When it comes to fast vs sustainable fashion, it could be an endless debate. While we already have an idea about which one is better for the environment, it’s time to explore the more practical choice for you by comparing the pros and cons of each.
Less vs More Options
Given that sustainability, as a concept in fashion, is rather recent, the difference between the number of brands focusing primarily on conscious clothing versus fast fashion brands is significant, to say the least. This creates a dearth of sustainable shopping choices for us as consumers. Fast fashion brands on the other hand, due to mass-producing capacities provide new pieces once and sometimes twice a week, leaving the consumer spoilt for choice.
Fashion-Forward
One of the primary reasons that led to the success of fast fashion brands like Zara, Forever 21 and H&M depends on their ability to translate runway trends to shopping racks really quickly. Even today, the fact that a fashion trend is accessible to own so quickly is the most attractive aspect to shoppers all over.
Sustainable fashion, on the contrary, stands for the exact opposite of mass and fast production, in order to avoid pollution and large carbon footprints it causes. That said, there are many sustainable fashion brands today that successfully incorporating a fashion-forward aesthetic into their collections. Here are some trendy yet conscious brands we swear by:
Rengé
Rengé makes its collections using excess fabrics that have been discarded, which are then redone using embroideries giving them a complete makeover. Their collections include trendy, stylish, yet wearable designs.
Image Source: Instagram/renge_india
Grassroot
Grassroot by Anita Dongre uses traditional craft techniques and sustainable fabrics to create contemporary designs in vibrant prints and styles.
Image Source: Instagram/grassrootbyanitadongre
No Nasties
This Goa-based conscious label uses only certified organic cotton for its stylish and boho-chic styles. They also have great basics to choose from.
Image Source: Instagram/nonasties
Size Inclusivity
As if the conscious fashion industry didn’t have trends and visibility to battle with already, adding inclusive sizes to the mix makes things slightly challenging. The concept of not over-producing often leads to brands majorly stocking more common sizes. Fast fashion, on the other hand, gives a consumer a plethora of size-inclusive options to choose from.
Here are some size-inclusive conscious brands for you to choose from:
Doodlage
Doodlage is a conscious brand that focuses on upcycled clothing in contemporary silhouettes and has sizes starting from XS and going up to a 6XL.
Image Source: Instagram/doodlageofficial
The Jodi Life
The Jodi Life creates trendy garments in vibrant prints made using traditional crafts by local artisans. The brand has sizes starting from XXS and goes up to XXXL. They also provide customized sizing on request.
Image Source: Instagram/thejodilife
Transparency
It’s not unknown that the key to be sustainable is to be aware of where your garment is made, and of what. Only sustainably made garments, using organic or recycled materials help cut down fashion footprints. Until recently, fast fashion brands were not completely transparent or open to sharing such details. Even today, more often than not, many garment details are lost in translation. This is because not every garment labelled sustainable is completely or primarily made of eco-friendly materials. Sustainable brands on the other hand are known to be fully transparent about their sources and processes.
Affordability
It’s been long believed that sustainable fashion can only be expensive. While the high-end pricing some brands resort to is justified owing to the procurement of organic, handwoven fabrics or eco-friendly production, with brands in the sustainable and conscious space growing each day, many of them are as affordable as fast fashion brands. The number of affordable fast fashion brands vs slow ones might, however, be something of a variation.
Taavi
Myntra’s sustainable label, Taavi, focuses on Indian crafts and fabrics and is priced at an affordable rage of INR 400-5000.
Image Source: Instagram/taavifrommyntra
O Womaniya
This thrift store on Instagram has a range of dresses and occasional mix drops and priced between INR 800-1500.
Image Source: Instagram/o_womaniya___