Why 2019 Could be a Watershed Year for Fashion and Sustainability.

Michelangelo Pistoletto, Venus of the Rags, 1967Via Flickr

WIth consumers, designers, students and politicians taking steps towards a more sustainable future, this year could see the fashion industry transformed, writes Sophie Benson

From clothes burning scandals to eye-opening BBC documentaries, a series of turning points have gathered pace and we sit at the cusp of what could be the most significant year yet for sustainable fashion.

A new level of fashion-focused scrutiny has crashed into the limelight upon a wave of heightened environmental awareness and activism, catalysed by the culture of instant information. Given 12 years until we’re at the point of no return with climate change and overwhelmed by inaction – or flat out refusal to believe – at the top, our instinct is to find comfort in the elements we can control. And in our droves, we’re turning to the contents of our wardrobes as a springboard for change.

2018 saw the value of the ethical clothing market increase by 19.9 per cent according to Ethical Consumer, engendered by growing acknowledgement of the impact of consumer choices. With 34 per cent of 18 to 24 year olds and 29 per cent of 25 to 34 year olds withholding spending when a product has a negative impact on the environment, the fashion industry needs to listen up, if not for the planet then at the very least for its bottom line. And slowly, it’s starting to.

By Sophie Benson.

Full story at Anothermag.