Due to the numerous environmental tragedies related to climate change and the news that has emerged about the exploitation of workers in some countries, fashion is changing and churning out new sustainable trends.
Sustainability, recycling, upcycling: these are issues that (fortunately) even the big companies in the fashion sector have been approaching for some years now.
Even if the change in the market must start from the companies, it is important to emphasize that these are made up of people. People who, in addition to being workers, are also consumers. The consumer has immeasurable power at the time of purchase. Choosing sustainable garments, made with non-polluting, recycled, or zero-kilometer fabrics, means helping the environment and promoting a better lifestyle for oneself and for the planet.
Sustainability, however, does not mean having to give up style, on the contrary. Let’s look together at the timeless sustainable trends for 2021-2022.
1. Sweatshirts and sweatpants
Comfortable, eclectic, unisex: sweatshirts and sweatpants are among the most beloved timeless sustainable trends. Reinvented by sustainability-conscious celebrities such as Chiara Ferragni, Bella Hadid or Elsa Hosk, the jumpsuit is a ready-to-go outfit for both summer and winter. Combined with a pair of eco-friendly sneakers or a pair of upcycled sandals, it always makes an impression.
The US brand The Pangaia makes colorful sweatshirts and sweatpants in recycled polyester and algae and hemp fibers. Each launch of Pangaia is linked to a reason: from fundraising for Doctors Without Borders to protecting bees with the capsule collection designed by Murakami, up to the donation to 5 Gyres, a non-profit organization that deals with the disposal of plastic.
2. Sneakers of recycled materials
Nothing is more timeless than a pair of sneakers. Comfortable and versatile, they look good with a tracksuit, a dress or a pair of jeans. It is often said that shoes must be “well made” and sustainable fashion has adapted to this need, churning out new sustainable trends.
Veja sneakers are made with ecological materials such as organic cotton and wild Amazonian rubber, bought directly from the producers. ID.EIGHT sneakers are also an excellent sustainable alternative to the usual sneakers: they are made with scraps such as apple peels, pineapple leaves and grape stalks, dried and transformed into a biopolymer that is spread on an organic cotton base .
3. Tie-dye T-shirt and prints
Colorful T-shirts, made using the tie-dye technique or embellished with prints and embroidery. Beautiful in summer, wear oversized with a nice pair of sneakers. Useful in winter, to create an “onion” look with cardigans and sweaters.
Founded by designer Hillary Taymour, Collina Strada is a New York brand that puts sustainability and originality first. T-shirts with bright tie-dye prints are made with “dead-stock” fabrics, which would otherwise be thrown away. Collina Strada is also a partner of The OR Foundation, an organization based in the United States that works for a more sustainable future, to which it donates its proceeds.
4. Recycled beachwear
Summer has arrived and with it also the problems related to the pollution of the seas: sun creams that damage the coral reef; plastic waste thrown into the water by tourists and so on and so forth. To help make the seas cleaner, it’s important to choose recycled beachwear.
Paper London has a line of beachwear made from ECONYL, a 100% regenerated nylon fiber made from recycled fishing nets and any other waste found floating in the ocean. This technical fabric provides protection from UV rays and sunscreen.
5. Mini bags
Small, indeed really small. The mini bags make you think of Mary Poppins, the protagonist of the Disney cartoon of the same name who pulled out everything and more from her bag (not so mini). Colored or in nude colors, with shoulder strap or by hand, the mini bags are trendy because they allow you to carry only the essentials and complete any outfit.
Roberto di Stefano creates vegan mini bags with a simple and refined design, made of DESSERTO cactus leather. Vegan leather obtained from cactus leaves is the world’s first highly sustainable, partially biodegradable and ecological material.
6. Tagua earrings
The tagua nut replaces ivory, which it resembles aesthetically, to avoid the immoral harvesting of ivory from elephant tusks. The US brand Arlokea makes tagua earrings, essential pieces for every outfit, simple and refined and available in many colors.
Arlokea’s goal is to use ethical jewels to address social issues affecting health, education and poverty. With each purchase, you help strengthen women and small businesses in marginalized communities around the world in countries like Vietnam, Ecuador and Ethiopia.
7. Jeans
Boyfriend, skinny, straight, flare … of any kind, as long as they are jeans! Invented in 1871 by tailor Jacob Davis, jeans made fashion history. Today there are several sustainable alternatives to denim jeans, including organic cotton and hemp fiber jeans.
The Italian brand Gimmi Jeans produces jeans trousers in hemp and organic cotton, free of elastomers (fibers derived from petroleum) and able to be cold in summer and warm in winter, thanks to the hollow hemp fiber. The trousers also absorb infrared rays and UVA up to 95%.
8. Blazers and tailored jackets
Oversized or with the right fit, the blazer is a versatile garment suitable for any occasion. It is worn over baggy trousers, skinny jeans, tweed skirts, light dresses … it looks good on everything and is rightfully included among the sustainable trends for 2021-2022.
The sustainable alternative to the blazer is from the Dutch brand Noumenon: a tailored jacket made of Tencel ethically produced in a certified factory in Turkey. The tag is made from recycled paper and is in turn biodegradable.
9. Leggings
“Leggings are not pants!”, thundered the iconic Blair Waldorf, star of the cult TV series “Gossip Girl”. Well, she wasn’t wrong, but it must be said that leggings are back in fashion. To be combined with oversized sweatshirts or fun t-shirts, they are great for an easy daytime look.
The US brand Happy Earth makes leggings free of polyester and nylon, made of GOTS and Tencel certified organic cotton. For each purchase, the consumer can choose to donate to one of the various associations with which the brand collaborates.
10. Ankle boots
The Ankle boots have no season. Ankle boots, combat boots, camperos, are comfortable, versatile and can be declined in many colors.
The sustainable alternative to animal skin ankle boots comes from the Portuguese brand “Nae“. Their sustainable shoe materials include recycled PET from bottles, OEKO-TEX certified microfibers, recycled car tires, natural cork, recycled thermoplastic, and even pineapple leaf fiber.
