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Sustainable Fashion Glossary

Confused by sustainability terminology? Enhance your understanding with our comprehensive glossary of commonly used sustainable fashion terms.

Animal Welfare

The ethical treatment and well-being of animals used in the production of fashion materials, such as wool, silk, or leather.

B Corp

Certified B Corporations, or B Corps, are companies verified by B Lab to meet high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability.

Carbon Footprint

The total amount of greenhouse gases emitted directly or indirectly by a person, organisation, product, or event.

Carbon Neutral

Achieving a net-zero carbon footprint by balancing the amount of carbon dioxide emitted with an equivalent amount sequestered or offset.

Cruelty-Free

Products that are not tested on animals and do not contain any animal-derived ingredients, ensuring ethical treatment of animals throughout the production process.

Collaborative Consumption

Sharing or renting clothing and accessories instead of buying new items, reducing consumption and promoting resource efficiency.

Carbon Offsetting

Compensating for carbon emissions by investing in projects that reduce or capture an equivalent amount of greenhouse gases elsewhere, such as reforestation or renewable energy projects.

Charter For Climate Action

​The Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action is a voluntary agreement signed by various stakeholders within the fashion industry to address climate change. Developed under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the charter aims to collectively reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate the environmental impact of the fashion sector.

Community Engagement

Involving local communities in the decision-making process and sharing benefits with those affected by fashion production, distribution, and consumption.

Conscious Consumerism

Making purchasing decisions based on ethical considerations, such as environmental sustainability, fair labour practices, and social responsibility.

Closed-Loop Fashion

A circular fashion model in which garments are designed, produced, used, and recycled within a closed-loop system, minimising waste and environmental impact.


Closed-Loop Systems: systems in which materials are continually recycled, reused, or regenerated to minimise waste and resource depletion.

Circular Economy

An economic system that aims to minimise waste and maximise the reuse, recycling, and regeneration of resources, thereby reducing environmental impact and promoting long-term sustainability.

Cruelty-Free Fashion

Fashion products that are produced without harming or exploiting animals, including alternatives to materials like leather, fur, and silk.

Ethical Sourcing

The practice of procuring materials and goods from suppliers who adhere to ethical and sustainable standards, including fair labour practices, environmental stewardship, and respect for human rights.

Environmental Impact Assessment

An evaluation of the potential environmental consequences of a product, process, or activity, including its carbon footprint, water usage, and waste generation.

Ethical Consumerism

Making purchasing decisions based on ethical considerations, such as environmental sustainability, fair labour practices, and social responsibility.

Ethical Fashion

Fashion that prioritises fair treatment of workers, ethical sourcing of materials, and transparency in supply chains.

Eco-Friendly Packaging

Packaging materials and practices designed to minimise environmental impact, such as using recycled materials, reducing excess packaging, and utilising biodegradable or compostable alternatives.

Environmental Stewardship

The responsible management and conservation of natural resources, minimising environmental impact and promoting sustainability.

Eco-Friendly Materials

Materials that are produced or harvested in an environmentally sustainable manner, such as organic cotton, hemp, bamboo, and recycled fibres.

Fair Trade Fashion

Fashion products that adhere to fair trade principles, ensuring that producers receive fair wages, safe working conditions, and support for community development.

Fast Fashion

A business model characterised by rapid production and turnover of inexpensive clothing, often resulting in environmental degradation and poor labour conditions.

Fashion Revolution

A global movement advocating for transparency, sustainability, and ethics in the fashion industry, particularly in response to the Rana Plaza garment factory collapse in Bangladesh in 2013.

Fairtrade International

fairtrade.net is the most recognised and trusted sustainability label in the world. They are a global organisation that is co-owned by more than 2 million farmers and workers who earn fairer prices, build stronger communities, and have control over their futures.

Fair Pricing

Setting prices that reflect the true cost of production, including fair wages for workers and sustainable sourcing of materials, without exploiting workers or the environment.

Fair Trade

A movement that advocates for fair wages and working conditions for producers, particularly in developing countries.

Green Materials

Materials that are produced or harvested in an environmentally sustainable manner, such as organic cotton, hemp, bamboo, and recycled fibres.

Green Fashion

Another term for sustainable fashion, emphasising environmental considerations such as eco-friendly materials, energy efficiency, and waste reduction.

Greenwashing

Misleading or deceptive marketing practices that exaggerate or misrepresent a company's environmental or ethical commitments.

Inclusivity and Diversity

Embracing diversity in body size, shape, ethnicity, age, and ability in fashion marketing, advertising, and product offerings.

Local Artisans

Skilled craftspeople and artisans who create handmade products using traditional techniques, often supporting local economies and preserving cultural heritage.

Living Wage

A wage that is sufficient to cover the basic needs of workers and their families, allowing them to live with dignity and without relying on government assistance.

Local Production

Manufacturing goods in close proximity to their point of sale or consumption, reducing transportation emissions and supporting local economies.

Living Wage

A wage that is sufficient to cover the basic needs of workers and their families, allowing them to live with dignity and without relying on government assistance.

Labour Standards

Guidelines and regulations that protect workers' rights, including fair wages, safe working conditions, and the right to organise and bargain collectively.

Organic Cotton

Cotton that is grown without the use of synthetic pesticides or fertilisers, thereby reducing environmental harm and promoting biodiversity.

Regenerative Agriculture

Farming practices that focus on restoring soil health, enhancing biodiversity, and sequestering carbon, thereby improving ecosystem resilience and mitigating climate change.

Responsible Sourcing

Ethical procurement of materials, ensuring that they are obtained in a manner that respects workers' rights, environmental sustainability, and local communities.

Responsible Consumption

Making informed and mindful choices about what to buy, how to use products, and when to dispose of them, with consideration for social, environmental, and ethical impacts.

Regenerative Fashion

A holistic approach to fashion production that seeks to restore and enhance ecosystems, promote biodiversity, and regenerate natural resources.


Recycling: the process of converting waste materials into reusable materials to create new products.

Supply Chain Audits

Assessments conducted by brands or third-party organisations to evaluate suppliers' compliance with social, environmental, and ethical standards.

Social Enterprise

A business that operates with the primary goal of addressing social or environmental issues, often reinvesting profits to further their mission.

Supply Chain Transparency

The practice of openly sharing information about a fashion brand's supply chain, including the origins of materials, production processes, and labour conditions.

Sustainable Packaging

Packaging materials and practices that minimise environmental impact, such as using recycled materials, reducing excess packaging, and utilizing biodegradable or compostable alternatives.

Slow Fashion Movement

A growing trend advocating for a more deliberate and mindful approach to fashion consumption, focusing on quality, longevity, and sustainability.

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

A set of 17 global goals adopted by the United Nations in 2015 to address social, economic, and environmental challenges, including poverty, inequality, and climate change.

Supply Chain

The network of organisations involved in producing, distributing, and selling a product, including suppliers, manufacturers, retailers, and consumers.

Sustainable Textiles

Textile materials that are produced using environmentally friendly processes and materials, such as organic cotton, recycled polyester, and Tencel (lyocell).

Sustainable Fashion

Fashion that is produced and consumed in a way that minimises its environmental impact and maximises social responsibility throughout its lifecycle.

Supply Chain Management

The coordination and oversight of all activities involved in sourcing, producing, and delivering products to consumers, with a focus on efficiency, quality, and sustainability.

Supply Chain Ethics

Ethical considerations in the management of supply chains, including fair labour practices, human rights, and environmental sustainability.

Social Responsibility

The ethical obligation of companies to consider the welfare of society, including workers, communities, and the environment, in their business practices.

Slow Fashion

A counter-movement to fast fashion, emphasising quality over quantity, mindful consumption, and sustainability.

Upcycling

The process of transforming old or discarded materials into new products of higher quality or value.

Vegan Fashion

Fashion that does not use animal-derived materials or by-products, promoting cruelty-free alternatives.

Zero Waste

A philosophy and approach that aims to eliminate waste by redesigning products, processes, and systems to minimise resource use and maximise reuse and recycling.

Zero Waste Fashion

Design and production practices aimed at minimising waste throughout the entire lifecycle of a garment, from sourcing materials to end-of-life disposal.

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