What is a sustainable wedding dress?

A wedding dress can arguably be one of the most unsustainable purchases you can make. You can spend a lot of money on a gown that has been intricately created, usually imported from other countries; the whole process taking months, only to wear it once. Then it’s kept in an unseen space not to be touched, or even looked at, for years.

The word ‘sustainable’ used to come with connotations of beige, itchy and ugly. That’s totally not the case anymore. As society is increasingly becoming more eco-conscious, sustainability is becoming key. Why can’t we have a show-stopping AND sustainable wedding dress? Think again, we can!

So, what is a sustainable wedding dress exactly? The approach to reduce the use of the earth’s natural resources, ensures you are wearing a more eco-conscious material with a much lower carbon footprint. There are so many new ways to look into celebrating marriage in a greener way through your gown. Here are some examples…

✦ Wear a pre-loved gown ✦

Whether you’re wearing a heirloom gown from a family member, or getting married in a gown that’s been re-purposed into something new, this means that dress hasn’t been made for one use only. The fabrics are getting a new purpose! I find this approach quite magical actually. This fabric has history and meaning. What’s much better than that?

✦ Find dresses made from natural and organic fabrics ✦

Usually a brand will tell you if a particular fabric is made organically and ethically! And if the practices of manufacturing their gowns is ethical, you’re on to a winner! Knowing that your fabric is organic, means no harmful chemicals are used. This means the air, water and soil are left contamination free while creating the fibers!

✦ Businesses manufacturing locally ✦

As I said above, a lot of gowns are usually imported from other countries; the whole process taking months, only to wear it once. Why not look for something a bit closer to home? Buying from a local designer or manufacture means you don’t only cut out shipping costs, but you also cut out the unnecessary import process.

✦ Brands having a no-waste approach ✦

Being someone who has been sewing for over 10 years, I truly know how much waste can be accumulated when it comes to creating clothes! Every off cut of fabric will go to waste and probably end up in a landfill. To have a no waste approach as a company, means you try to reduce how much waste you are creating. This can be done by clever pattern cutting, making sure you get the most out of the fabric you have!

All of these ways mean you would be wearing a sustainable wedding dress! Yes, it’s that easy. Keep reading for links to sustainable and local brand I love...

When you shop for a gown and you aren’t sure if you’re looking at a sustainable gown, don’t be afraid to ask questions! Where was this dress made? Who was this dress made by? Where did the fabric come from? Not many weddings can be 100% sustainable for the whole day, that would be hard! But the small things matter, like knowing where your wedding dress comes from and how it was made. These little things all contribute to throwing the best eco-conscious wedding there has ever been!

Since I can remember, I have always been nervous to throw away scraps. I constantly have boxes of old fabrics that I can’t bring myself to throw away. Because it’ll just end up in a landfill, right? So now, creating gowns that use as little waste as possible is a huge deal. The idea of re-creating wedding dresses from pre-loved gowns is so exciting. Beautiful fabrics with a story, some history and memories are what make re-made dresses even more special.