Picture by: Adriana Zehbrauskas for The New York Times
In recent years Mexico has seen significant growth in its sustainable fashion industry. Today, there is a growing variety of small brands and emerging designers whose main contribution to sustainable fashion is the integration of local artisans and the promotion of the economy in indigenous communities.
Sustainable fashion is devoted to creating clothes with eco-friendly materials and pieces are usually produced with socially responsible techniques. Therefore, the commitment that sustainable fashion brands have is not limited to executing or backing up environmental initiatives. These brands also aim to make conscious changes in every link of the production chain.
On the contrary, fast fashion denotes lower-quality, low-priced, mass-produced, chemically dyed, and machine-made garments that quickly end up in landfills. Although this enables one to access fashion cheaply, it has a negative impact on the environment, those creating the garments, and the consumer.
Picture by: The New Daily Australia
“The trend of the design and production of eco-friendly fashion pieces is rapidly growing. Known with different names such as sustainable fashion, ethical fashion, or slow fashion, this movement is here to stay. Nowadays, Mexico is the land of innovative brands that have joined this wave of social and environmental responsibility”. – Greentopia Real Estate.
Although the public has become aware of the importance of looking at more environmentally friendly options, the industry still faces several challenges. The main one is ensuring that the entire production process of the brand is friendly to the environment. Even if it is a very good motivation to make each part of the process sustainable, achieving it today is not that simple.
Picture by: Adriana Zehbrauskas for The New York Times
There’s also the fact that there are not many suppliers of organic or ecological fabrics/yarns. We are beginning to see some changes in the production of organic cotton and natural dyes, but we still have a long way to go in this area. I may be optimistic, but I firmly believe that Mexico is a country that has everything to achieve it.
There has also been a significant increase in foreign brands supporting indigenous communities throughout the country, paying fair wages and rescuing local designs. Being able to support artisans while creating amazing products is a win-win situation. Many of these companies work to help support women and empower them with an independent source of income. Sustainability in Mexico could be considered as a transition towards a new economy and a new culture that ensures the continuation of the industry in an environmentally responsible way and preserving social democracy.
I think we are facing a unique opportunity in our generation to rethink how we want to live and consume from now on. It is time to support brands that are striving to do things in the best possible way and that is navigating the path to a more ethical and responsible fashion.
In conclusion, I believe that in Mexico today we can award the Sustainable Fashion label to brands that are using ethical methods, ranging from paying a fair wage to their employees, to supporting artisans and indigenous communities, to using natural, noble and/or recycled materials and to handmade products.
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