Emma Watson has designed a collection for People Tree (and sjoinged Hell's Angels)

There’s a lot to consider when it comes to ‘greening’ up your fashion choices – from working conditions to organic crops to sustainable production methods. Becky Lund takes a look at the world of ethical clothing

For many of us, the only real experience of sustainable fashion involved the ordeal of once having to wear an older sibling’s hand-me-down, but now, with an increasing number of designers looking to produce garments in a way that will keep the planet as well as the fashionistas happy, we’re becoming aware that fair trade fashion can also be wearable fashion. And it’s about time too – more than one million tonnes of textiles are thrown away each year, with only 25 per cent of this being recycled. Our fast-paced, throw-away-fashion culture may be kind to the runways, but it’s not doing us any favours in the long run.

The perception of ethical clothing is often that it’s ugly - and I have to admit, until doing some more in depth research for this piece, I would have agreed. A scratchy T-shirt branded ‘ethical’ seemed to be the extent of my knowledge and could hardly be described as high-fashion. However, in the winding alleys of Cambridge, you’d be surprised at the kind of eco-friendly gems you come across.

Keeping it sustainable

Art Gecko, on Rose Crescent, is a charming shop that offers clothing made from natural fabrics, creating classic, beautiful fashion. Owner Saj Aslam explains that the main aim is to keep away from industrialisation, and to keep things sustainable. ‘Every piece is hand-printed,’ he says, ‘and yes, it’s an enormous amount of time and effort.That’s why there are only 10 pieces of each style available in each size.’ Which of course means you’re getting a classic, individual item and the chances of bumping into somebody at a party wearing the same dress as you are pretty remote. These are pieces that will be wearable in 20 years and are farfrom the mainstream fast fashion culture.

One World is Enough, on Bridge Street, has a similar ethos. The shop appeals to a slightly younger customer base than Art Gecko, creating a line that follows trends in an alternative way. Owner Peter Harlow uses natural fabrics and promotes fair trade, and many of the designs are created at the shop before being taken to India for production – in fact, Peter’s children help design the fun and funky kids’ clothing range.

Both shops are certainly bang on trend at the moment, with vibrant colours and classic summer dresses. The bold prints and hot pinks and purples teamed with vivid greens and turquoises are definitley a little bit more ‘out there’ than the average wardrobe - but brights are big this season.

Environment aware

So why aren’t more fashion designers taking up the ethical banner? Matt, the buyer at Cambridge-based high-fashion store Giulio, makes the point that ‘different designers have different inspirations’ and that designer collections cannot be dictated by the fabric they use. High fashion is about setting the trends for the season ahead – it is up to others, then, to create environmentally aware versions.

Luckily, there are people doing just that. Look no further than brands such as People Tree, Stewart and Brown and Sika to get the best of both worlds. People Tree promote the sustainable use of fashion, working towards reducing the vast amount of textile waste we produce every year and movie star Emma Watson has recently collaborated with them to create a gorgeous selection of organic garments: proof that ethical clothing and high fashion can be mixed with good results. Safia Minney, CEO of People Tree, confirms that the collaborations aim is to ‘promote Fair Trade and organic fashion to a new younger audience’.

So wipe those memories of your big sister’s hand-me-downs from your memory forever. Ethical fashion has never been so, well… fashionable.