Why Is Sustainable Fashion So Ugly?
Real talk.
One of the primary reasons I started this blog is because I was disheartened by the abundance of shapeless oatmeal-looking garments favored by the eco-friendly fashion brands. If this is your preferred aesthetic, no shade—beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I simply happen to think that boxy, tepid, drab, unremarkable clothes are ugly, and this is what the majority of sustainable fashion collections seemingly consist of.
I wish this wasn’t the case. The sustainable fashion industry has a lot of issues—lack of diversity and inclusivity, outrageous prices that heavily lean into classism, and the occasional virtue signaling, just to name a few—but the uniformly bland aesthetic is the issue that perplexes me the most. Surely these brands are motivated to appeal to a wider variety of consumers? It’s all well and good to approach clothing from a perspective of minimalism and function over self-expression and style. That’s not how I roll, nor is it how many other consumers willing to pay good money for ethically produced, sustainable, ferocious, unique clothes roll. So then why do sustainable designers insist on making their clothes so boring? (And hideous.)
Sustainable fabrics like linen, 100% organic cotton, and Tencel have a specific structure that lends itself well to a flowing, shapeless fit. Which is fine if you’re styling a look that calls for that fit! But if you want something more streamlined and structured, for example, chances are you’re going to end up with a synthetic fabric, which is NOT environmentally conscious.
Most dyes are toxic pollutants, so you’re often stuck with the natural color of the fabric, which is generally either white or runny oatmeal-colored. This is a very Euro-centric attitude towards color and fashion, however. Most Eastern, Indigenous, Middle Eastern, and African cultures learned how to dye fabric a long time ago without the use of toxic chemicals. Indeed, nowadays we’re again catching on to the fact that you can create beautiful, colorful clothes without polluting the water supply, but it seems like most sustainable designers haven’t found a way to operationalize this.
Luxe textures like leather, sequins, fur, and silk are not ethical or sustainable. Variety in textures elevates an outfit, but it’s tough to introduce textures like these in a way that doesn’t violate principles of ethical fashion. I’ve written elsewhere about the leather dilemma. I still haven’t figured out the right answer, but I do know that sustainable brands can do more to experiment with things like cork leather and vegan silk substitutes like spider silk to add a little spice to their looks.
Sustainable fashion strives to create classic looks, rather than imitate trends. This is a wonderful principle to abide by, since trends drive fast fashion and the relentless pace of clothing production. We should all be thinking critically about trends in fashion and how they influence us to believe that constant consumerism is a prerequisite for being “stylish”. The caveat to this wise principle is that sustainable fashion collections seem to consist solely of basics, which are…well…basic. Very little individuality or playfulness can be found in the pages and pages of $300 cotton t-shirts on sustainable clothing websites.
Embellishments are costly to manufacture. If you’re committed to paying garment workers a living wage, embellishments like overlay, ruffles, patterns, and embroidery will cost brands extra and drive up their already exorbitant prices even further.
It’s a real shame that sustainable fashion brands haven’t committed to expanding their clientele to include customers whose aesthetic differs from minimalist, muted, and nondescript. I understand the reasons why these brands all share a very similar aesthetic, but the truth is, aesthetics matter. To some customers like myself, fashion isn’t purely functional, it’s about style. It’s about daring to make a statement. It’s about adorning your flesh prison in a way that makes you feel uniquely powerful. Sustainable fashion brands should embrace creativity in the design process and seek to appeal to ethical maximalists who don’t want to cosplay as oatmeal.
