2021 Sustainable Fashion Trends to Watch For
In the past year, as we have become more accustomed to a pandemic way of life. Many countries also saw a variety of new weather patterns, as well as the effects that nature had when humans were no longer polluting it. With less time to focus on events, the fashion industry had more time to focus on its environmental and social impact. Designers pledged to reduce waste, change the frequency of their collections, and spoke up about discrimination.
A consumer study found that since Covid-19, 57% of shoppers agreed that they had made significant changes to their lifestyles to lessen their environmental impact and 64% of shoppers have decreased their spending on clothing during the pandemic. With vaccines soon on the way and economies recovering, it would be surprising not to see attitudes towards the fashion industry change.
Starting off the new year, let’s look at 5 trends that we expect to see in the next year, so you can stay ethical and fashionable.
1. Clothing Rentals
With companies like Uber and Airbnb, we are aware that the sharing economy has been on the rise. It was only a matter of time before this started applying to our wardrobes. In the next year, platforms that offer subscriptions where you can rent clothes will be growing in popularity.
Chances are that if you need an item for a specific event, you are not going to wear it more than once, so why not rent it? This way you can reduce waste and save money!
2. Comfy Pants
We have been sitting and working at home for months, it wouldn’t be crazy to assume you haven’t put on a pair of jeans in a few weeks. This may be a good thing for the planet. Denim takes at the very least 3,780 liters of water to make one pair of jeans. Cotton is a very thirsty plant and washing the dye is a very intense process.
Now that we are moving away from tight pants and more into comfy pants to work on the couch, linen and hemp pants are likely to become more popular. This means your future pants may use much less water!
3. Ethical Sneakers
Maybe this year your shoes have lasted a bit longer than usual and maybe you forgot how to walk in heels. More than 23 billion pairs of sneakers are produced every year and more than 300 million are thrown out. These each take around 30 years to decompose. Now that people are becoming more aware of these facts, sustainable sneaker companies are on the rise.
4. Recycled Plastic
Sportswear, outerwear, and swimwear are highly polluting, usually derived from oil-based materials such as polyester, nylon, and spandex. All of these have a great deal of energy consumption, carbon emissions, hazardous chemicals, and plastic waste. Many small and large businesses are making comfortable, quality, and sustainable clothing from recycled plastic waste, PET water bottles being a popular choice.
5. Upcycling Goods
A one-of-a-kind piece is something that many have always wanted. However, this has not always been accessible, as it can get rather expensive. 2021 is the year to start avoiding the mentality of fast fashion and start thinking about how pieces can be both sustainable and unique. It is time for clothes to be given a second life.
This was originally published on: https://www.uhesupcycle.com
