Maine Rep. Chellie Pingree recently launched the first Slow Fashion Caucus, focusing on making the fashion and clothing industry more sustainable. We'll explore efforts to counteract "fast fashion" --the mass-production of low-quality items that often harms the environment and mistreats textile workers.
Slow fashion calls for more recycling and re-use of clothing and other goods. The trend among young people to go "thrifting" for used clothing is part of the slow fashion movement.
Sustainable fashion is a way in which brands create clothing that not only reduces the impact on the environment but is also mindful of the people who work to produce the garments.
Put simply, it is fashion that is ethically made and environmentally friendly.
All this sounds simple, however, being sustainable means more overheads, which in turn reduces profit margins.
For the industry to become sustainable as a whole, consumers must be willing to pay more to help make the change, or at the very least, stop buying from brands that have no regard for the environment.
This change in the zeitgeist looks like it’s beginning to happen, as younger, more eco-conscious consumers become more influential in marketing demographics.