Kate Middleton recently made headlines for sporting a rented awards show look. But she isn't the only royal with a flair for sustainable fashion.
Meghan Markle has been turning heads for years with her embrace of sustainable threads. Whether it's a simple classic button-up with jeans or a vintage Dior gown, Markle knows how to dress for any occasion — and the environment.
The Duchess of Sussex has been seen wearing clothes from titans of the sustainable fashion industry, from Stella McCartney and Gabriela Hearst to smaller brands like Outland Denim and Veja shoes.
Markle's interest in sustainable fashion can be linked to her first viral public appearance with Prince Harry, as she sported a crisp "husband" shirt from friend and sustainable designer Misha Nonoo in 2017. Sustainable fashion also took center stage on her wedding day, where she wore a Stella McCartney reception gown.
The fashion world has taken notice, with outlets like Vogue, Town and Country Magazine, Harper's Bazaar, and Marie Claire, all noting that Markle not only supports sustainable brands, but she's also not afraid to re-wear a look.
Sustainable fashion has grown in popularity in recent years. But unfortunately, so has fast fashion.
With brands like Shein, H&M, and Fashion Nova focusing on quantity over quality, producers are now able to create over 100 billion garments each year. Three of every five of those items end up in a landfill the following year, and 20% of items never make it off the shelves.
It's safe to say that Markle is setting quite the example in her sustainable threads, and some believe that her influence will encourage other celebrities to follow suit.
"I think her choices will help consumers see that there are ways for all of us to make a difference … whether that's wearing brands and products that are sustainable or wearing pieces multiple times," Shilpa Shah, the co-founder of LA-based brand Cuyana, told Elle.
Tamara Zwalt, director of textiles and apparel at Cradle to Cradle's Products Innovation Institute, a nonprofit dedicated to sustainable manufacturing, agreed, telling Elle that: "It is going to have such an impact, I know for sure because she is such a role model to many in many different age categories."
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