Sustainable fashion
© Gemma Marchena
Madrid
881

The Slow Fashion concept is spreading throughout the world with the commitment to sustainability and social responsibility.

It isn’t a trend: it’s a necessity. Ecological fashion is a response to fast fashion, which accumulated criticism as a polluting industrial model which uses dubious materials and resorts to exploitation of workforces in third-world countries. But there is a worldwide response to this phenomenon: slow fashion, or ethical fashion, a sustainable, aware proposal that is entering our wardrobes. Many designers have decided to take control in order to change the world, stitch by stitch. The aim is to make garments that leave as small a footprint as possible on the planet, and link up to the movement that fosters recycling, Kilometre Zero, veganism or non-polluting transport.

In Spain, several platforms have emerged which promote ethical fashion. One of them is Slow Fashion Next, which asserts that sustainable clothing can be a tool for change. For its part, the Sustainable Fashion Association of Spain (AMSE) brings together companies with a commitment to consumers who come to fashion via ecological consumption. It is one more step on the path to this lifestyle that seeks equilibrium.

For a garment to be sustainable, it must be made using organic materials such as cotton, hemp or linen, or with textiles resulting from recycled garments. It must also be manufactured in local workshops with dignified wages, in a commitment to Kilometre Zero products, in contrast to the offshore phenomenon of opening up workshops in poor countries.

The AMSE calculates that the consumption of Slow Fashion has grown by 25 percent over the last year. A phenomenon which stirs the conscience of both shoppers and the big firms, which is bringing out eco-friendly lines, although there is still much to be done. One pending task is that of making fast fashion consumers understand that a T-shirt that costs just 3 Euros only lasts for a couple of washes and the low price is achieved by violating workers’ rights. But a 25-Euro organic cotton T-shirt can boast of a much longer lifespan, and lasts for more than a single season.

Upcycling is another way of creating sustainable fashion. It is based on the idea of making a new garment from an existing one. Using garment remains, waste and other disused materials, a new item is created in order to bestow a second life on it.

Madrid is no stranger to this global trend and a number of designers here are concerned about both style and the environment. A prominent standard bearer of this green movement is Deus Collection, a Spanish label that creates a single innovative line featuring recycled materials and above all car tyres and advertising banners. Its attractive bags, wallets, bracelets and other accessories for both men and women radiate a studied functionality with a new lease on life.

Green Forest presents sustainable fashion for men, collaborating with various farming communities in India to offer 100% eco articles. Lifegist, for its part, designs timeless organic garments for everyday wear, including stylishly comfy trousers, t-shirts and dresses.

With their natural outlook, the creators of Mammisi are also committed to sustainable fashion. This label’s designs are made of organic cotton and feature limited-edition artisanal embroideries from Paraguay. Its pieces reflect an uncompromising ethical and ecological responsibility and are inspired by places that have marked designer Diana Ramírez, who creates very feminine models for women as well as handsome garments for men.

For sustainable bags, check out the original models from Idunnbags, which works with salmon, cod and perch skin from fish caught for food production or consumption. Its tanning and dyeing processes are fully ecological.

Support platform
The Sustainable Fashion Association of Madrid was organized to promote this design trend in the city. For the third year running, it has taken part in the MOMAD Metrópolis fashion show, where sustainable design has played a leading role. Conferences, round tables, forums and workshops on ecological fashion have pivoted around the concept of sustainable experience. There, representatives of international shops and customers have seen labels and met entrepreneurs upholding ethical, social and environmental principles in the field of sustainable fashion. 

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