Sustainability seems to be on everyone’s mind these days and rightly so. If there’s one lesson 2020 has taught us, it’s this—We have to do everything we can to save the planet. We’ve become more cautious about what we’re spending our time, money and energy on, and we’re one step closer to being mindful of our planet too. Sustainability is not just a trending buzzword anymore. It’s a way of life. It has led us to ‘circular fashion’ – an authentic and ethical way to look at the fashion industry as conscious consumers. Let’s take a closer look.

So what is circular fashion?

The Circular Fashion industry is designed with the aim of eliminating waste and reducing our carbon footprint by revamping the entire life cycle of an item – from design and sourcing to production and end usage – to make it sustainable forever. The term was first coined by Green Strategy founder Anna Brismar, in a bid to make the global fashion industry more circular in its impact.

It has made us rethink our fashion spend to source more ethically using recyclable resources that are non-toxic, biodegradable and reusable. It produces fashion items that can be shared across multiple users in its lifetime and be used in the real world for as long as possible. Once it reaches the end of its life cycle, it goes back into the ‘circle’ by getting recycled or composted as nourishment for plants and other organisms in the ecosystem. In other words, circular fashion should bring zero harm to the environment while making a positive contribution to our planet.

Are there any circular fashion brands yet?

Yes, there are! The first name that comes to mind is, of course, Stella McCartney. Her fame has been associated with sustainable fashion for years now, and she continues to be a pioneer and fighter for ethical sourcing of material across her labels. According to McCartney, the future of fashion is circular and will be created to be restorative and regenerative from design and inception itself. The luxury fashion house has also come up with innovative ways to reuse material like polyester and nylon and educate customers on how to care for their garments so they last much longer.

German fashion heavyweight Hugo Boss is one of the newest members to hop on to the circular fashion bandwagon. Boss was one of the first mainstream brands to adopt the use of Piñatex, a leather alternative made from discarded pineapple leaves, for a line of their limited-edition footwear. Other noteworthy brands include Netherlands based MUD Jeans who produced the world’s first circular denim line, Everlane’s ReNew collection that uses a fleece made from recycled plastic bottles, BEEN London who recycles waste to make handbags and accessories and so many more! The list is growing and we’re excited to see what’s going to come out next.

How can you support the circular fashion industry?

The world is changing fast and we need to keep up. Luckily, most of us have realised that fast-fashion is no longer the solution. It’s time we invested in the long-term life of our closet and our planet. Here’s how:

  • Look at labels before you buy. Supporting ethically sourced material that can be recycled or composted is a key step in going circular.
  • Donate, borrow and share. We live in a sharing economy where we’re happy to call an Uber and stay in an Airbnb. Why not make our closets shareable too? Host annual clothes-swaps with your friends and give preloved pieces a new home by selling or donating them.
  • Spend less, but spend better. Invest in key pieces that you know won’t go out of fashion quickly. Blacks, whites, neutrals and denim can be mixed-and-matched to create new outfits each time.

Ready to join the circular fashion revolution? Tell us how in the comments below and sign up to Bazaara today to learn more.