Ethical clothing is a broad movement and methodology of promoting ethical change in the fashion industry and textile production towards greater social justice and environmental conscience. As it relates to ethical clothing there are three distinct concepts. These concepts are visibility, ethics, and responsibility. Ethical clothing focuses more on addressing not only fashion textiles but the larger system of clothing manufacturing.
In terms of visibility, the ethical clothing that is produced is made from ethical, fair trade products as well as recycled materials. Fairtrade and recycled commodities are those which have been acquired through free trade or negotiated agreements with governments or other private sector entities that are unable to meet their responsibilities for the conservation of sustainable resources. These resources cannot be restored, so the surplus of these commodities must be replaced through ethical methods such as fair trade or byproducts that have been recycled. For example, fair trade certified baby clothing has been produced using natural fabrics and byproducts such as worm castings.
For ethical clothing to be considered ethical it must also be made from eco-friendly fabrics. This can be achieved in a variety of different ways. Ethical clothing may be manufactured using natural or recycled fair trade or sustainable materials. It may also be made from eco-friendly fabrics that have passed the test of being sustainable through a long-term certification program. Materials that have passed this certification program are identified through an extensive vetting process. Certification may be issued for a three-year period or an indefinite period of time.
Fair wages and fair work terms are also a major component of ethical clothing. Fair wages are wages that are paid to workers that have worked under a contractual agreement without receiving below minimum wage. If ethical clothing can be bought locally and sold at reasonable prices this would promote the local economy. Workers would have a greater sense of economic security. An increase in the local economy could help alleviate some of the issues that affect employment and provide a better quality of life for all workers including those in developing countries.
In addition to fair wages, ethical clothing could also be produced using recycled polyester. Recycled polyester is a material that has been reprocessed and refined. Some recyclable fabrics are considered to be more environmentally responsible than others. Recycled fabrics are typically manufactured in the US and most recycling programs focus on producing fibers and fabrics that can be used for ethical fashion production. The majority of recycled polyester is produced in China.
Prominent ethical clothing brands include Baby Phat, House of Dereon, Migabo, Pinellas, and Vera Bradley. These brands pay living wages to their workers and do not tolerate workplace violence of any kind. While there are other ethical fashion brands becoming popular, these brands are believed to represent the largest number of global companies dedicated to ethically made fashion.
An ethical clothing brand should be able to offer customers an extensive line of items that are made from renewable resources with minimal pollution. For many customers, eco-friendly clothing means clothing that is both affordable and made with bio-degradable materials. Many ethical fashion brands have begun to use only renewable fabrics. In this way, they are playing an important role in making the transition to a “greener” planet.
To keep ethical clothing prices low it is best to buy from small, family-owned businesses. Buying from larger companies will allow the company to purchase raw materials at wholesale prices thus giving them an advantage over smaller businesses. Smaller businesses often find ways to increase their supply of raw materials by partnering with other businesses in the same industry to buy locally or obtain recycled materials cheaply. Visit the Website to know more.