Even if you’re not actively looking for it, you’ve most definitely seen the word ‘sustainability’ or the phrase ‘live sustainably’ as you go about your day. Perhaps on that billboard on your way into work or on the packaging from your favourite coffee shop or at your local supermarket. We see it everywhere but do we really actually know what sustainability is?
So what is sustainability?
While most people associate sustainability with environmental protection, the word sustainability goes far beyond that. Organisations like The United Nations have explained to us that sustainability is the ability for society to be able to reach their needs without compromising the ability of future generations being able to meet their own needs. In fashion, sustainability covers so much ground. On the eco-front, it’s about reducing pollution, cutting waste, and keeping transport emissions in check. Socially, it’s about saying no to sweatshops and below legal wage labour while celebrating diversity in race and gender. And culturally? Fashion has this amazing ability to keep traditional craftsmanship alive, especially in developing countries with histories of colonisation.
Seven Reasons to Embrace Sustainability in your life:
- Timeless Elegance - sustainability champions quality over quantity, ensuring your wardrobe is filled with pieces that transcend fleeting trends and exude timeless sophistication.
- Craftsmanship at Its Finest - by choosing sustainable fashion, you support artisans and celebrate traditional craftsmanship—think handwoven fabrics, intricate embroidery, beadwork and heritage techniques.
- Style with a Conscience - there’s nothing more fashionable than knowing your choices uplift communities, preserve cultures, and protect the planet for future generations.
- A Celebration of Individuality - sustainable designs often focus on unique, one-of-a-kind pieces, allowing you to make bold style statements while standing out from the crowd. Inclusivity is also key when it comes to sustainability where made to order and pre order models ensure that clothes are made to fit the owner allowing for customisation based on size and reduces waste during the production process.
- Luxury Redefined - sustainability is the ultimate luxury, where every detail—from ethically sourced materials to mindful production—is considered with care and precision.
- Empowerment Through Fashion - choosing sustainability means empowering those behind the seams—artisans, makers, and communities—while championing fair wages and ethical practices.
- Planet-Friendly Glamour - from reducing waste to supporting innovative eco-friendly fabrics, garments designed with modularity in mind and up-cycling of existing textile to old clothing into new innovative one of a kind garments, sustainability ensures you look fabulous while treading lightly on the earth.
Practical steps to help transition to a sustainable wardrobe:
In a period where fast fashion and throwaway consumerism reign supreme in the fashion industry as a whole, achieving a sustainable lifestyle is both a responsible choice and an important step towards environmental conservation. So what everyday habits can you pick up that reduces waste and also promotes ethical and responsible consumption? It is not as daunting as one would think. The smallest change in the way that you buy and dispose of your garments goes a long way and is a positive step towards conserving this one beautiful planet we call home.
Here are key steps you can take to cultivate a more sustainable approach to your clothing choices:
Decluttering and Conscious Consumption
Start by taking stock! Decluttering your current wardrobe by sorting into different categories a) clothes you wear often i.e. in winter or summer b) those that you haven't worn in over 90 days. Then donate or recycle those garments you no longer wear. Most importantly, adopt mindful shopping habits by asking yourself questions like, “Will I wear this often?” Can I pair this new item with existing pieces in my wardrobe? Or more importantly, “Do I actually need this?”.
Quality over Quantity
Invest in high-quality clothing. Buy durable, well-made garments that endure longer: reducing the need for frequent replacements. Focusing on quality also supports artisans and small businesses that prioritise craftsmanship and slow approach to manufacturing.
Choosing Sustainable Materials
Opt for eco-friendly fabrics like organic cotton, hemp, linen and tencel. These materials have lower environmental impacts compared to conventional fabrics. Support brands that use sustainable materials like Patagonia, Reformation and Veja who are pioneers in the industry and also up and coming brands and labels that take a slow and considered approach to production and support artisanal excellence like the brands on ADJOAA that don't compromise on style at the expense of our planet.
Secondhand Shopping, Clothing Swaps and Rental
Buying secondhand clothing reduces waste and often costs less. Platforms like Vestaire Collective, ThredUp and Poshmark offer a wide range of pre-loved clothes. Additionally, participating in clothing swaps within your community can refresh your wardrobe without further contributing to fast fashion and won’t cost a pretty penny! You can also rent clothes or buy pre-loved covetable designer brands from fashion London-based marketplaces like HURR Collective and By Rotation.
Clothing Care and Repair
Taking proper care of your clothes can extend their lifespan. Follow care labels, and consider learning basic sewing skills to repair minor damages. A small stitch or funky patch can save a favourite item from being discarded and also refresh your garment giving it a whole new life!
Modular Fashion
Having a modular wardrobe consists of a limited number of versatile pieces that can be mixed and matched. This approach simplifies choices and reduces the impulse to buy more clothing than needed, making it a sustainable option. Moreover, this lets you wear the same garments to a variety of events for many seasons to come without anyone knowing they are the same few pieces.
Upcycling and Repurposing Clothes
Get creative with your old clothes by upcycling or repurposing them. Turn a worn-out pair of jeans into a stylish bag or transform a dress into a trendy top. There are countless tutorials online to inspire your projects.
How ADJOAA celebrates sustainability:
At ADJOAA, we know that shopping sustainably is a no-brainer, especially when we think about the sheer impact of the fashion industry.
Fast fashion churns out piles of clothes at astonishing speed, guzzling water, spewing out pollution, and creating tons of waste that ends up in landfills. That’s why we are here to promote sustainable fashion with our sustainability-focused shopping platform. By opting for sustainable fashion items, ADJOAA helps customers to slow down all these—supporting a circular system that’s kinder to the planet and people. Plus, through us, people can back brands that care about craftsmanship and treating their workers fairly. The labels on our site are passionate about showcasing African fashion while celebrating and preserving traditional African craftsmanship and elevating artisanal manufacturing techniques.
What is unique about ADJOAA? All our brands are made-to-order or on pre-order basis. This is to help to eliminate potential risk of overproduction, impulsive buying and respect workers’ work life balance. Unlike conventional retailers, we consciously choose to stock less, a way to prevent overconsumption and wastes. On top of all these, we devote 1% of our profit to mentoring and educating the next generation young designers. This is how ADJOAA champions sustainable fashion brands by offering people a guilt-free shopping experience with a focus on African cultural heritage.
Discover over 100 sustainable fashion and lifestyle brands at ADJOAA to start your sustainable fashion journey. We have selected a few of our brands that prioritise sustainability but do not compromise stylishness:
Celebrate cultural sustainability and the beauty of African artistry with our cherished accessories brand, Dola. Each piece tells a uniquely African story, drawing inspiration from Nigerian and Yoruba heritage. This is beautifully reflected in Dola’s iconic mask-inspired designs, featuring African masks embellished with gemstones, sparkling like the starry night in the Nigerian sky.
Aya Morrison embodies timeless and effortless chic, all infused with a touch of African luxury. From versatile wardrobe staples to resort wear and statement accessories, the brand offers pieces perfect for any occasion. Meanwhile, the brand is also environmentally conscious, using recycled materials and promoting vintage clothes. Design-wise, Aya Morrison’s aesthetic is confident, bright, lively but also elegant. A combination of colourful prints with flowing simplistic silhouette make Aya Morrison pieces highly wearable.
Born and raised in Nigeria, Abiola Olusola is the creative force behind her eponymous brand, launched in 2017. A graduate of Istituto Marangoni Paris, she effortlessly marries minimalism, architectural elements, and African craftsmanship in her contemporary womenswear. Praised by critics and consumers alike, Olusola quickly gained recognition with her debut collection, at Lagos’ luxury retailer Temple Muse and earned her a spot on Guardian Life’s “One to Watch” list in 2018. A finalist in the Alára Emerge Fashion Fund and a frequent collaborator with fabric powerhouse Vlisco, her work highlights the rich narratives of African subcultures through a modern lens.
Aside from the from the the mentioned achievements, Olusola is redefining sustainable African luxury by committing to empower local artisans and incorporating traditional craftsmanship into contemporary design.
N.N.O is a sustainable footwear brand that showcases the rich artistry of Nigerian craftsmanship. With its vibrant colours, intricate patterns, and unique silhouettes, each pair of shoes celebrates the cultural heritage of Nigeria. The journey of N.N.O began in 2020, led by designer Onyinyechi Nneji, who had a strong desire not only to express her own creativity but also to empower others. She wanted to make stylish and affordable footwear accessible to everyone. Initially, the brand started as a reseller, offering a selection of footwear from other creators.
However, as the vision grew, N.N.O transitioned into a full-fledged brand, offering its own original designs. By blending affordability with craftsmanship, the brand aims to make a lasting impact in the fashion industry while staying true to its roots and values.
African Brands we’d love to see at ADJOAA
Lisa Folawiyo
Lisa Folawiyo redefines African luxury by transforming fashion into art. Based in Lagos, the brand seamlessly fuses traditional craftsmanship with modern design, creating meticulously hand-embellished pieces that balance opulence and contemporary flair. Each design is a celebration of self-expression, where intricate beadwork and ethically sourced fabrics come together in a tapestry of elegance and sophistication.
Rooted in sustainability, Lisa Folawiyo collaborates with local artisans to craft pieces that honour African heritage while embracing modernity. By reviving traditional tailoring techniques and championing community development, the brand empowers its makers and invites the world to experience the richness of African craftsmanship.
(Photo Courtesy of @lisafolawiyo_studio Instagram)
Studio One Eighty Nine
Co-founded by Rosario Dawson and Abrima Erwiah, Studio One Eighty Nine is a trailblazing artisan-crafted fashion and lifestyle brand that seamlessly blends creativity with purpose. A recipient of the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Grant and the CFDA Lexus Fashion Initiative for Sustainability, the brand champions African craftsmanship and culture through its ethically produced, African-inspired designs.
Based in Accra, Ghana, the brand actively supports community sustainability. It has a manufacturing facility, e-commerce platform, and supports numerous community-led initiatives. The brand collaborates with local artisans and craftsmen with traditional techniques and focuses on empowerment, education, and sustainable job creation. Partnering with the UN’s Ethical Fashion Initiative and global brands, Studio One Eighty Nine redefines fashion with a conscience.
(Photo Courtesy of @studiooneeightynine Instagram)
NKWO
Nigerian sustainable fashion brand NKWO, relaunched in 2012, is redefining African craftsmanship while tackling the environmental challenges of textile waste. At the heart of the label lies “Dakala,” an innovative, hand-loomed fabric crafted using a modern strip-weaving technique. This upcycled material, with its rich texture, forms the foundation of NKWO’s distinctive collections.
Each ready-to-wear piece celebrates traditional West African artistry, from intricate beading and hand-dyeing to embroidery and weaving. By blending heritage techniques with contemporary design, NKWO honours the past while creating a more sustainable future for fashion.
(Photo Courtesy of @nkwo_official Instagram)
Your Sustainable Fashion Journey Starts Now!
Fast fashion severely impacts the environment, but building a sustainable wardrobe is a powerful way to combat this issue. Focus on quality, choose sustainable materials, and support ethical brands. By embracing mindful consumption, secondhand shopping, and clothing care, you can make a real difference.
Sustainable shopping is not just about saving the world; it’s about making smarter, more thoughtful choices. A beautifully made coat that lasts years is so much more satisfying than five flimsy ones you bin after a season. Sustainable fashion isn’t boring—it’s about investing in pieces that have a story, a purpose, and that you’ll love for years. Because let’s face it, style should never come at the cost of the planet.
So start your journey today towards a more sustainable lifestyle and contribute positively to our planet's future. Let’s together pave the way for eco-conscious fashion!
(Banner Photo Courtesy of reepeat.in)
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