“Circular fashion” is one of the most well-known concepts of sustainability. It gives a blueprint for a production chain that’s kind to the earth. For Bayo, it guides our #JourneyToZero and #FilipinaFashionREvolution initiatives, both of which echo the same zero-waste, upcycle-centric, low-emission ethos. Here’s a more in-depth look into this circular fashion model.
Why is it “circular”
For as long as we’ve known, the fashion industry has worked on a linear model, that is, starting with raw material, creating the product, and ending as trash. This has created an aggressively wasteful cycle where we strip the earth or resources and then pollute it in the end.
A circular model designs out waste; it’s placing the to-be-disposed materials and other pollutants back into the fashion production cycle instead of into the earth. The cycle becomes circular because as there is no waste, there is no end. The materials simply move around the production chain through sustainable methods
What are the methods to practice a circular fashion model?
Use of Natural Materials
Natural fibers come from the earth and decompose properly when they’re thrown away. This is unlike synthetic fibers; laced with plastic, they take decades to break down and end up becoming land and water pollutants. Bayo uses textiles such as local cotton and linen that don’t only work with the circular model, but also provide excellent quality.
Reimagination of Fabric Scraps
Producing clothes tends to generate a lot of scraps, resulting in textile off-cuts or what we locally call “retaso.” Instead of throwing them away, Bayo recycles them for clothing. There are actually a lot of innovations in this space of recycling and upcycling. You can use off-cuts as is and sew them together, or break the fabric down into threads and use that as raw material.
Use of Renewable Energy
Aside from just physical waste, clothing production also generates air pollution. Machineries tend to emit harmful gases that deplete the ozone layer. Through technology, renewable energy sources have been created as eco-friendly alternatives. Bayo uses renewable energy through the use of solar powered panels for its production facility.
Revival of Traditional Methods
One will discover that a lot of practices from our ancestors can serve as modern-day sustainable solutions. Methods such as handweaving don’t produce any emissions and are therefore eco-friendly. Bayo likes to partner with communities that preserve these traditional practices like this. Currently, we have partners in Aklan, Argao, and Bulacan.
Produce Locally
Transport within the production process generates a lot of emissions. Carrying products from one far- reaching destination to another is quite taxing to the environment. By producing things locally, there is shorter transport time and thus, less emissions. The benefits of producing locally also goes beyond environmental benefits, and further into ethics because it supports jobs in the local economy.
How can I participate in Circular Fashion
Although creating a circular fashion model falls on the side of the company’s initiatives, you as a consumer can still play a great role in it. At the end of the day, making a sustainable earth is a hand-in-hand effort.
Shop mindfully
Make a habit of carefully assessing everything before you purchase. Keep in mind a list of factors that you find value in such as quality, the place where the item is made, environmental impact, and so on. Make sure every piece of clothing you plan to purchase ticks off each item from this list.
Keep your clothes for as long as you can
Keep your clothing away from landfills by wearing them for as long as you can. If they start to get worn out, consider mending them first; try to alter them instead of throwing them away immediately. If they’re beyond the point of repair, don’t just throw them away anywhere. Find places that accept fabric to have them upcycled.
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