Technology has developed so much over the past couple of years, bringing us more sustainable lifestyles with electric cars, more water efficient appliances, paperless education, and so forth. Surely, with constantly improving technology and more awareness of our impact on the earth, we can use technology to create sustainable textiles and fashion practices. Currently, many companies have been using technology to their advantage to create more sustainable fibers and textiles. Teijin has created Maestley, a man made leather, and Modern Meadow has used collagen to grow leather from DNA, reducing the large amount of water used to raise cows and CO2 they emit. Levi’s and EVRNU have used technology in taking cotton waste, a large consumer of water, and turning it into new quality denim. Additionally, companies have turned to other natural sources for fiber, such as hemp, pineapple, and lotus. Many of these natural fibers are taken from product waste, parts that farmers would throw away anyways, making it so that these fabrics leave as little waste as possible. With this new tech, these fibers can also lead to biodegradable fabrics that will lessen the amount of waste generated from unworn clothes. However, it may take a while for these new innovations to reach the mass market and be utilized on a grand scale.
Scaturro mentioned that one of the most sustainable things consumers can do is buy second hand clothes, which is easily enabled by the internet’s connecting of sellers to buyers. Among young people, thrifting has become a trend with the rising popularity of older styles. Many of my peers enjoy thrifting because of unique finds and good discounts, but don’t think of it specifically from a sustainable standpoint. Regardless, online services such as Ebay, Etsy, Thredup, and a plethora of mobile apps such as Depop and Poshmark have made thrifting all the more easy and popular. Sellers on Depop have made careers out of their online stores, earning thousands of dollars per year. Thus, the internet has furthered trends that have put us in the direction of sustainability, whether we realize it or not. The internet is extremely powerful in spreading trends and awareness, so if sustainable practices can be made trendy and easily accessible, the masses can be mobilized in the right direction.