Ethical fashion is every Australian customer’s moral responsibility when it comes to clothing or fashion. When talking about Ethical Clothing, it’s not the glamour or the trend that matters more, but the way of being sustainable and eco friendly should be the utmost priority. A global movement that’s gaining popularity and momentum in the past decade, ethical fashion pertains to the way fashion can benefit both society and the industry while keeping impacts on the environment at an all-time low. Understandably, these are hard factors to process, but with every individual’s help in addressing these problems, it can be easier to take slow steps forward.
The word “ethics” revolves around moral responsibility, and it doesn’t start from the wardrobe, it starts with the labourers in the cotton fields. What does this indicate? Cotton fields have labourers toiling more than the regular working hours with fewer salaries and that too in a field filled with pesticides and chemicals.
The past years have seen many Australian fashion brands switch to sustainable ways of doing business and have started to look into various social problems and environmental issues that were prevalent for many years. The growing awareness has allowed the ethical fashion market to grow globally to a global market value of about 6345.3 million dollars by 2019 and expected to grow beyond that value.
What drives Ethical Fashion in Australia?
Issues regarding fashion and employees in these industries were prevalent for a long time. But certain factors were adamant in bringing these issues to light and help the country and various businesses address them and find better alternative ways of manufacture and production.
Growing Awareness – Many fashion icons have taken to various platforms to encourage ethical fashion in the industry. Growing campaigns in blogs and social media sites along with public displays in exhibits have allowed the general public to understand and come to terms with many problems that should have been addressed.
Government Initiatives – Many governments bodies, both Australian and global, have started various initiatives to back the movement since it began. Due to its sustainability and its contribution to a cleaner environment.
What are Some of the Hindrances that Ethical Fashion Face in Australia?
Lack of Standardisation – Not all businesses who claim to go green are doing what needs to be done. This is due to the lack of proper government bodies to look into these markets and bring to light any underlying issues. Due to the popularity of Ethical Clothing, many industries have made nothing but vague claims regarding their sustainability. They portray themselves as an eco-friendly company to gain the favour of potential customers, and it’s extremely difficult for the government of the country to look into these claims.
Lack of Free Trade – Due to a considerable amount of import tariffs imposed by the government, many companies are finding it highly difficult to make a profit by dealing with ethical fashion. This has the potential negative impact on the market if a certain trade solution is not found.
Being a consumer, customers forget the immense power they hold over all the fashion companies. For what are they without any potential customers? So the next time some shopping is done, do some research about the company and understand how they comply with various ethical trends in the industry. Always keep a constant eye on how committed these companies are and how transparent they claim to be. In the end, it’s only the small steps that slowly but inevitably lead to a brighter and more sustainable future for Australia’s fashion industry.
Author’s Bio – Agnes John is a copywriter and content strategist. She helps businesses stop playing around with content marketing and start seeing the tangible ROI. She loves writing as much as she loves the cake.
