What is Slow Fashion?
Slow is not the opposite of fast – there is no dualism – but is a different approach in which designers, buyers, retailers and consumers are more aware of the impacts of products on workers, communities and ecosystems. It is an approach to clothing production which takes into account the processes and resources needed to produce clothing, particularly focusing on the aspect of sustainability. Slow fashion requires buying higher quality garments that will last longer.
Over the past few years there has been an increase in the number of brands that are rejecting the principles of fast fashion. Due to this, brands are starting to incorporate a more sustainable approach into their clothing lines and focusing more on delivering quality over quantity.
It’s easy to shop cheap, fast fashion. And, it’s easy to shop often. But, the choice is also there to shop slow, ethically, and sustainably. Like all things in life, with great choice comes great responsibility. Kanula aims to be a leading sustainable fashion brand in the UK but in order to achieve our goal, we need you.
But why exactly is slow fashion important?
There are numerous reasons as to how and why slow fashion is so important and why we must continue this movement to a more sustainable fashion industry.
Cruelty Free
We know that in the fashion industry using animal products for fashion is the norm. A common misconception, for example, is that leather is a by-product of the meat industry. However, this is the contrary in fact, each year over one billion animals are killed worldwide for the leather trade. Sustainable fashion brands have started to increasingly grasp the concept of using animal free alternatives.
Better working conditions
It must be noted that slow fashion also supports fairer and safer working conditions for those workers that are producing the clothing. Poor labour has been an issue for years in some global fashion companies. Modern day slavery does exist unfortunately, endless working hours, very low wages, and shocking health and safety conditions is in reality what the fast fashion sector involves.
For Kanula it is important for us to be aware of the conditions of the factories we use, the well-being of our workers is important to us as a brand and for that reason we ensure that all our factories meet fair and safe working conditions, without negotiation.
Better for mother Earth
The impact on our planet due to fast fashion is astronomical. Fast fashion essentially focuses on speed and low costs in order to provide frequent new collections based on current trends. This process is used to provide for the high demand for larger brands.
Sustainable fashion takes into account the entire supply chain and life cycle of a garment, from where and how it is made to when it ends up in our landfills. It is important for consumers to think about how their purchase affects the environment, the lifecycle of their garment, and how to invest in clothes that last longer.
Avoid Toxic Materials
Vibrant colours and patterns are used in tie dying which is a popular trend amongst the millennials. In order to achieve such results, toxic chemicals are used. This is in fact the second largest polluter of clean water globally. Toxic chemicals alone are enough to harm sea life, with the masses of garments being made due to the fast fashion model this is extremely worrying for our sea life. There is also a devastating impact of toxic chemical use in agriculture which affects the growth of cotton which can be the main fibre in many clothing items. It is clear that fast fashion has a huge impact on our planet and all included.
Protect our Oceans
Thousands of tonnes of plastic finds its way into our oceans every year from bottles and grocery bags to food wrappers and straws. Grocery bags are a particular problem as the turtles mistake them for jelly fish and often eat them with fatal consequences. This is important to Kanula as we are advocates for the Turtles. Hundreds of thousands of sea turtles, whales, and other marine mammals, and more than 1 million seabirds die each year from ocean pollution and ingestion or entanglement in marine debris.
That's why at Kanula our made to order process is something we are proud of. Slow fashion is forever. It is not a trend and we as a brand promise to use our platform to advocate for this. We are here to make a difference.
We are Kanula.
We are Unique.
We do it for the future Me.
