Eco fashion is having a big impact on the fashion industry and during fashion weeks all around the world, from New York to London, designers have been showcasing their latest eco-fashion creations. As consumers and designers both grow more concerned with ecological impacts, unnecessary waste, sustainability and fair trade, eco fashion will continue to have a growing presence in the fashion industry. Some of the latest eco fashion trends include:
Air Dye technology
Used by designers like Costello Tagliapietra at New York Fashion Week Spring 2013, Air Dye technology helps reduce the environmental impact of textile production by allowing textiles to be dyed without using any water. Trillions of gallons of water are polluted annually from textile dyes and Air Dye technology aims to eliminate wasteful water usage. In addition, fabrics dyed using this technology boast longer lasting colour.
Zero-Waste Seamless Knitting technology
Designer Maria Patmos uses Zero-Waste Seamless Knitting technology in her collections because it uses less yarn and other fabrics and limits the number of machines required to produce fabrics. It reduces energy usage, energy costs, produces softer garments that breathe better and Patmos has designed beautiful collections using this technology.
All-natural, organic, sustainable and chemical-free fabrics
The demand for all-natural products, whether it’s food or clothing, is stronger than ever before and clothing designers like John Patrick and Titania Inglis have designed lines using fabrics that are good for the body and manufactured in ways that are good for the Earth. Fabrics like cotton are sometimes treated with heavy pesticides and other chemicals; this is not only a health concern, but a problem for people who do not want to wear fabrics that have been chemically treated.
As clothing designers and textile manufacturers develop more eco-friendly methods of producing garments, eco fashion will continue to gain popularity amongst designers and consumers alike. We’ve entered an era in which we realise that the Earth’s resources have been stretched to the extreme, and eco-friendly innovation will continue to grow across all industries and ways of life. Eco fashion has begun to have quite an impact on the fashion world and it will be interesting to watch it grow and develop in the coming years.
