The words sustainable fashion have become very popular these days. More often do we see more companies joining the sustainable movement, even the big brands, and we couldn´t be happier as long as companies don't use the trend to appear eco-friendly or as another marketing strategy. But, exactly what is sustainable fashion?. Sustainability refers to a balance between the environment, society, and our economic activities, in this sense, the sustainable fashion industry carries out its activities in a way that doesn't compromise the ability of future generations to do the same.
At The Running Republic, we make activewear from sustainable materials that are either recycled or organic in nature. We use primarily recycled synthetic fibers such as recycled polyester (rPET) and recycled polyamide made from plastic bottles and other plastic garbage collected from the oceans and the environment. Our organic cotton activewear is also a great choice made under sustainable and ethical conditions. In general, these materials offer the same technical properties and quality as the original fabrics but have a much lower impact on our environment and society.
Fashion and Sustainability
You may not know it, but the fashion industry is one of the most polluting industries in the world. It requires lots of resources such as water and energy and releases tons of CO2 emissions and micro microplastics to the environment. The situation calls for a change and a different mindset not only from manufacturers but also from consumers. As consumers, we can contribute by making responsible decisions and buying sustainable clothing whenever possible. We can also avoid treating our clothing as disposable by taking good care of our clothes to make sure they last. Also, instead of throwing away our used clothes, we can donate them for someone else to use.
It is important to understand that the so-called “fast fashion industry” is not the answer to our clothing needs but rather a deterrent to our environment and way of life. The fast fashion industry produces big bulks of cheap trendy clothing in an attempt to create the need to replenish our wardrobe as often as possible. It may look like a fashion industry achievement to be able to manufacture such big volumes of clothing, but if we take a deeper look, we will quickly notice that fast fashion generates waste and pollution at unsustainable rates.
Hopefully, in the future, we’ll be able to take a quick stroll down our favorite clothing stores and find mostly labels displaying “100% recycled fabric” or “made with organic fabrics” along with some certifications of these claims. At this point, we could say fashion has started to become sustainable. In the meantime, at The Running Republic, we will be doing our best to contribute to a better and more sustainable fashion industry.
Want to know more about what is sustainable fashion and the materials we use in our sustainable activewear? Visit us at The Running Republic and check out our collection of high-quality and stylish activewear. Join our efforts for a better and more sustainable future, and also follow our social networks on Facebook and Instagram.
You might also be interested in: Recycled polyester VS Virgin polyester and The difference between Pre-Consumer and Post-Consumer recycled polyester.