Ethical fashion is moving into the mainstream

Consumers increasingly want to know where the products they consume come from, how they are made, and the social and environmental impacts those products have on the people who make them and the places they come from. This trend is most obvious in the food and beverage sector, where consumers are increasingly demanding – and receiving – detailed information on the meals they consume. Regular WikiTrend readers will know that social trends are not unique to any one industry, but are often reflected across the industrial spectrum, so it should come as no surprise that we are seeing this transparency trend spread to all manner of goods and services. The apparel industry is among the most ripe for embracing this trend as more consumers demand ethically sourced clothes from brands that share their socially responsible values. While most of us owe the shirts on our backs to cheap labor from far-off lands, we are seeing a trend in which more and more producers and retailers are implementing (and promoting) anti-sweatshop initiatives. Outdoor apparel company Patagonia is one of these major players, implementing an “ethical fashion” initiative for feather-filled winter products they are calling “100% Traceable Down,” meaning their entire supply chain for down feathers will be physically vouched for by third-party experts. Will consumers and brands find a way to balance low prices with certified ethical garments to make this an enduring and meaningful trend?