisms. The issue caused by these pesticides and insecticides is that they affect the health of adults and children (Pesticides).

In addition, the production of cotton has become one of the largest products to produce for farmers in third world countries. On most farms, farmers use about nine different pesticides and insecticides to grow cotton. Each pesticide and insecticide is very toxic and hazardous to the environment and their families. The use of these pesticides and insecticides has put over one million-agriculture workers in hospitals (Ethical Fashion – Netmums). According to ethical fashion forum, “these figures equate to between 25 million and 77 million agricultural workers worldwide. Some of the symptoms of pesticide and insecticide poisoning include headaches, vomiting, tremors, lack of coordination, difficulty breathing or respiratory depression, loss of consciousness, seizures and death” (Pesticides). Once they are released, they usually go back to their farms and continue to work since there is such a demand for cotton (Ethical Fashion – Netmums).

Chemical dyes on fabrics have had the same effect that pesticides and insecticides have on cotton. The chemical dyes have the same effect on the water supply resulting in a decline of consumer health. “During the chemical dyeing process an average t-shirt will use 16-20 liters of water. 80% of the dye is retained by the fabric and the rest is flushed out … The global textile industry discharges 40,000 – 50,000 tons of dye into the water system of the United States and Europe discharges 200,000 tons of salt” (Pesticides).

In addition, nylon and polyester are synthetic materials that most of our clothing is made from. Little do consumers know that these materials are made from petrochemicals, which pollute the environment and cause global warming. Nylon and polyester are also biodegradable, which mean it is very difficult to dispose (Organic & Eco Fashion).
However, there in fact has been an alternative that can be used in place of chemical dyes. This new dye is natural dye, which is made from plants and animals. Since this is a new development, natural dye is not made for huge production processes since it requires large amounts of water and chemical agents (Dyes).

With producers and consumers being more aware of ethical fashion, there is a higher demand for organic fashion. This new practice has become a huge chance for farmers to live a better and healthier life for themselves and their families (Ethical Fashion – Netmums). Organic clothing is usually referred to as garments that have been made with minimal use of chemicals which in turn has a limited effect on the environment. Supporting organic fashion has an enormous impact on the environment.

However, there are huge distinctions made from organic garments. When a full garment is organically produced, it must carry a stamp which means all the fabric used to create this particular garment is organic. According to The Soil Organization “some of the most stringent rules with only 5% of non organic materials including accessories being permitted. This 5% leeway is important as it allows both greater versatility (e.g. zips and buttons can be added) and longevity”. When fabric is combined with lycra it allows that article of clothing to stretch and allows the garment to be more resistant to tears (Organic & Eco Fashion).
However, with their being so many people in third world countries living in poverty the least we can do as consumers is purchase these fair trade products. The amount of money they earn is restricted due to trading rules (Ethical Fashion – Netmums). The purpose of the Fair trade is to address inequality of trade; it simply shows us that producers have control over workers and that this should be improved. Fair trade initially began with textiles and handcrafts they currently included cotton. Fashion businesses have begun to use the fair trade standards. The World Fair Trade Organization is the organization that stands up for fair trade. Their vision is to transform work practices that can help the poor and show support to good development and justice. The WFTO wants producers to have a chance for their voices to be heard, and this is their main focus in the organization (WFTO - Welcome to the Source of Authentic Fair Trade). When producers and workers have organizations that want to make a change in their lives, it shows a lot. When it comes to purchasing any type of products, a great way to show your support to ethical companies is buying fair trade products.

The topic of fair trade leads us into wages and workers rights. The majority of the clothing that is manufactured is made in many third world developing countries. What consumers tend to pay little attention to are the conditions that these workers are forced to work in. In most third world countries, obtaining a factory job that produces clothing seems to be most-wanted. These workers are deprived of their basic rights. For example, they are forced to work overtime, they receive extremely low wages, they work in poor sanitary health conditions and some workers must endure sexual harassment (Dalay).

Usually when consumers purchase clothes their mindset is not on how the garment was produced or how that worker may have been treated. Consumers tend to think more of how they look in the garment and could care less how the garment entered the fashion industry. Violence against workers has always been used in third world countries. Usually workers are beaten or killed when trying to become a part of an organization. When it comes to the percentage of pay, workers only receive a fractional amount from the final retail price of a garment. The worker only gets 0.5%- 4% of the sale.

Likewise with ethical fashion, many businesses have improved their work conditions by building relationships with the Ethical Trading Initiative and Made-By. Both of these organizations seek to improve social and economic conditions for the worker and to exceed labor standards that are currently existing in third world countries (Wages & Workers Rights).

Another serious issue that is discussed in the fashion industry is the cruelty to animals. Animal rights activists have brought to the consumers’ attention that many animals have lost their lives due to the preparation of fur coats. In the preparation of fur coats, the animal is trapped and then the fur is extracted from the animal. One can just imagine the pain and suffering the animal must endure during this painful process. Most of the pain usually comes from extracting wool and leather from animals which are made to make outerwear and shoes (Ethical Issues in Fashion). When consumers wear merchandise made from fur, this shows others that, that consumer is supporting animal cruelty. The more merchandise being produced by using these methods proves that more animals are being killed in order for that product to be available.
As a solution, faux fur has become very popular in the fashion industry and is made from synthetic materials, which cause no harm to animals. Designers and consumers love the use they get out of faux fur because it is easier to maintain and use then animal fur. The outfits consumers purchase, 90% are manufactured with either wool or polyester. As consumers, it is our job to know right from wrong and making the right decisions when purchasing fur or leather could save the life of an animal (Navarro).

Furthermore ethical fashion has already gained its popularity in the UK. Currently, there is a Dorthy Perkins clothing line that is based in the UK. Her clothing line includes a collection of garments made from organic materials. A percentage of her sales are given to an organization that serves the purpose of planting trees in the United Kingdom. Other organizations and fashion designers have contributed to ethical fashion. However, the USA still has some catching up to do when it comes to gaining more popularity with ethical fashion. There are plenty of brands in the United States that have already began to incorporate ethical practices in the production of their products. Levi Strauss has gone as far as to have their own foundation that improves their workers’ quality of life and to create a code of conduct for their supplier that explains fair trade standards. Levi’s has even manufactured a pair of “green” jeans that are made with organic materials.

Fashion is a huge and growing business, however the ethical aspect of it is very old. The popularity of ethical fashion is becoming more well known and used in the United States (Ethical Issues in Fashion). Fashion brands are currently adapting ethical means since there is more awareness of cruelty to animals, conserving the environment, and issues in the business spectrum. With consumers becoming more involved with issues in ethical fashion, they have been more aware and there is a greater demand for ethical fashion. Having the ability to define what is not ethical has become much easier for consumers to do. Unethical clothing is usually thoughtlessly produced and is super-cheap which is a great identifier for customers to use when making a purchase (Ethical Fashion – Netmums).

Many designers and producers are becoming very familiar with the concept of ethical fashion. The issues they were encountering were the use of pesticides and their effect on the environment, fair trade, workers rights, and animal cruelty. Many third world countries have already began to accept the practice of ethical fashion and it is still emerging in other countries. Organic materials have currently been used in some retail stores, but it is up to the consumer to purchase those products. Without your input, change will happen slowly.
There has been a criterion for the fashion industry so that they are aware of ethical fashion. The criterion for ethical fashion is as follows:

Counter fast, cheap fashion and damaging patterns of fashion consumption, defending fair wages, working conditions and workers’ rights, supporting sustainable livelihoods, addressing toxic pesticide and chemical use, using and / or developing eco- friendly fabrics and components, minimizing water use, recycling and addressing energy efficiency and waste, developing or promoting sustainability standards for fashion, resources, training and/ or awareness raising initiatives and, animal rights (What is Ethical Fashion).

The solutions that experts have came up with for ethical fashion are all logical and I completely agree with them. With pesticides, insecticides, and their effect on the environment, chemical dyes, fair trade, workers rights, and animal cruelty being such huge topic in ethical fashion, each solution brought forth has had some affect on the fashion industry. Remarkably, with consumers being educated on the topic of ethical fashion change should happen rapidly.