What is Eco-Fashion & How to Explain it to Children

What is eco-fashion?

Simply put, eco-fashion is making clothes and accessories without harming the environment.

That’s how I like to explain it to children.

 It’s not even a trendy word (it has less than 100 monthly searches in Google UK whereas Taylor Swift has over one million, duh).

You can call it sustainable fashion, but “sustainable” in my opinion, makes the whole thing sound pretentious and boring. Maybe one day we’ll call it “suss fashion” but, just not now.

What does eco-fashion have that fast fashion doesn’t?

Fast fashion is a business model that rapidly produces inexpensive, low-quality clothing.

I mean, we all fell for that trap. Not judging.

And a lot of people accept the reality. They know it’s not great quality, but it’s cheap and it looks cool. That was my view too for a long time!

I do me, you do you, right? But the problem, sis, is that it’s an “us” problem, as in “us, people living on the same planet and filling it with clothes abandoned in landfills and poisoning our soil”. 

Especially when you realise that, every second, the equivalent of a bin lorry full of clothes ends up in landfills. 

While slow fashion is a direct response to fast fashion, it hasn't gained traction because its handmade, high-quality nature makes it unaffordable for many.

Eco-fashion or eco-friendly fashion (no, sorry, I’ll stick to eco-fashion) on the other hand, and, apologies if I’m biased here, is to me the best solution to our current problem.

Why is eco-fashion the best solution, you might ask? 

You can reuse and upcycle items you already have or purchase from others, which is cost-effective.

Now I realise that getting started often requires some guidance.

For example, not everyone knows they can make yarn from old t-shirts, and from there, all kinds of accessories like necklaces, bracelets, plant pot holders, coasters, carpets, etc. 

Not everyone thinks about using fabric paint or patches to embellish their clothes instead of throwing them away.

Not everyone knows how easy it is to use a sewing machine to mend or make new clothes. And believe me, I’ve never heard anyone saying, “oh no, I’ve tried sewing with a machine before, it’s so difficult!”. 

Now I hear you thinking “fine, but not everyone can afford a sewing machine”. That’s true, the same way that not everyone can afford clothes. But remember, it’s an investment, unlike a pair of Adidas. So let's say, if you can afford a brand new pair of branded trainers, you can afford a sewing machine.

Now let’s assume that a lot of people understand the concept. Why are we not explaining it to our children? To protect them? Because the situation is not dramatic enough? Probably a mix of both. 

How to explain eco-fashion to children?

Do what I say, not what I do. For many of us, the issue is this one: you understand the global textile waste issue, and integrate some conscious shopping habits but you still take your kids to H&M to choose their favourite Disney character on a shiny jumper.

It’s the same as telling them “you’re spending too much time on screens” while you’re glued to Tik Tok on the toilets and binge watch Netflix every night.

Can you watch Wall-E (the 2008 Pixar movie) and think this is so far from reality? The blatant consumerism and extravagant use of technology doesn’t seem so exaggerated seventeen years later, does it?

The new generations are born with a tablet in their hands and while they seem to have healthier habits than their predecessors (less meat, less alcohol, less cigarettes), consuming is their native function.

You don’t really need to explain eco-fashion to children, you need to show them.

Eco-fashion is fun, creative, you can do it yourself, it can be as simple or as complex as you want it to be. 

I don’t want to explain eco-fashion to children. 

I want to give them the equipment and the inspiration to do it.

That’s why I started WE MAKE kids club.