Eco friendly fashion solved

"Dear Busy Girls Guide. I've been hearing all about eco-fashion but I'm getting confused - should I be out wearing hessian & jesus sandals or is there another way to be green & still look the right side of the eco-revolution? Why is everyone going eco-fashion mad? Can you shed some light on the topic for me? Thanks for your help!" Izzy, Manchester

Dear Izzy,

Well, my dear, you made me laugh! Thank you for your email - I know, it can all be a little confusing can't it? But not to worry, I'm here to help - next time someone asks about eco-fashion, you'll be down with it (check me out!).

What's the problem?

The reason we're all banging on about eco-friendly is because fashion is getting faster... on the UK high streets, we're seeing more fashion chains & stores which stock low cost, fashionable clothing. Some of the stores are making large profits by selling large quantities of inexpensive clothes.

Because labour costs are lower, the vast majority of the clothes we can buy in the UK are now made in poorer countries like Asia & Africa. Some big retail chains have a lot of power over suppliers in poorer countries so they're able to put pressure on them to reduce prices & to do the work faster.

What can we do about it?

Support fashion houses & retailers who take steps to ensure that workers are paid & treated fairly. Big high street companies who trade ethically join The Ethical Trading Initiative - like: Asda, Boots, Debenhams, GAP, M&S, Monsoon, Mothercare, Next, Sainsbury, Tesco, WHSmith amongst quite a few others.

Labour Behind the Label is a campaign that supports garment workers' efforts worldwide to improve their working conditions. You can become a member or find out more at Labour Behind the Label

Eco or enviro?

Firstly, I need to explain - eco-friendly doesn't always mean that the clothes are made from natural materials.

True 'organic' clothes are made from organically produced natural materials, however, we have coined the phrase 'eco-friendly' to cover anything that has been made using fair labour, within the local labour laws & to less of a detriment to the local workers & the environment.

What to look out for

As somebody who buys fashion, you can do a lot by supporting companies which are taking a more ethical approach, or by customising & re-using your own clothes.

Here are some of the things to look out for:

Organic standards

Organic clothing is made without the use of toxic chemicals. When you're next out shopping you need to be lookng for:

Organic cotton which is grown without the use of chemical pesticides & insecticides. Apart from damaging health and the environment - these are also very expensive for farmers.

Hemp which is seen as being an eco-friendly crop as it needs few or no agrichemicals to grow & enriches the soil it grows in.

Linen which is made from flax, another traditional fibre crop which needs few chemical fertilisers & less pesticide than cotton.

Organic wool which is produced without toxic sheep dips.

Natural dyes which are made from plants, vegetables & roots.

Fair trade standards

Fair trade means paying a fair wage to workers & making sure they get a fair deal. Many companies now actively promote their eco-friendly approach so look out for the self-proclaiming labels, adverts & ethical statements.

Recycling and customisation

It is estimated that we throw away as much as one million tonnes of textiles every year. When old clothes and textiles are thrown away, they are most likely to end up in a landfill site.

Instead of throwing away your old clothes in the rubbish, you can take them to 'clothes banks' or charity shops. Why not try customising your own clothes or clothes you have bought second-hand from charity shops - it's amazing what you can create from something you thought you would never wear again.

Most of all, don't get bogged down by it all - as long as you're doing your bit for the environment, then you are on the right path to eco-smugness.

Best wishes Busy Eco Girls,

The Busy Girls Team x