7/5/2010 Industry Articles

Eco Trend: Conscious Fashion with Style

By : Fibre2fashion.com

Eco friendly clothing is in the market, and highlighted in ramp

shows with a big buzz So, with all that fame, is green the new
black?

Global initiative has exploded in a big way in the recent years,

creating an awareness of the impact our everyday life is creating in
the environment. With an attempt to boost their sales, various
sectors are enhancing their ecological credentials through the
development of business strands, and through the manufacture of
earth friendly products.

Once considered as the costume of hippies, who used to wear hemp fabrics, today eco fabrics have come
under the global spotlight through cat walks and celebrity endorsements. Garments made from natural fibres,
and dyed in natural dyes, have started filtering into the streets. JWT, the world's best-known marketing
communications brand in its recently released list has quoted that eco fashion will play a major role in the
current year. (JWT's 100 Things to Watch in 2010)

Is Eco Fashion Hot?

Despite the growing concern about eco fashion, there is not a major change in the purchase behavior of many
consumers. Green garments might be generating a big buzz, but still more awareness needs to be created
among the consumers.

Raw materials used in making eco clothing are generally planted and
harvested in one place. Then it is sent to a factory for processing it
and later is spun into yarn. This yarn is transported to a factory and
is woven into fabric, which is then sent to a dye mill for coloring.
Later the fabric is sent to a manufacturer, who with a designer drafts
the patterns for the clothing, cuts and sews the garments. The final
product is then packed and is available at the shops for consumers.
At every state, it involves workforce, who are paid for their labor.
Organic cotton is also available only in limited quantities. Low impact
dyes are used in coloring these fabrics which causes less or no
impact to the environment as well as to the human skin.

Apart from this, consumers are quite confused regarding the theme
ecological. They are not completely aware of what conditions if the
apparel satisfies, would make it eco friendly apparel. No clear
instructions are seen on the label of the garment thats informs the
shopper about the eco credentials. Many retailers sell their products
claiming it to be eco friendly while in reality only a small part of the apparel is such, for instance only the
cotton is organic, and the other process of making the garment is ruthlessly damaging to the environment.

Companies implicated in making eco friendly clothing should be provided adequate subsidies, and support from
the Government. Designers, who create patterns for this clothing, should put their focus keeping in mind to
make the designs timeless, so that the eco garment remains a wardrobe staple, an outfit that remains in the
wardrobe of the consumer for many years.

References:

1. http://www.ecofashionworld.com/

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2. http://www.pr-inside.com
3. http://environment.about.com/

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