Ok don’t get your feathers too ruffled here comes the explanation: Any of these when genuinely used are a brilliant step towards being sustainable but they need to be backed up. A lot of the time these terms are thrown around and don’t stand up to a simple desk research. Now to flesh out these terms: “Made to order”, a point many brands lie about. Here’s how to tell: what are lead times and do they allow for a degree of customisation? If it’s made to order it’s also going to be more expensive, so if it’s too good to be true... So many brands are jumping on the hype for slow fashion but producing sub par clothing. Or they’re ultra luxe and have always been bespoke but are using the term “sustainable” alongside their claims without regard to any other aspect of what it means. Responsible or conscious is often used instead of straight up “sustainable” because it’s regarded as less inflammatory. A brilliant example is saying, “we’re not sustainable - no one is. But look at how responsible our clothes are (even if they’re designed to need polyester and we’re releasing new sequin pieces)”. Equally, naming a capsule responsible but the mainstream lines not adhering to the same principles is confusing too. Perfection is NOT the goal, but claiming wild things isn’t helpful to anyone. Planting trees... I mean, that’s a 2017 move. Not to be all doom and gloom but we’re also kind of past that point. Instead, look for brands that follow the mitigation hierarchy: avoid, reduce, restore and regenerate and give back. Biodegradable - ok, grey area! So I like natural fibres for its circularity. It leaves less of an impact post consumer than say a non-biodegradable synthetic. Did you know that viscose biodegrades? It’s often used as a claim that it’s “sustainable” without factoring in the chemical and pollution intensive manufacturing methods. Not to mention mass deforestation. No fabric is ideal in its entirety but the word “biodegradable” is not as it seems. Don’t get me started on the sunglasses... Recycled... if you’ve been following for a while you know what I have to say. Idc if it’s less harmful than virgin synthetic if it’s not needed it’s NOT needed 💁🏻‍♀️