Zara Launches “Sustainable Fashion” Line
By: Zoë Unverferth
Zara, the well known and loved worldwide fashion company, just released a “sustainable fashion” line for the 2016 fall season. In an effort to become increasingly eco-friendly and environmentally conscious, their new line, #joinlife, is made with eco-friendly fabrics, such as organic cotton, recycled wool and Tencel, which “reduce their environmental impact”.
The line includes the latest fashion trends, with a “fusion of masculine and feminine style which defines clean silhouettes and a color palette inspired by mineral tones”, including palazzo pants, trousers, a boat neck blouse, jumpsuits and denim on denim looks and much more, all following a neutral color scheme that is perfect for this fall.
While this is a great step forward for Zara, many are questioning whether one collection will really do much to reduce their impact on the environment. Some think that it is difficult to be both a fast-fashion empire, dedicated to churning out mass amounts of clothing, as well as a company that focuses on the environmental and quality. While I do agree that there may be a conflict of interest with the company as a whole, there is other proof that Zara is working towards incorporating different environmentally conscious elements into their business including using recycled boxes for all shipments, and supplying bins in stores for unwanted clothing to be dropped off and recycled in order to extend their lifespan.
All of the eco-friendly attention paid in the production process, including the materials used, such as cotton that requires 90% less water and Tencel, made from extracted wood fiber grown in forests that are guaranteeing reforestation through sustainable management, makes these pieces worth the extra money.
“The collection embraces a woman who looks into a more sustainable future”.
Zara, as well as other fast-fashion brands such as H&M, ASOS and Old Navy have begun the pursuit to becoming eco-friendly companies through specific fashion lines. However, one can only hope that their eco-friendly mindset and endeavors expand beyond simply a fashion line here and there, and instead become core values for each of the companies. Only time will tell!
Check out some of my favorite looks from the line below!
