Is Fashion Finally Growing Up?

Those of you who follow Hell of a Midlife will know that I recently wrote about my decade-old White Company coat. It stripped my bank balance of £300, but it turned out to be an indulgence that taught me that the most sustainable garment is the one you already own.

Writing that post reminded me that as I’ve aged, my sense of global responsibility has deepened. A wardrobe full of 'nothing to wear' is no longer a rite of passage; it’s a burden - to me and the planet. It also reminded me of The True Cost - the 2015 documentary that threw aside the fashion industry's cloak to expose a world of exploitation and environmental devastation. Then I got to thinking: has anything really changed since that film aired?

The answer is a tale of two linings: unprecedented awareness versus an ever-accelerating machine of ultra-fast fashion.

When The True Cost first aired, Zara and H&M were the standard bearers of fast fashion. Today, they’ve been joined and, in many ways, overtaken, by a new breed of giants. Primark continues to dominate the High Street by treating clothing as a high-volume commodity, but even they are being chased by fast chains like Shein and Temu. These newer players use AI to predict trends and churn out thousands of designs daily, often in under a week. This has dramatically worsened the global waste crisis, leaving textile mountains now dominating landscapes from Chile to Ghana.

Is there hope? I think so. Ethical fashion used to rely on voluntary promises - but now governments are finally stepping in.

• The EU’s Strategy for Sustainable Textiles is phasing in laws to ban the destruction of unsold clothes and require Digital Product Passports to track a garment’s lifecycle.

• In America, the proposed FABRIC Act remains a 'gold standard' beacon of hope for federal garment worker protection. While it still faces significant hurdles in Congress, its influence is already felt in regional victories like California’s Garment Worker Protection Act.

Additionally we are seeing exciting advancements in materials.

• Designers like Stella McCartney continue to lead the movement; she is using her 2026 collections to debut CO2-absorbing fabrics and bio-engineered feathers.

• We now have mushroom leather (Mycelium), pineapple leather (Pinatex) and recycled fibres like Circulose. Though, a huge challenge remains - scalability. Synthetic fibres like polyester remain cheap because they are a by-product of the oil industry. Until we subsidise mushroom leather or pineapple silk the way we do fossil fuels, these revolutionary materials will remain luxury niche items - rather than becoming every-day staples.

One element of the film that stayed with me in particular was the risk workers face daily - highlighted by the Rana Plaza disaster. Since then, the International Accord (a legally binding agreement for factory safety) has expanded significantly, but this is bittersweet. While factories are becoming structurally safer, a living wage remains an elusive concept in 2026.

What Can We Do?

I’m pleased to report that the experts haven't given up on the environment - or the people. While as mentioned, Stella McCartney debuts CO2-absorbing fabrics, Safia Minney is leading 'Fashion Declares!', a movement pushing for a 'Just Transition' that protects both the soil, and the workers. Meanwhile, Lucy Siegle is championing laws that would make fair wages and repair services a legal requirement - not a choice.

So if the pioneers of the movement are still fighting, we should too. Begin by researching brands on Good On You. Put your name behind systemic change through EarthDay.org. petitions. And let me tell you about my Backyard Test: Before you buy, ask yourself: Will I wear this multiple times? Will it last? Imagine every item you throw out piling up in your own garden. If your personal 'textile mountain' had to grow outside your lounge window - would you still buy this?

Finally, treat 'new' as a last resort. By extending a piece's life by just nine months, you dramatically reduce its impact and keep your personal textile mountain at bay.

A long lasting piece of clothing is more than just fabric; it’s proof that we don't need more - we need better.