The Emergence of Eco-Friendly Fashion Designing
The fashion industry is one of the most lucrative in the world, but it’s also a significant contributor to environmental damage. Luckily, more and more brands are taking a conscious approach to their design and production practices.
Designers can take several steps towards eco-friendly fashion design, such as selecting organic or natural fibers. These fibres are less harmful to the environment than synthetic fibers like polyester and nylon.
Digital Printing
Digital printing is an essential part of sustainable fashion design. It reduces water and energy usage while preserving fabrics and dyes.
It also reduces waste and pollution by eliminating the need for extensive cleanup processes involving water. It saves millions of gallons of water that would otherwise be wasted or polluted.
Another benefit of digital printing is that it can be used to create custom designs that are on demand, allowing brands to avoid stockpiling inventory and waste. Moreover, it can help streamline production for brands that are experiencing supply chain delays.
In addition, digital printing can produce eco-friendly packaging that is recyclable and made from recycled materials. This ensures that unused packaging does not end up in landfills.
Recycled Synthetics
Polyester is a synthetic fibre, produced from petroleum and coal by a chemical process called polymerization. It’s durable, breathable and stretchable, which is why it is a popular choice for activewear.
However, synthetics do not biodegrade or compost like natural fibers do. They also produce harmful emissions when burned, and can cause allergy symptoms in some people (see here for more information).
In addition to the environmental impacts, these fabrics are often a source of microfiber pollution, releasing tiny plastic particles into the air and water after washing and wearing. In addition, they take a long time to decompose when disposed of in landfills.
As a result, many fashion designers choose to use recycled fabrics in their collections. Even if only a small percentage of a garment is made from recycled synthetics, it’s still better for the environment than making an entirely new fabric from scratch.
Eco-Friendly Fabrics
In recent years, there’s been a rise in demand for sustainable fabrics. This is mainly due to the fact that fast fashion production causes huge amounts of environmental damage.
The cotton industry for example, requires a lot of water and toxic pesticides are used to grow it. It also consumes a lot of land that should otherwise be used for other purposes.
Eco-friendly fabrics are made from natural or recycled materials. Some of them even biodegrade, meaning they will not contaminate the environment or society when they’re no longer used.
A few brands are making this a priority by using fabrics like organic silk and recycled cotton. Others are sourcing modal, which is produced through a closed loop process that uses only minimal water and no chemicals.
Another great option is recycled polyester, which has been made from plastic bottles that would otherwise end up in the landfill. The recycling process uses 35% less water than regular polyester and the fabric can be reused multiple times.
Eco-Friendly Packaging
Consumers are becoming more environmentally conscious, and this is influencing their purchasing decisions. Eco-friendly packaging is one way to ensure that your brand communicates its values and ethos to customers, helping you win their trust and loyalty for the long term.
Eco-friendly packaging is made from recyclable or biodegradable materials and can be reused, recycled or composted. It should meet market criteria for performance, cost and environmental impact.
Many brands are turning to eco-friendly packaging to cut down on their waste and promote their sustainability goals. They can do this through packaging design that uses natural materials like paper and bamboo, which are recyclable or compostable, instead of plastic.
The benefits of eco-friendly packaging are numerous and include improving your brand image, driving sales and increasing customer retention. It also improves the longevity of your products, extending their lifespan.