It’s a key step towards being #ThoughtfullyFashionable  

Today, more people are aware of fashion’s global carbon footprint. Over the last year, sustainability has become more important than ever and has paved the way for mindful consumption, which is why you see a growing shift from fast fashion to slow fashion.

There’s no doubt that recycling and upcycling contribute to sustainability, but there’s a latest buzzword in the industry: circular fashion. Seen as the most viable solution to reduce greenwashing, the circular economy considers the life cycle of a product right from designing to sourcing materials to manufacturing it and its end-use. While this is a major responsibility for brands, it is also our job, as consumers, to make conscious decisions while buying outfits. So how can you do this? You can start by simply checking the labels and tags on your clothes.

 Image Courtesy: Urmi Daga via Instagram

There are several reasons why checking these tags should become a conscious habit. For starters, it tells you where the outfit is made, which gives you a deeper understanding of who made your clothes and whether it was made under ethical conditions or not. And most importantly, it gives you the fabric percentage, through which you can gain a lot of information about how environmentally friendly the garment is. For instance, if an outfit is made from 100% cotton, you’ll know the garment-making process has consumed more water due to several research pieces published about it. On the other hand, synthetic fibres on the tag imply environmental pollution due to their non-biodegradable nature. Tracing the life cycle of the product and knowing what goes into making a garment is a key step towards becoming a conscious shopper.

In this way, we can take an informed decision and choose outfits made of fabrics that are low on water consumption and biodegradable. Case in point: LIVA. The LIVA fabric is made from nature-based cellulosic fibres, which is a renewable resource. Liva’s sustainable range of fabrics save land 6-7 times more than plant-based fibres and consume 3-4 times less water. Besides being environmentally friendly and eco-friendly, clothing made from LIVA fabric is stylish and comes with a soft feel that allows your skin to breathe. While keeping your style and comfort in check, you’re also being thoughtfully fashionable. One conscious buying decision can make a large impact and can actually help in reducing the carbon footprint.

So the next time you shop, try to see if the outfit comes with the LIVA tag, or you can simply head here to see the brands that make clothes from this fabric.  

This article appeared on Elle