Emma Garlett: Our waning love of fast fashion opens doors for ethical retailers

Everyone I know has a pair of Birks. The leather sandals have become a staple in Australian fashion and everywhere you look people have ditched the classic Aussie iconic thongs in favour of the German double strap sandals. The shoes you wear and clothes you pick are undoubtedly a part of your identity. Many put comfort, style or practicality at the top of their list when it comes to fashion. But we also need to consider the ethics and sustainability of the pieces we choose to wear. Though many of us still dabble in the dubious arena of fast fashion, there’s a growing movement to ditch fast fashion and get back to the days of carrying our clothing from season to season. Some start-ups have recognised this appetite in the market for sustainable, quality clothing and are acting. Take the new clothing brand Citizen Wolf for example. They use AI to produce tailor made clothes to order in an effort to reduce waste. The rise of sustainable fashion is something to behold given the enormously damaging impacts of our fast fashion addiction. This is especially important for those among us with money to burn. According to research from Boston College, those on higher incomes generate 76 per cent more clothing waste than those with lower incomes. On the home front, Australia’s statistics are shocking. As a nation we are the second highest consumer of textiles in the world after the USA. And each Australian disposes 23kg of clothing to landfill each year. Adding salt to the wound, the Australian Fashion Council has found that the average Australian buys 56 items of clothing each year. The only people winning out of love affair with fast fashion and consumer excess are those selling the goods. If you’re a salesperson, come to Australia. Whatever you’re selling, we’ll buy it. All this waste — and our growing understanding of just what it’s doing to the planet — opens up an opportunity for brands which want to carve themselves out a niche as ethical producers. Leading the way are Indigenous brands. The number of Indigenous fashion designers has increased dramatically in the past decade. More are emerging still, and major retailers are starting to take note and support our home grown designs. Take the Indigenous Fashion Projects Pathways Program. The program, developed in partnership with David Jones, aims to empower and support Indigenous designers through workshops and mentorship with established Australian designers. The participants in this program will showcase their designs on the runway this week at Australian Fashion Week, launching the First Nations designers onto the international stage. The show, called In Relation Way, showcases five collections weaving in stories of legacy, matriarchy, honour, connection, arrival, and Country. Designers taking part include men’s swimwear label GALI Swimwear; women’s swimwear brand, Ihraa Swim; ready-to-wear menswear label, JOSEPH & JAMES; lingerie favourite, Lazy Girl Lingerie; and womenswear from art and lifestyle brand, Miimi & Jiinda. Diversity in fashion is a solution to the problems fast fashion poses. Many of these up and coming brands understand the need for ethical and sustainable materials. They’re conscious of ensuring their supply chains are free of modern slavery. Their strong commitment to ethics gives them a competitive edge over some established brands. But sustainable fashion doesn’t mean replacing all your cheap knock-offs with new products from ethical retailers. Sustainable fashion also includes wearing the clothes you already have, buying second-hand as well as borrowing and repairing old pieces. It is also supporting diverse designers, First Nations designers, celebrating Indigenous culture in design, and creating spaces and opportunities in a competitive industry. With the fashion industry in the spotlight and issues at play, as consumers, we can all do our part to ensure we support brands which are sustainable and working towards eliminating some of the problems we face in the industry.