The Sustainable Fashion Trends We Love This Spring

Spring is in the air, bringing with it a promise of the new – and as always, a new set of fashion trends. In the name of mindful shopping, it's important not to overindulge in trends: for a more sustainable approach, our wardrobes should transcend seasonality and veer more towards the evergreen.

By Sascha Camilli: writer, speaker, activist, and vegan fashion expert. 

However, chances are that you already have some of these in your wardrobe (so much of fashion is constant revivals), in which case spring 2023 is a perfect time to give them a new spin, and some others, like innovative plant leathers, are worth discovering. Here are the trends we will be giving a second glance to this season.

Corn Leather

After pineapples, apples and mushrooms, what could be next? In the words of the trending TikTok meme, “it's corn!” This supple and soft vegan leather, crafted from non-edible parts of the corn plants (so no resources were taken from the food supply) is GM-free and can have a plant content as high as 70%. This wonder textile is free from the chromium commonly used in leather tanning and doesn't involve the use of harsh solvents. Try a corn leather accessory from Watson & Wolfe or Miomojo.

Eco-Friendly Denim

Denim ruled the catwalks at the Spring-Summer 2023 shows, with the controversial return of low-rise and other Y2K-inspired designs such as the two-tones shown by Nensi Dojaka, maxi denim skirts at Altuzarra or slouchy wide-leg at Burberry. Cargo denim is also back, reminding yet again that fashion is cyclical: no need to discard passed trends, as they are bound to come back sooner than you think! Sustainably made denim is often crafted from organic cotton – get your planet-friendly spring style at Baukjen, 1 People or KOMODO, and check our sustainable denim collection.

Mirum

Vegan leather without any plastic is now a possibility, thanks to Natural Fibre Welding and their miracle material Mirum, which is crafted from a variety of different kinds of plant waste, welded together. No plastic is used anywhere in the process, and the end result is a luxurious leather feel. More vegan brands (like Melina Bucher) are turning towards Mirum to minimise plastic in their production – watch out for this material to show up in more collections.

Recycled Materials

The sheer amount of textiles present on the planet means that many eco-conscious labels are reaching for recycling as a means to repurpose what is already out there. Going back to denim, Diesel sent recycled jeans down the runways, while Stella McCartney made sure that a large part of the materials present in the brand's SS23 collection was sustainably made, including a lot of recycling. Ganni showcased designs in Infinna, a recycled fibre made from textile waste. To bring recycled materials into your wardrobe, check out MOMOC's colourful shoes or breezy spring knits from Minuit Sur Terre.

Silver

Bring out your metals and douse yourself in silver – high-octane metallic glamour is back on the runways this season with Gucci, Michael Kors and more. Worn the right way, silver doesn't have to be an evening-only event. Add some subtle sparkle to daytime outfits with LUXTRA's wallet in pineapple leather, or brighten up a weekend look with a silver-tone Western boot from A Perfect Jane. And if you truly are after some nighttime sophistication, let your style shine with Allkind's glittery silver stilettos.

By Sascha Camilli

About Sascha

Sascha Camilli is a vegan fashion writer, speaker and activist. Her book Vegan Style is out now on Murdoch Books. For more about Sascha, you can read our interview with her or listen to her podcast Catwalk Rebel. You can also follow her on Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Cover image by pure by luce

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