Is 'Responsible Consumerism' the key to sustainable fashion? When the fashion industry started to talk and adopt diversity and inclusion openly, some were quick to criticise the change.

To them, it was just another way of gathering attention, looks, clicks and sales. But, more inclusion and more diversity also mean more coverage.

Responsible Consumerism - Where Do We Start?

It means more fashion, more pollution, more depletion and waste. The fashion industry is arguably one of the biggest consumers of water in the world.

It is also one of the biggest polluters and responsible for about 10 per cent of the world's greenhouse gas emissions.

There's no secret anymore that the materials we use to create fashion negatively impact our environment. Plastic is at the core of our micro-plastics problem.

Little microscopic granules of plastic travelling from the washing machines to the oceans, and back into our consumption. We are knowingly poisoning ourselves and our children.

Responsible Consumerism - From What, By Who, And How

But, sustainability in fashion isn't just about the materials used. It is also about where and by whom the apparel is made.

And finally, it is all about the consumers of fashion. We try to solve the problems of the fashion industry from the bottom up.

It does not work, it never worked and we are still trying to do it by controlling what consumers have access to, rather than educating them.

It is a generalised issue observable in every part of the world we live in, and function. Instead of creating more schools, we make more prisons. Instead of educating about drugs and alcohol, we ban it to certain ages or under certain circumstances.

Responsible Consumerism - Education First

However, for the fashion industry to change, it is paramount to educate consumers. It is the only way to make them responsible.

In the past, we've entrusted companies and fashion designers to dictate what's good for us. But finally, with the advent of conscious fashion labels, each one of us has the power of choice.

It is time to end this general idea of cheap fashion stuff. There's nothing cheap in the killing of animals or the poisoning of our planet.

Responsible Consumerism - We Have The Power

The first step is to acknowledge that there are limited resources on our planet. To accept that we can't cope with the pace of our consumption.

By accepting this truth, all of us, consumers and designers must start to adopt responsible fashion to lessen the negative impact of our manufacturing and consumption.

Only with that understanding, the world will embark on what we call responsible consumerism. It takes the knowledge of who made your clothes.

The knowing that buying fewer clothes but of better quality is the way forward. That only by choosing brands that are protecting humans, animals, and the environment we can save the planet, for us and our children.

Only if we all understand and respect these simple rules, we can make responsible choices and turn this world into a better place! 

This article has not been edited by Fibre2Fashion staff and is re-published with permission from wtvox.com