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Sustainable fashion-designer Shahd Al Shehail talks candidly about conscious consumer habits and preserving craftmanship with her women-led brand, Abadia.

- Natalie Westernoff

As a leader in conscious fashion and educating people on sustainability, how far do you think people are from changing their consumer habits?

On April 24, 2013, the world watched on in horror as the death toll mounted in one of the worst industrial accidents in recent history. In Dhaka, Bangladesh, the eight-storey Rana Plaza building collapsed killing over 1,100 people and seriously injuring many others. As tragic as this incident was, it acted as a catalyst for change. When I first started out in this industry, experts would tell me that consumers didn’t care about how their clothes were made. But I believed then and I believe now that it isn’t that they don’t care, it’s that they don’t know.

Over the last six years consumer awareness about sustainability in fashion has increased dramatically and continues to grow. Every year, we see more and more innovation in sustainable materials and ethical manufacturing practices. It’s a lot easier for consumers to shop their values than it was six years ago. There are an incredible amount of ethical and sustainable fashion and footwear options out there for people now. We still have a long way to go, but change is happening and that’s exciting.

What is your opinion on fast fashion? How can we help consumers to buy less and pay more?