Eco-responsible menswear, size-inclusive, where do we stand?

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As discussions about eco-responsibility and inclusivity of brands dominate current conversations, we notice that the progress made primarily concerns women’s ready-to-wear. Eco-responsible and size-inclusive menswear seems to have taken a backseat in priorities, and the topic is starting to spark debates. Analysis of the current situation.

Why is eco-responsible menswear less developed than womenswear?

Recently, the passing of the AGEC law, imposing transparency on the environmental impact of pieces through a QR code on clothing labels, marked a new step in the transition the textile industry is currently experiencing. Collections, materials, production, recycling… It’s the entire life cycle of a piece that is being rethought, and it must be reviewed in order for brands to continue and fit into the new specifications of the industry.

Why is the transition primarily occurring in women’s ready-to-wear?

While the transition has been underway for a few years, consumers and creators still highlight a difficulty in finding eco-responsible menswear as easily as eco-designed women’s pieces.

A testimonial from Rachel Kibbe, founder of advisory firm Circular Services Group, provides an explanation for the situation. In light of recent awareness, brands have adjusted their models to align with the new values of their clientele. More specifically, those of women, who generate higher revenue than men. By adopting a more eco-responsible image, brands encourage women to keep buying while aligning with their new conception of fashion.

Is eco-responsible menswear feasible?

While brands seem to be turning their eyes away from eco-responsible menswear for now, it is indeed feasible, and men’s relationship with fashion is already reflected in rational consumption habits.

Men predominantly lean towards a rather succinct wardrobe, with timeless and quality pieces that they can keep for years and avoid new purchases. Moreover, research shows that men wish to invest in brands that allow them to reduce their impact on the planet.

Thus, to fully align with their values, the only missing piece of the puzzle is the transition of brands towards an appropriate model.

How to build an eco-responsible menswear wardrobe?

Although eco-responsible menswear brands are not yet widely developed, certain actions can help initiate a transition towards more rational fashion.

First step: declutter!

Choosing to move towards eco-responsible menswear implies adopting a new vision of fashion. 

Start by taking an inventory of your closets to determine what you have, what you wear, and what you no longer need. The Marie Kondo method can give you a helping hand! 

Remember to give a second life to pieces that leave your wardrobe, through second-hand apps or donations to charities.

Additionally, some haute couture houses offer a buyback service for their pieces, such as Gucci Vault, which refurbishes vintage pieces before reselling them.

Eco-responsible menswear: between minimalism and capsule collection

This decluttering aims to purify your wardrobe to return to the essentials, or even adopt minimalism. A trend that appeals, going straight to the point, and is now extending to skincare, with skinimalism.

To achieve this, we recommend working your wardrobe around seasonal capsule collections. This means selecting a few pieces that can mix and match to create various looks.

To be able to engage in an eco-responsible menswear model, we advise you to choose:

• Timeless pieces
• Quality materials that allow garments to last over time

Additionally, to extend the lifespan of your pieces, take care of their maintenance, and reduce washing. 

What solutions to turn to?

Thinking about fashion in a rational way also means incorporating new modes of consumption, particularly with second-hand and upcycling.

If your capsule collection is missing some pieces, adopt new habits to embrace eco-responsible menswear. If you have a creative spirit, upcycling may interest you. Whether from your old pieces or others found in thrift stores, it’s up to you to let your identity shine in your looks.

This practice, which aims to be trendy, is particularly rooted in the new challenges that fashion faces. While creators like Marine Serre make it the common thread of their creations, the second season of Next In Fashion dedicated an episode to it.

If upcycling isn’t your forte, you can turn to second-hand pieces with vintage items. On one hand, you participate in a circular economy, and you can save money on your purchases.

What are some eco-responsible menswear brands?

Although eco-responsible menswear brands are becoming more discreet, some creators are taking steps to provoke a more significant transition. 

However, recognizing an eco-responsible menswear brand is not necessarily easy for everyone, especially due to a lack of information and greenwashing.

To guide your purchases, you can refer to:

• Clear Fashion, which deciphers brands based on criteria of eco-responsibility and ethics. 
• The Marqu’IZ generator, which lists responsible brands that meet your criteria. 
• Readings like Mon dressing heureux by Céline Séris, which helps you better navigate and understand the ins and outs of fashion.

To give you some leads, we have prepared a small selection of brands that are part of eco-responsible production to find on Modalova:

Is eco-responsible menswear size-inclusive?

The second question raised in the debates is that of the representation of bodies in menswear. At a time when body positivity is at its peak, menswear seems to have missed the message.

Vogue notably pointed out during the autumn/winter 2023 fashion week that only 8 plus-size models were present out of a total of 69 shows. A disheartening observation.

Whether due to toxic masculinity or financial constraints, various origins contribute to this uniformity of male bodies in fashion, overlooking both fuller figures and those shorter than average.

Why does the restriction of sizes hinder eco-responsible menswear?

This lack of size options has a direct impact on the evolution of eco-responsible menswear. Currently, the brands where we primarily find menswear for small and large sizes belong to the Fast Fashion model.

Besides the trendy aspect and the highly attractive prices, the wide range of sizes is often presented as one of the main reasons for a purchase on a fast fashion site, whereas most luxury brands or small eco-responsible brands stop at XS and XL.

This lack of size diversity can be explained, on one hand, by a financial aspect. Creating a piece in a larger or smaller size does not simply require adding 5 cm all around; the entire pattern must be revised. This thus requires additional labor, skilled in working with these silhouettes. Also, regarding raw materials, larger fabrics incur higher costs.

A solution implemented by some creators to address these constraints is to work on pieces by order, producing only the required items.

Another reason for the lack of diversity in men’s silhouettes, both in collections and on runways, can be attributed to toxic masculinity, which imposes codes resembling Greek statues and leaves no room for varied shapes and heights. Nevertheless, some creators choose to design menswear for all men and wish to evolve the existing codes. Among them, Bennet Loveday has created his brand specifically for plus-size men, offering trendy and tailored pieces to highlight them.

A winning choice, knowing that in general, men have a loyal profile towards brands. If the pieces from a brand fit them, they are likely to concentrate their future purchases in that store. 

We see some brands successfully linking eco-responsible menswear to size inclusivity, such as Patagonia or Levi’s. However, their number is minimal and the road is still long.

So, will the alarm bells rung by some creators at the moment help accelerate the movement? We keep a close eye on the upcoming Fashion Weeks, hoping to witness shows celebrating bodies, curves, and varied silhouettes while embracing eco-responsibility.

Images: Pexels / Unsplash / Pinterest