A wedding gown is the most important piece of clothing that a woman ever wears. The purpose, price, and look of a wedding gown are like no other garment you have ever worn! Did you know that as of 2018, the wedding wear market was estimated to be at USD 58.4 billion, globally? And the wedding gowns occupied the biggest slot in these statistics. It is expected that the wedding gown industry would keep growing at an annual growth of 6%.
However, there is so much that goes into making a wedding gown! And with what we are going to tell you, you won’t find it to be a pretty sight! Assuming that a lot of efforts and resources go into the making of a wedding gown, it’s the need of the hour to opt for eco-friendly wedding gowns.
Let’s take you through the journey of a wedding from the start. It all begins with a tan-colored raw fabric that is bleached till eternity to get that sparkling white color! You cannot even imagine the amount of water that goes into all that process! And don’t even get us started on the harmful waste produced from all that bleach!
The next stage involves shipping the fabric to either China or South America, where most of the bridal dresses are made. Post that, the gowns are shipped to Europe for finishing. Yes! And finally, after that, they make their way to America. Can you imagine the scale of carbon emissions and the impact it has on the environment?
Now, they say “Don’t expect a change, be the change”. So, if you are an eco-chic bride, who wants to contribute her share to the environment, here’s your chance to do that! Here are some options for obtaining wedding gowns which are eco-friendly and totally worth considering.
1. Dresses made using eco-friendly resources and materials only like organic cotton and peace silk. These dresses are manufactured by various brands like Wear Your Love, Reformation, Lost in Paris, Larimeloom, and many others.
2. Dresses that are convertibles and can be used for various occasions comfortably. Celia Grace has a great collection of convertible dresses that can be worn for the party after the reception.
3. Dresses made from pre or post-consumer waste are a great form of utilization of leftover materials during the manufacturing process.
4. Secondhand dresses like renting, resale, or donation. Borrowing Magnolia has a brilliant collection to find the dress of your dreams at an affordable price!
5. Dresses that produce relatively lesser material and/or waste during their manufacture such as Indiebride and Lost in Paris.
6. Altered dresses for re-use or vintage ones such as your mother’s or grandmother’s bridal dress.
7. Go for sustainable brands that use organic raw materials and/or donate to a charity. A fine example of this is AGAATI.
The wedding gown industry is gradually seeing a rise as there are about 2.5 million weddings happening every year in the US. With many women becoming aware of the implications of the growing wedding gown industry globally, most of them are experimenting with eco-friendly options. Let’s make this world a better place, after all!
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