Almost every fashion brand now calls itself sustainable. Some are. Many have simply changed the colour of their marketing. The difference is not hard to spot once you know what to ask. Keep these seven questions in your pocket, and you will rarely be fooled.
1. What is it made of, exactly?
“Eco fabric” is not an answer. A real answer names the fibre and, if it is recycled or reclaimed, says how much. “100% reclaimed cotton and denim” is a claim you can check by looking at the garment. “Conscious blend” is not.
2. Is this a collection or the whole brand?
A big retailer with a small “green” line next to thousands of conventional pieces has not changed its business. It has added a shelf. Ask whether the sustainable claim applies to everything the brand sells or to one capsule that makes the rest look better.
3. Who made it, and were they paid properly?
Environmental claims often go quiet on people. A brand that is genuinely proud of its makers will tell you where the garment was sewn and under what conditions, and will often show you the workshop. Vague phrases like “ethically sourced” with no detail usually mean the brand does not know, or would rather you did not.
4. How many were made?
Sustainability has a volume problem. A recycled-polyester t-shirt produced in the millions is still a million t-shirts. Small runs, made-to-order pieces and garments made from whatever reclaimed fabric was available that month cannot be mass-produced, and that limit is itself a sign of honesty.
5. Will it last, and can it be repaired?
Look at the seams, the fabric weight and the construction. Then ask whether the brand offers repairs or at least makes repair possible. A garment that will be thrown away in a year is not sustainable no matter what it is made of.
6. Why is it this price?
Very cheap “sustainable” clothing should make you suspicious, because fair wages and slow production cost money. Very expensive sustainable clothing should make you ask what the price is paying for. A fair price sits in the middle and can be explained: this much for material, this much for the hours of work, this much to run the workshop.
7. Would I buy this if it were not labelled sustainable?
This is the most important question, and the one brands least want you to ask. A garment you buy because of the label and wear twice is waste with a halo. The most sustainable purchase is the one you will actually wear for years, and if you would not want it without the label, you probably will not wear it with it either.
How we answer these ourselves
We think any brand making green claims should be able to answer all seven without hesitation, so here are ours. Every Green Fashion piece is made from reclaimed clothing and production waste, visible in the garment itself. It applies to everything we sell, not a line. Each piece is cut and sewn by hand by women in Egyptian communities who are paid a steady income for skilled work. Runs are limited by the fabric we save, pieces are built to be repaired, and the price covers the material, the hours and the workshop. And we hope you buy it because you like the jacket.
