A Look at Sustainable Fashion

Ten years ago, a definition of sustainable fashion might have included the words natural, hemp and organic. I too would have said something similar, but after immersing myself in the world of sustainability, I have grown to appreciate modern concepts such as “organic” and “upcycled”. Many Australians are now opening up their businesses to these sustainable practices determined to make their mark towards reducing their carbon footprint.
The transformation of my thinking began when I heard of a renowned Sydney hairdresser. Stevie English Hair is a unique and trendy salon that is proud to be Australia’s first climate neutral hair salon. Stevie Corthine, salon owner, said it has been the little things that have made all the difference. The salon uses 100 per cent environmentally friendly O&M hair colour, which is based on natural minerals. With his loyal clientele of celebrities, it is no wonder the salon is leading the Australian market in sustainable hair trends.
Of the many designers, beauticians and eco warriors I canvassed for this story, a passion for fashion has both united and fuelled their works. Designers and business partners Maja Rose and Tess Lloyd are a testimony to this, with their unique jewellery label. Polli is a low CO2 company which entire practice revolves around studio based recycling.
Saving the world one beautician at a time, Sukin’s Australian Natural Skincare is an environmentally conscious, natural personal care company. With over 50 products crafted using only the best nature has to offer, they have stuck to their philosophy “skincare that doesn’t cost the earth”.
Despite its omnipresent influence all over the world, fashion has the ability to do what organic and fair-trade vegetables never could, and that is to make sustainability cool. Most of us love spinning a good yarn to our uber-trendy, rare finds that landed in our wardrobe. This is fashion working at the top of its expressive powers. So, can green fashion’s amazing stories spin the same magic?
Young fashion designer from Melbourne’s RMIT, Freyja Rönngård certainly thinks so. Her passion is all about incorporating sustainable practices into her “consumer driven industry”. The trendy 21-year-old eco-warrior concerns herself with the farfetched complexities of fashion’s global carbon emissions. “I’m interested in how the industry can evolve, to be responsible for the impact its practice is having on the environment” she says.
Style is the backbone of fashion. If it were up to our fashion eco-warriors, we would all be wrapped in our recycled, biodegradable, reusable and ethically made gear this winter. Today’s eco
warriors are proving that style has a sustainable side to all that glitz and glamour. Between hankering for the latest fad and worrying about its ugly carbon footprint, environmentally aware Australians are now recognising the focus on innovation to make sustainability on trend.
Kick Start your Eco Warrior
www.sukinorganics.com/
www.stevieenglish.com.au/
www.polli.com.au
www.limedrop.com.au
http://about.hm.com/AboutSection/en/About/Sustainability.htmorem