What Does "Sustainable Fashion" Mean? A Plain-English Guide
"Sustainable fashion" is a term you will see everywhere, but there is no single legal definition of it. This guide explains what people usually mean by it, why the phrase is hard to pin down, and what you can look for instead.
What do people mean by it?
The phrase is usually used for clothing made with attention to its effect on the environment and on the people who make it. In practice it can refer to many different things: the fibres used, how and where clothes are made, how long they last, and what happens to them afterwards. Because it covers so much, two brands can use the same words and mean very different things.
Why the term is hard to pin down
- There is no single legal definition, and no one measure that covers every part of a garment's life.
- Every fibre has trade-offs. Natural fibres need land and water, synthetic fibres come from oil and shed microfibres, and man-made cellulose fibres such as modal and lyocell depend on how the pulp is sourced and the process is run.
- Many claims are about one aspect only, such as a recycled content figure or a single certification.
Rules on environmental claims
Regulators have tightened up on vague environmental wording. In the UK, the Competition and Markets Authority publishes the Green Claims Code, and consumer protection law prohibits misleading claims. In the EU, Directive 2024/825 restricts generic environmental claims, uncertified sustainability labels and offset-based claims, and applies from 27 September 2026. As a result, you will increasingly see brands replace general claims with specific facts, which is useful for shoppers.
Fast fashion and slower alternatives
Fast fashion generally means high volumes of new, low-priced styles produced quickly in response to trends. Critics point to overproduction, short garment lifespans and the amount of clothing that is discarded. "Slow fashion" is the loose term for the opposite approach: fewer, better-made pieces, kept for longer.
What you can do as a shopper
Buy fewer, better pieces
Choose styles you will wear repeatedly, in colours that work with what you own. Cost per wear is a more useful measure than price tag.
Read the label and the product page
Look for the fibre content, where the item was made and the care instructions. Specific information is more useful than general statements.
Look after what you own
Wash less often, follow the care label, air dry where you can and mend small faults early. How long a garment lasts depends heavily on how it is treated.
Repair, resell and pass on
Alterations and repairs extend a garment's life. When you no longer want something, use a charity shop, a resale platform, a clothes swap or a textile recycling bank. Our parcels include a Thrift+ bag for items you want to pass on.
Consider rental and second-hand
Rental suits one-off occasions. Second-hand and vintage shopping gives existing clothes a longer life. Upcycling and clothes swaps work the same way.
How to read environmental claims
- Be cautious of vague words such as "green", "eco" or "conscious" with no explanation.
- Look for specifics: what exactly is claimed, and about which part of the product?
- Certifications cover specific things. For example, GOTS is a standard for organic fibres and processing; it does not cover everything about a brand. Check what a label covers and who certifies it.
- Be sceptical of claims about the future with no plan or date attached.
How we approach it at Lavender Hill
We prefer to tell you plainly what our clothes are made of and where. We are an independent British brand, founded in 2013 by Isobel Ridley. Our clothes are designed in Britain. Most of our t-shirts and our nightwear are made in Portugal; our leggings are made in the UK and Portugal; our socks and cashmere are made in the UK (the cashmere in Scotland); and our alpaca pieces are made in Peru. Our fabrics include cotton, TENCEL™ Modal and TENCEL™ Lyocell, linen, merino, cashmere, alpaca and, in a few pieces, silk. You can browse everything and check the fabric on each product page.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a legal definition of sustainable fashion?
No. The phrase is used in many ways, which is why regulators now ask for claims to be specific and supported by evidence.
What is the difference between fast fashion and slow fashion?
Fast fashion is high-volume, trend-led and low-priced. Slow fashion is a loose term for buying fewer, longer-lasting pieces.
What is greenwashing?
Greenwashing means making a product sound better for the environment than the evidence supports. Vague wording and unexplained labels are the usual warning signs.
What is the simplest thing I can do?
Wear what you own for longer. Looking after clothes, mending them and passing them on when you have finished with them makes the biggest practical difference.