Eco-Fashion: how to shop sustainably in Philadelphia

Green looks good for everyone.

Even if it is not your favorite color, the goal of green fashion also known as sustainable or eco-mode is to benefit the environment, the economy. and garment workers.
In Philadelphia, buyers can choose from many local sustainable brands and businesses.

I accidentally call myself durable. When I started, nobody was talking about organic cotton yet, said Joanna Litz, owner of a sustainable brand and boutique Steel pony. Litz started the business in 1992, before information about the negative impact of the fashion industry was spread. Today, the Queen Village boutique sells custom clothing and accessories in bright colors.

In addition to using organic fabrics, Litz recycles the remaining materials into new items.
I try not to contribute to the landfills and all the garbage we have, she said. For example, I will take scraps of sweater and make new ones.

Upcyling, organic fabrics and custom designs offer consumers chic alternatives to speed up the production of large quantities of cheap and poor quality disposable clothing.
Reformation, a sustainable clothing brand based in California, informs customers on its website that fashion is the third most polluting industry in the world and the second largest consumer and polluter of water.

Synthetic materials in clothing release tiny pollutants called microplastics into ecosystems, where they harm wildlife and are found in human food sources. The production and transportation of clothing releases large amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, which is one of the main causes of climate change.

Fashion workers are also vulnerable to low wages and unsafe conditions, according to Litz.

Many garment workers, in the United States and abroad, do not receive a living wage, she said. I knew I didn't want to participate in a trade where a person buys a shirt for $ 10 and the person who made it earns 10 cents.

Elissa Bloom, Executive Director of Philadelphia Fashion Instituteat Macys Center City, noticed an evolution towards less waste among designers.

There has been a huge backlash towards fast fashion and its impact on the environment and on workers, said Bloom. The old paradigms with a huge inventory, releasing as many collections a year as possible, are not sustainable for many small fashion companies. Everything is questioned in the industry right now.
Many small businesses have embraced the growing interest of customers to reduce the carbon footprint.

We need a new way of thinking about clothes, said Mary Alice Duff of Alice Alexander. It is not meant to be disposable. It is something to love and cherish for years.

The Duffs company makes clothes to order using ecological fibers such as organic cotton, hemp and linen. She started the business with the goal of providing full-size products after noticing a lack of large durable clothing options.

I had a baby and went from a size 14 to a size 18, which is the limit for quality clothes, she said. Very few responsible brands make plus sizes. Maybe 20 brands will make clothes that suit you if you have a size 18. If you have a size 30? Maybe 10.

Even babies are entering the sustainable fashion boom.

Minnow Lane, a boutique and community space for new parents in Fishtown, offers organic and sustainable childcare, bibs and diaper and diaper coverings.

We are trying to change what people bring to their homes and their bodies, without being judgmental or preaching, said Rebecca Brett, who co-founded Minnow Lane with Rita Greiman and Julie Newbold. All the cotton we sell comes from organic farming. Our apothecary products have no synthetic preservatives. We do not carry plastic, so most of the toys are made of wood. There are no batteries in any of the things we carry.

The store also offers workshops on parenting topics like breastfeeding and childbirth, with a focus on creating a local experience.

Having a place where people can touch and smell and hold the products is precious, said Brett. And local shopping cuts your carbon footprint much more than ordering items online and shipping them individually.

With so many stores selling eco-friendly products, it is easier than ever to reduce your environmental impact through fashion. For buyers who can't afford to spend a lot on high quality investment coins, thrift and consignment stores offer an affordable option.

People are becoming more aware of taking care of the planet and many people are coming for this reason, said Christina Kallas-Saritsoglou, co-owner of Philly AIDS Thrift. There are so many disposable clothes out there, why not come here and find something unique and affordable?

Kallas-Saritsoglou helped found Philly AIDS Thrift to raise funds for the victims of the HIV / AIDS epidemic. In addition to fundraising and advocacy activities, the store offers treasure hunters from all walks of life clothing and furnishings that are both environmentally friendly and accessible. Buying second-hand is cheap and eliminates the pollution created by making new items, she said.

We have Dollar Heaven on the third floor, it's a whole room full of things you can get for a dollar. People love it! Said Kallas-Saritsoglou.

Minnow Lane also offers used children's clothing.

According to Brett, our consignment section comes from the neighborhood with different seasonal clothes, from newborn sleepsuits to evening dresses and raincoats. Children quickly put on the clothes, so it makes sense.

The proliferation of local sustainable fashion companies and designers inspired merchants like Litz and Bloom to create the Philadelphia Fashion and Apparel Industry Task Force. The mission of the organization is to improve the economy, employment and sustainability of the city through fashion.

We want to create a design community at the forefront of sustainable fashion in the country. Over the next two years, we will be known as the sustainable city, said Litz.
Bloom also sees a bright future for sustainable fashion in Philadelphia.

Ninety percent of the designers at the Philadelphia Fashion Institute manufacture here. They use seamstresses and local sources. Becoming more and more known as a creative city.

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