How to know if a brand or product is sustainable: 3 things to look for
a guest post by madeline neufeld of opaline hue
Sustainable products in fashion should just be a given. As the owner of the brand Opaline Hue, I began my business with this belief, and it remains core to my brand. When I started, I didn’t know how to create a sustainable brand, but I knew I could learn – and I did! I learned from mentors, peers and experience about how to build a brand that is sustainable, and now I want to share that knowledge with you.
Now, the spectrum of what makes something “sustainable” includes more than natural materials an a livable wage for workers, so it can be hard to really know what makes a sustainable brand. Apps like Good On You and posts from conscious writers are great ways to learn more about sustainable brands. However, because the fashion industry is so large and so historically not transparent, we consumers should empower ourselves to investigate brands on our own.
So, here are 3 things to investigate to help you know if a brand is sustainable:
Eco-friendly materials
The first piece of the sustainability puzzle is the materials. Rightly so - the fiber contents and the fabric making method of a given item have a huge impact on the environment! There are so many fibers, fabric making methods and dye methods out there. Some are horrible for the environment, while some leave a much smaller footprint. The way a fabric is harvested, made and dyed is a huge indicator of a brand’s sustainability.
One way to get an feel for an item’s sustainability is to check the tag or description on the website for what it’s made of, then do a little bit of research on what you find. Questions to ask are:
How is this type of material generally made?
Does it require water, pesticides or chemicals?
How is the material from this brand dyed?
You might be able to gain some or all of this information from the brand’s website, or you can check the available resources for this kind of information.
Over time, you will get to know the types of fabric you are comfortable buying and wearing. For me, I love it when a brand uses deadstock fabric. This means that they are using leftover, unused rolls from mills that would otherwise go to waste.
Fair, slow production
Two things to check regarding production are
How was it made?
Who made it?
How a brand handles the production of their items is a big deal. For example, many sustainable fashion brands do made-to-order and small batch production – they create their products slowly and in line with consumer demand which reduces waste.
But what does this look like? Well, here are a few examples: Brands like Gallagher cut and sew their dresses to order. Sotela has their own production house making the orders as they come. Opaline Hue is also made-to-order – our pieces are cut, sewn and shipped at a facility in Alabama after a customer purchases. Elizabeth Suzann is made-to-order and has a weekly capacity limit. Hackwith Design releases a limited edition design each week. Tonle is a zero-waste brand and if you read their about page, it is inspiring to see just how committed they are to sustainability in every corner of the business.
This isn’t to say that made-to-order or small batch are the only sustainable models, but it’s a great indication of a brand’s commitment to sustainability. Overproduction is typically wasteful, but small batch and made-to-order are generally less so.
A sustainable brand should also provide information about the where their clothing is made, and who makes it. A brand should be willing to share information about the conditions their workers are in (safety, regular breaks, a supportive environment etc) and how much their workers are paid – which should be a liveable wage! And, since you and I might not have the resources to understand if a wage is livable for the country where a brand’s items are produced, the brand should ideally provide a bit of information about this as well.
Quality and longevity
The quality and longevity of a product – how long the item will last – are good indicators of the overall sustainability of a product. The materials used to make the product and the timelessness of the designs (especially in the case of aesthetic products like fashion and home goods) are all part of this. With clothing, for example, some fabrics are more durable than others – giving the garment a long lifespan and reducing the number of garments you have to trash or recycle in a year.
At Opaline Hue we use a double-knit merino wool that’s thick and has a spandex fiber running through the middle of each thread for added strength. We chose this fabric in part because it’s very durable – it’s built to last and holds up through years of wear.
Regarding trendy clothing, luckily most ethical fashion brands care about creating clothing that lasts beyond trends and provide beautiful, timeless pieces that fit into almost any wardrobe. And, while design is subjective, you can add to the longevity of the products you buy by selecting clothing that isn’t clearly tied to any one trend.
And I can’t finish this section without mentioning: Care is the other important pillar in garment lifespan, and this one is totally in your hands! It really is one of the biggest factors in how long your garment lasts.
Understanding sustainability in a brand can feel complex because, while there are more and more resources available to help us understand how sustainable a brand is, we are still far from widespread transparency. How a brand chooses to share their information is really telling and it’s up to consumers to seek out sustainability. As a consumer, you can use the resources available and investigate the brands you like through your own lens. When we consume more consciously, we all take steps towards a healthier industry!
