3 Tips to Finding a Sustainable Brand

Consumers can follow these three tips and understand a brand. With this information, you can find out how they make their clothes, what materials they use and how long you can expect the clothes to last.

Often people think that sustainable fashion is expensive and are discouraged from substituting away from fast fashion. The reason why the cost is higher for these brands is because it is difficult to find supply chains that use sustainable materials. It is not as accessible because demand hasn't reached the same as traditional methods. However, if there is more demand and interest towards sustainable fashion, it eventually will become affordable for everyone.

In our production process, we put care in crafting quality pieces while minimising the use of resources and waste so that each piece can be worn for a long time. Quality doesn't come cheap as it requires more durable materials but by taking this step, it helps reduce waste on our planet and consumers benefit in the long run.

1.    Check the website

Consumers can check the website to see how transparent they are with the information they provide. This can demonstrate their value to sustainable fashion. It also ensures accountability when brands include how they manufacture their products, materials used and how to take care of the product.

Try find an 'about us' section that demonstrates a brand's integrity to sustainable fashion and using eco-friendly materials. If there is no mention of the materials they use or where their clothes are made, you can identify that they do not support a sustainable system.

At Hundred Line, we support fair practices and creating healthy relationships with our supply chains. We can ensure that the clothes you wear are not made at the expense of another’s well-being.

You can ask brands questions to see how transparent they are. If they don’t explicitly state how they produce their clothes, this indicates the brand is not sustainable as they say they are and are not environmentally conscious about the way they do things.

You can also check the brand's social media and see the type of things they post. The posts and stories will demonstrate if they promote sustainability. For example, if the brand addresses global issues about fair and ethical practices, you can tell that they are engaged with sustainability.

2.    Materials

The designing process is important because if the brand is not using natural fibres that are environmentally friendly, it also indicates the brand is not aware of protecting this planet. Most fast fashion brands use materials such as polyester and nylon that take approximately 200 years to decompose. As opposed to cotton and linen which are recycled materials and can be recomposed and reused.

We only use sustainable fabrics here at Hundred Line. We know that linen and cotton are durable and resilient fabrics that can stand the test in time. Consumers can feel good about having high-quality pieces in their closet.

Nylon and polyester are less breathable and toxic and can actually harm your health. They are not as durable as natural fibres, and so the frequency of buying polyester clothes in comparison to linen is higher.

Some clothing brands use greenwashing to mislead consumers. Greenwashing is the market technique that tries to convince consumers they are ethical and sustainable but are really not. Consumers should be aware of this and ask brands what their mission statement is and why they support a sustainable business model.

Our timeless collection is made from linen and cotton that are manufactured ethically offshore in certified factories in China. We ensure that our garments are worn with care and are machine-washed. You can read more about the sustainable fabrics we’re committed to using in our other blog, where we also talk about our commitment to sustainable fashion.

3.    Packaging

Packaging makes up 65% of household trash. Even if you are switching to sustainable clothing, the packaging may still remain plastic. This adds to the waste we have today. Consumers can see if a brand is sustainable if they use recycled paper or green packaging that are biodegradable.

It is great seeing more of the fashion industry switching to paper bags and it shows how consumer behaviours have been influenced.

At Hundred Line, we use recyclable bags and stay away from plastic bags. If brands are still using plastic bags, you can understand their lack of commitment to sustainable fashion. By substituting away from plastic packaging, this can reduce the ecological footprint and also reduce the cost to the brand and cost to the environment.

Remember to Check

Supporting sustainable fashion brands will make a significant impact on social, economic and environmental pillars of sustainability. By using these tips you can find sustainable brands to subscribe to and brands to stay away from. The more aware people are of sustainable brands, the better the effect on our earth. Remember, check their website, see what materials they use in their designing process, and check their packaging.