Five Reasons to Shop Sustainable Brands this Holiday Season

It’s no secret that the clothing industry is taking a toll on our environment. Fast fashion is responsible for more than 10% of global carbon emissions and – even more staggering – the industry is on track to double those emissions by the end of the decade. At Passion Lilie, we’re seeing a trend that people are more and more concerned with transparency: you want to know how your garments are made, where they’re designed and created, and who is making them. This is a great place to start. When you shop sustainably, you’re helping create better lives for artisans who make your products. You’re taking steps to reduce your carbon footprint. None of us can do it alone, but together we can make real changes. Read on for our top five reasons to shop sustainably this holiday season.

1. Fast fashion has a human cost. The industry’s demand for quick, cheap garments has created an inhumane and often deadly environment for workers. The people who stitch these clothes often work more than 14 hours per day in unsafe conditions, earning about 35 cents per hour. They’re expected to sew more than 400 garment pieces per day, through meals, bathroom breaks, and even not-so-rare factory fire.
   
   When you choose sustainable fashion this holiday season, you help ensure that garment workers are paid a living wage and that they can work on a small scale, in a safe environment, where labor laws are enforced. Look for brands like Passion Lilie that are members of the Fair Trade Federation. Fair Trade prioritizes the overall health of garment workers over profit margins with the goal to build stronger communities.
   
   Fair trade industries are the antidote to the free trade market that allows fashion brands to exploit some of the most vulnerable members of society. It rejects any views of garment workers as only tools of production.
   
   As a member of the Fair Trade Federation, Passion Lilie partners with several small producers in India. We believe in nurturing economic sustainability by collaborating with partners who pay fair and living wages, create a safe and healthy work environment, and invest in the overall wellbeing of the artisans. Sustainable change is about going beyond fair wages. That's why we provide our artisan partners with opportunities for community and skill development.
   
   Your gift goes further when you shop at Passion Lilie. When you buy a beautiful, handmade scarf for a friend, you’re giving someone on the other side of the world opportunities for a fulfilling job and a good life.
   
   
   
2. Sustainable fashion creates less waste. Did you know that the fashion industry is responsible for 92 million tons of waste every year? To put that in perspective, imagine a dump truck full of clothes emptying into a landfill every second of every day. Most of this waste is because fast fashion companies are creating billions of products per year, introducing hundreds of new items every day.
   
   Passion Lilie and other sustainable clothing companies focus on creating stylish yet timeless pieces that you can wear again and again. Our makers take their time constructing each item, ensuring it is of the highest quality.
   
   Sustainable fashion is less likely to end up in a landfill because, first and foremost, we’re creating items you will love. Second, our clothes are made to last. Wear after wear, you can be sure your Passion Lilie products will stand the test of time.
   
   When you invest in timeless, exceptionally crafted pieces that reflect your personal style, you don’t have to waste your money on every new trend. Sustainability never goes out of style, and neither do you.
   
   
3. Buying Fair Trade helps the environment. When you shop fair trade brands like Passion Lilie, you can be confident that your products are made in ways that are not harmful to the environment or the people who create them.
   
   We understand the negative impacts that pesticides have on the environment, so each Passion Lilie garment is made from organic and natural fibers. Our timeless pieces are handcrafted in a slow and careful process. Each piece is thoughtfully designed in New Orleans and hand weaved and block printed with nontoxic dyes by our small teams of producers in India.
   
   Our long-term commitment to sustainability extends beyond natural products. We know that one of the best solutions to alleviate fashion’s negative impact on the environment and combat climate change is to pay garment workers a living wage. 

   
   Based on research from Roland Geyer, paying garment workers globally a living wage would immediately cut 65.3 million metric tons of CO2 from the economy.

   When you shop sustainable, fair trade brands this holiday season, you are standing up for garment workers and the environment.
   
   
4. Choosing Fair Trade keeps cultures alive. You can explore the world, tell incredible stories, and learn about other cultures through the clothes you wear. Every item you purchase from Passion Lilie is handmade by an artisan in India. You ensure their craftsmanship and traditions will transcend generations when you invest in their work.
   
   One of these traditions, Kutch weaving (also known as Marwada style) is a 600-year-old practice from the district of Kutch in Gujarat. Kutch, a word which signifies a mix of two different things (both wet and dry simultaneously), is the essence of modern-day Kutch weaving.
   
   Like many other crafts of India, it has been passed down by generations of artisans who have profound knowledge and expertise. We work with an organization that partners with Kutch weavers in remote villages. At the moment we have a small collection of scarves that use Kutch weaving. These gifts tell a story and continue giving life to ancient tradition
   
   
5. Giving consciously is a way to share your values without being preachy. When your loved ones open a Passion Lilie gift from you, they’ll feel how soft our fabrics are and see the beautiful, unique designs hand printed on our garments and accessories. They will instantly recognize the high level of quality. This is a perfect opportunity for you to tell them about your favorite ethical brands and why they’re so cool! It’s a great way to open a conversation about sustainability and the importance of ethical fashion.
   
   We know not everyone feels as passionately about ethical fashion as we do and being able to talk about it with our family and friends in a fun, light context is really important. 
   
   
   

If you need help picking out the perfect gift (for yourself or someone else), please send us an email or check out our blog for more of our favorite ethical brands.

At Passion Lilie, we believe in making things the right way. We care deeply about doing our part to build a more sustainable world, one built on honesty and respect. From the way we design to the way we create each fair-trade collection, sustainability is at the core of every aspect of our business.