Fashion is the second most polluting industry in the world and the amount of landfill the industry is generating (with the advent of fast fashion) is worrying. That is not it. Fashion industry is also notorious for exploitation of people – sweatshops, slavery and child labour is still a reality in many countries and irony is that some of the biggest names in the fashion industry employ these inhumane practices.
Over time I learned about this problem plaguing the fashion industry and it made me re-evaluate my choices. When we buy something beautiful, we rarely think about what did it take for that item to reach our wardrobe and knowingly or unknowingly we become part of it. As consumers we have the power to create change through our daily choices. After all, any market is always governed by the equation of demand and supply. If the demand for ethical practices and small brands will pour in, the supply will follow.
Supporting small ethical brands is the easiest way to start building a sustainable wardrobe. One such amazing brand that I recently discovered is Rossbelle. This new sustainable label creates beautiful clothing from dead-stock fabrics (excess or rejected materials from garment industry that would otherwise add to the landfill), upcycled vintage fabrics and eco-friendly fabrics that are ethically produced using natural-dyes and are often handwoven by artisans. The company believes in zero-waste principle and hence brings new life to fabrics that would otherwise go waste.
Before you cringe after listening to the words ‘upcycled’ or ‘waste’, let me tell you that likes of Emma Watson and Livia Firth have embraced upcycled clothing and shown the word that eco can be glamorous and luxe!
Their minimalist yet smart and practical collection comprises of must-have short dresses that you can dress up or down, dresses with interesting prints and styles, tops that’ll keep you cool in summers and versatile throws.
I picked the oversized floral shirt dress from their collection and loved it. It’s one of the most comfortable dress I’ve worn in a while! It is made from the remnants of the garment industry (aka zero-waste) and is 100% cotton. The fabric looks and feels good, while it’s not the soft cotton but has a good texture and falls really well.
Dress with denim is quite a rage and a super practical style too. It’s the perfect outfit for travelling and if you dress-it-up you can even wear it out for lunch or meetings friends. I sure did this by pairing it with pink heels (I couldn’t resist the pair, only because of the color and because it fit me perfectly) and my current fav powder blue vegan handbag and my newly acquired VEGAN bracelets from Address Chic.
Rosbelle is choosing to sell only through their online store because “e-commerce utilises around 30% less energy than customary retail”, as per their website. I like that.
Good news is, they will be coming to Dubai on 28-29 April for the Fashion Revolution pop-up store at Life N One Cafe. Can’t wait!
Rossbelle Dress, Paige Denim, Topshop Shoes, Alexandra K Handbag, Charles & Keith Belt, Vegan Bracelet & Oh Tiff Vegan Nail Polish via Address Chic
This shirt-dress has been provided by Rossbelle. As a policy, StyleDestino accepts products and monetary compensation only from companies that fall under my ethical parameters and are making a positive different in the world. After all we need to promote and support brands that do good!
