In an ideal world, being eco-friendly would be easy. Electric vehicle charging stations would be everywhere and planes would be CO2-free. But, unfortunately, that’s not where we are just yet. Being sustainable often isn’t easy, and that includes in the fashion world.
One of the biggest challenges people face when creating a wardrobe of ethical, sustainable clothing is cost. Whilst 52% of consumers want an eco-friendly fashion industry, only 29% are willing to pay the price. But is planet-friendly clothing really that far out of reach, or are we looking at the numbers wrong? Let’s take a look.
Is Sustainable Fashion Too Expensive?
Of course, affordability is relative. One person’s idea of budget-friendly may be another person’s idea of “absolutely not, I could get a holiday for that!”. So, this is a pretty difficult question to answer.
Is sustainable fashion more expensive than fast fashion? On the surface, that’s usually a yes (although the truth does run deeper, which we’ll get into in just a second). Generally, the cost will be higher for a garment that’s crafted from higher quality materials, made with the planet in mind, and isn’t going to harm local communities.
But, not all ethical dresses or eco-friendly jeans are going to be hundreds of pounds. You can find sustainable clothing at all sorts of price ranges to suit all kinds of budgets! You can’t expect fast-fashion prices, but – really – would you want them? It’s a pretty dark world in that area of the industry.
Fast Fashion Isn’t as Cheap as It Seems
Whenever you see an item of clothing that’s incredibly cheap, someone else has paid the price. We’re not talking about some charitable, pay-it-forward system here. We’re talking about the exploitation of ordinary people who are paying for fast fashion.
These are the weavers and dyers who aren’t paid a living wage for their materials. They’re the factory workers who are forced to work in unsafe conditions to cut the costs for global brands worth millions of pounds. They’re the children (yes, children) who are caught up in a system they should never have been involved with in the first place.
The planet pays the price, too. By cutting corners in production brands can keep costs low. But this leads to waterways polluted with chemicals and cheap materials filling up landfills.
Everything has a cost, and if you’re not paying it then you need to think about who – or what – is.
The Cost Per Wear Concept
So, cheap clothing isn’t great, but is sustainable fashion too expensive?When you look at the cost per wear, you can get a better idea of the answer.
This is the best way to calculate the cost of your clothing, and it involves dividing the price of the garment by how many times it’ll be worn. The more you wear an item, the cheaper it becomes.
With this in mind, quality clothing with a higher upfront price can actually work out more cost-effective than a super cheap garment.
Fast fashion is all about making clothes that are worn, fall apart quickly, and are thrown away to make room for more clothing. But the same game isn’t being played by sustainable brands. They want their clothing to last for as long as it can, so they use sturdy fabrics and skillful craftsmanship to make that happen. Very quickly, the cost-per-wear for sustainable clothing can become cheaper than their fast fashion counterparts.
The Perks of Paying More
Most of us have become used to paying next to nothing for clothing, but have you considered the benefits of spending more? By investing a few more pounds in your wardrobe, here are some of the perks you can experience:
- Fewer chemicals in the fabrics
- Higher quality dyes that’ll keep their colour for longer
- Better quality clothes that look newer for longer
- Better durability
- Fabrics that feel nicer against your skin
You’ll be supporting good brands, too! A lot of eco-fashion companies are run by people who want to drive positive change. Whether that means promoting human rights or cleaning up our oceans, you’ll be putting your money where it can do good work.
When you look at all of that, aren’t a few extra pounds worth it?
Sustainable Luxury Isn’t the Entire Picture
You’ve probably seen sustainable brands selling clothing for eye-watering amounts. It isn’t an uncommon sight. But, just as in the unsustainable fashion world, these high-priced items aren’t the norm across the board. They’re luxuries!
Brands that sell clothing for hundreds of pounds are high-end companies catering to clients who have plenty of cash to splash. They definitely don’t reflect the sustainable fashion industry as a whole. There are plenty of brands out there that cater to the high-street consumer, offering clothing that’s much more affordable and won’t make you want to cry at the price tag.
Omnes is a great example of this. Their entire brand mission is to create ethical, sustainable clothing at affordable prices, breaking the stereotype that anything that doesn’t cost the earth has to cost you. From everyday blouses to special occasion dresses, take a peek at their range on Finsu and build an eco-friendly wardrobe that suits your budget.
At Finsu, we know that everyone has a different budget and that eco-friendly clothing has to match that. In fact, it’s one of the reasons we created our platform in the first place! We’ve collected the best in sustainable fashion from around the web, compiling a huge range of different priced pieces for you to browse.
If you’re looking to shop consciously without spending too much, you can use our filters to adjust the price of clothing to suit you. Once set, you’ll only see eco-friendly jumpers, dresses, and socks that fit your budget! We’ve made it easier than ever for anyone to jump on the eco-fashion bandwagon. Start browsing today and rid your wardrobe of its negative impact.