CSR: Responsibility To Choose Sustainable Fashion
Few decades ago, a lean man with a stick took the country up by a storm by boycotting all the foreign fabric to initiate a revolution and encourage people to adapt local fabric. This action was aimed towards saving and rescuing the country from the plunges of Britishers. The world needs to follow his footsteps today and boycott all the fabric that is not environmentally sustainable, in order to protect our beloved planet.
Fashion today is not just about what we wear and how we look. It is a form of expression. And environmental sustainability is something we need to take personally and express it in all the aspects of life including the fashion that we select.
The role of designers today has changed from providing the latest up and coming fashion to actually suggesting and influencing the crowds regarding their fashion choices. They are the role models for people who lack knowledge, and needs to be educated. They need to bring the shift in people’s perspective from thinking about fast fashion to durable and sustainable fashion.
The Global apparel market is valued at 3 trillion dollars and accounts to 2 per cent of Global GDP. This makes the results of its activities of significant importance on the world and the environment.
The synthetics used today in the clothing industry are non-biodegradable. The dyes used for clothes pollute and contaminate the water reservoirs. The clothes made in such manner are cheap and consume less time. This increases their demand in the market. People buy more clothes than they require, because they are easily replaceable. Since the damage caused due to them does not have an immediate effect to them, people do not care for the repercussions.
Many fashion labels are taking up sustainability in their clothing lines. Reliance Trends has launched its in-house sustainable fashion brand called as ‘Swadesh. Fabindia is also working towards establishing sustainability in its clothing and has launched a marketing campaign around handloom and western wear. Nike is endeavouring to recycle plastic bottles into shoes and fitness wear.
The brands do their bit as part of their CSR activity. However, they are in business and would focus on production that is in demand. So it is up to us, to make informed and educated choices to be a responsible global citizen and least hazardous to the planet.
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Regards,
The CSR Journal Team
