The fashion industry is known as one of the most polluting industries in the world. Making a conscious decision to shop with sustainable and ethical brands will make a difference to the planet and the people within it.

Here are four reasons why you might want to make the shift to sustainable and ethical brands :

1. Quality over waste

Sustainable brands focus on quality, using materials and finishes that are made to last and are kind to the environment. The fabric produced by fast fashion houses isn’t made to last – the aim is to get you to buy more, so why would the focus be on making quality long lasting clothing? In choosing sustainable brands that provide quality, you can reduce your waste as well as the amount of clothing that you buy (also saving you money).

2. You should do what suits your ethics

Fast fashion is all about trends, but we’ve been told what to wear for so long many of us have forgotten what our own unique style looks like. Many sustainable brands focus on creating timeless pieces of high quality. Curate your own personal style, say goodbye to fads and choose conscious consumerism.

3. It’s in favour of the planet

The fast fashion industry leaves behind a huge environmental footprint. From the landfill impact, and power and water consumption, to the pesticides and insecticide used in growing cotton and the chemicals that are making their way into the water supply and affecting the health of those in the supply chain, it’s safe to say fast fashion is a real problem for the environment. In choosing sustainable fashion you can say no to supporting the negative environmental impact that the fashion industry is causing, and in-turn reduce your own environmental foot print.

4. It’s for the best for our people

Fast fashion has kept the cost of clothing down at the cost of low pay and conditions in developing countries. By switching to ethically curated brands you are ensuring that the clothing you choose to spend your money on hasn’t taken advantage of workers or used child labour. So when are you being the change you want to see?