Did you know?
- A single t-shirt and jeans you wear takes up to 20,000 litres of water to produce.
- 100,000 marine animals are killed each year by plastic waste, including microfibers which are used to make cheap clothing.
- 60% of all clothes used end up in the landfill within a year.
- A single synthetic garment can generate more than 1900 indigestible, non-biodegradable, microplastic fibers in one washing machine cycle.
- Each year 70 million barrels of oil are used to make polyester, the most commonly used fiber in clothing. It takes 200 years to decompose.
- By 2030 the fashion industry will use 35% more land and forests for production. (source: ScoopWhoop)
These are scary facts. Being sustainable, more than just being a topic of conversation and making brands look ‘woke’, has to become the need of the hour. We as consumers need to become more conscious in the choices we make in what we wear and buy every single day.
You know that moment, when you are standing in front of your closet, looking for something to wear but can’t seem to find anything? Or when your outfits after a few washes start looking old and faded. That definitely happens to me with my basics considering how often I wear them. How do we fill our closets with pieces that look good, are long lasting and are actually good for the environment? Enter Creatures of Habit.
Born out of the frustration at being unable to find good quality everyday essentials, founders Pallavi Desai and Shantum Gupta decided to take matters into their own hands. On doing research, they realized that the current fast fashion habits were wreaking havoc on the environment, and also didn’t last too long. They made a decision to go completely polyester and plastic free and manufacture their clothes with the best natural fibers to create all-natural fabrics (that last for 500 washes and more!).
Pallavi Desai and Shantum Gupta Of Creatures of Habit answer our questions on what sustainable fashion is and how we as consumers can make better choices TODAY!
What is sustainable fashion?
Sustainable fashion is saying something simple – let’s not treat our clothes as disposable objects, and let’s stop consuming fashion mindlessly. Most clothes bought today are worn for less than 6 months. This is ridiculous when you think about the resources that go into making a garment. To us, sustainable fashion means buying less but buying better, and learning to care for our clothes so that they can last a long time.
Why is sustainability important in fashion?
Sustainability is the need of the hour across industries. Fashion, being the second most polluting industry, has a huge environmental cost. It’s an easy place to make a switch over to all natural and make better choices that can help improve the health of our planet.
How can we in our daily lives, contribute to the environment when it comes to fashion?
I think moving away from polyester and other synthetic fabrics is an important step to take. Polyester is basically plastic, so when you dispose of clothes that contain it, they take centuries to biodegrade. There’s also the micro-plastics that are shed every time these garments are washed, which end up in our oceans and even in the fish we eat. Step one of that however is just knowing what our clothes are made out of, which so many of us don’t, and caring for them properly.
Is sustainable fashion more expensive in general? If so, why is that?
Yes, sustainable fashion tends to be more expensive because the price more accurately reflects the efforts and resources that go into making a garment. The fast fashion model has gotten us used to cheap clothing made in environmentally hazardous ways, but a lot of that environmental cost is not reflected in the price, allowing us to be blissfully unaware of the damage done to get that low price.
What makes sustainable fashion a worthy investment?
Buying less and buying better actually leads to a much lower total expenditure over time. With fast fashion, because each item is cheap, we don’t realize how the costs add up over time. When you buy quality, you not only get better comfort, but better value over the long term as well.
What fabrics should we look out for/avoid when shopping?
Polyester, Nylon, Acrylic and any other synthetic fabrics are best avoided. Also beware of polyester blended fabrics – they are just as harmful to the planet as any other polyester garment.
Do you think sustainable fashion is the future?
We certainly think so. More and more people are asking the right questions. 5 years ago, we didn’t even know the words fast fashion. We are moving to consumerism that is deliberate and thoughtful- which is reflected in our many decisions- like carrying our own reusable bags when we shop.
What is the one thing you wish people knew about sustainable fashion?
That it is not only a good deal for the environment or the garment workers but also for the consumer as the initial investment may be 25% higher but if they buy high quality – the garment will last twice as long.
So, the next time we’re shopping, let’s really think about where it’s coming from and start investing in pieces that are built to last and are good for the environment (and your closet!). You can check out the Creatures of Habit Instagram page here and my entire conversation with Co-founder Pallavi Desai on the importance of Sustainable Fashion below.
Written by Anchal Khetan
