In 1987, the UN defined sustainability as, “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”. In these terms, sustainable fashion started to become environmentally conscious. Consumerism, which pushed individuals to believe that more “stuff” made them better, aligned with the industrial revolution at the start of the 20th century. After World War II, the fashion industry focused on mass production over tailored garments. However, in the 1960s, rebellion groups confronted this issue with the hippie movement. In the 70s and 80s, fashion movements rejected the idea of traditional clothing and brought forth alternative ways of dressing such as punk and goth. This opened up the idea for sustainable clothing since it wasn’t traditional. In 1974, the United States along with other countries signed the Multi-Fibre Agreement which increased the costs of domestic manufacturing and clothing costs which made cheaper clothing more appealing. Although this was an attempt to support nationalism and protect the domestic apparel industry, it ended up shifting the minds of consumers to demanding more of the opposite goal.
In the late 1980s, anti-fur movements began to form. In the 1990s, fast fashion appeared with outsourcing manufacturing at cheaper rates than domestic production while eco-fashion also emerged through several companies. Since then, fast fashion has accelerated while people have also become more aware of their purchasing habits and yearn for a more ethical approach. Both sides of the issue wrestle each other, but “slowing down” fashion has recently become a clothing trend which helps the movement gain momentum. The Rana Plaza disaster in 2013 in which a clothing factory in Bangladesh collapsed, killing hundreds of workers and injuring many others, brought attention and awareness to this topic. Today, companies are more aware of greenwashing and are held accountable by consumers who care about who made their clothing and the effects of their clothing. Recycled, reused, and ethically-made clothing is gaining traction for it’s morality and high quality. It’s important to understand impacts socially, ecologically, and economically since the fashion industry is a large player in the economy. International agreements and legislation, although not directly targeting sustainable clothing alone, have an important and direct impact on the industry. For instance, the 2015 Paris Agreement and 2019 G7 Summit of Advanced Economies are important steps towards a greener Earth.