America's youth are taking a leading role in sustainable fashion, with environmental concerns driving a new wave of clothing.
Experts say young people are asking the right questions when it comes to being conscientious clothing consumers in an industry struggling with sustainability.
“Teens are at the forefront of the sustainable fashion movement. They are highly influenced by social media and are more environmentally conscious than older generations,” says Auburn University. says Amrut Sadachur, associate professor of apparel merchandising at .
“This awareness is reflected in their fashion choices, with many choosing sustainable fashion brands, thrifting, renting, reselling, upcycling and DIY fashion projects,” Sadachur added.
The sustainable fashion movement began decades ago in the 1970s, but younger consumers are bringing new light to the movement. new call For transparency, increased frugality, and sustainable materials innovation.
“I want to say that I'm very impressed by the new teenagers who are asking questions about how things are made. That's the first step to understanding the problems we have.” said Juan Hinestroza, professor of textile science and apparel. Design and Interim Chair in Human-Centered Design at Cornell University.
The fashion industry has major environmental issues.
In 2020, the World Economic Forum reported that the fashion industry produces 10 percent of humanity's carbon emissions and is the world's second largest consumer of water after agriculture.
“As a global industry, the clothing industry is the second largest polluter after fossil fuels, and some believe it contributes to climate change. There's absolutely nothing that we're doing that doesn't affect the climate or hurt people overseas,” said Noel Palomo-Robinski, a professor at Kent State University's fashion department.
But while young people are becoming more environmentally conscious, sustainable fashion can be a difficult lesson for young people in high school and younger.
“I think young people want to jump in and want to know how they can do it better, but it's hard for them to find good answers or get good advice,” said Lisa Hayes, associate professor of fashion design at Drexel University. It's really hard to get.”
Additionally, the basic tenets of sustainability can be difficult for people of an age group who have not yet grown up enough to buy clothes.
School and sports uniforms “have a very limited lifespan, and everyone should be concerned about what happens to them after they're discarded,” Hinestroza said.
Several companies are moving into the sustainable apparel space for schools. Examples include Kapes Uniforms, which emphasizes environmentally friendly practices in the creation of school uniforms.
“I don't know if schools are adopting this, but there are companies trying to make uniforms that are more environmentally friendly,” said Kathryn Riley, a professor of apparel design and retail at the University of Minnesota.
“And a lot of private schools, too, once the child grows out of the uniform, you can give it to the school, and then they'll do things like clothes swaps and sales.” Then people can come and buy the right size for their child,” she added.
However, in a world where the more you make, the more you earn, creating more sustainable fashion across the board is a difficult challenge.
“Especially for designers, this is an area where we can make a difference, and the world is designed for a growing population.” [clothes] So maybe we can make our clothes more modular, or we can allow for some space for people's natural growth without having to buy new clothes,'' Hinestroza said. “But it's not that simple. Economics doesn't work in that direction, so it's not easy.”
But new opportunities are available for young people, including clothing swaps at schools and churches, and online platforms such as Nuuly, where you can rent clothes.
Young people also post on Instagram to show off vintage items they find at thrift stores and other small sustainable clothing companies.
“This keeps all clothing out of landfills for a longer period of time. So young people are more aware of that and embrace it better than older people and older consumers.” I think that's true,” Hayes said.
And schools have the opportunity to help middle school and high school students learn about and embrace sustainable fashion.
“I think it would be great to share this topic sooner, because the sooner young people start asking questions, the sooner industry and government and everyone else starts giving answers. Because it doesn't happen,” Hayes said.
