The Teen Vogue Sustainable Fashion and Beauty Glossary
Art by Tina Tona
Sustainable and ethical fashion is complicated, especially when we're not all on the same page about terminology. That's why we put together our sustainable fashion and beauty glossary — an A-Z guide on common words used in these conversations. We've included resources and further reading from Teen Vogue and will continue to update as the conversation evolves.
A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, Z
Artisan: Artisans, like artists, are typically people who work with their hands to make a product. In the fashion industry, artisans often work in embroidery, batik, and finishing.
Related: Sonam Kapoor Talks Dior Appointment, Uplifting Indian Artisanship & Being Her Own Stylist
Biodegradable: In textiles, biodegradable materials are those that can break down naturally, which include silk and cotton.
Related: Companies Created Environmentally Friendly Biodegradable Glitter
Carbon offset: To offset the impact of carbon usage, some fashion brands invest in eco-friendly projects such as tree planting. Carbon offsets can be controversial because they and their benefits are difficult to track; as a result, some brands have had to backtrack on carbon offset claims.
Circular fashion: Circular fashion is a term often used to describe the process of creating a product while keeping the end of its life cycle in mind. It can also be used to define the secondhand and recycling industry in textiles.
Related: Ahluwalia and Microsoft Collaborate on Circulate, a Web App for Upcycling Clothing
Deadstock: Stock that can’t be sold is called deadstock. In fashion, this often refers to leftover fabric from a collection that has not been used.
Ethical fashion: Ethical fashion is a broad term that refers to brands that consider labor and environmental concerns in production processes.
Fairtrade certified: Certification through the fair trade organization and movement means a company has demonstrated its commitment to making sure communities and workers have safe conditions and fair wages. In fashion, for example, this distinction can be given to agricultural practices, such as harvesting cotton for textiles.
Fast fashion: This term refers to clothing that is produced and sold within a shorter time than traditional, bespoke-made production timelines. Fast fashion garments are usually inexpensive, made with cheap materials, and produced in large volumes.
Greenwashing: Greenwashing occurs when one small step to improve sustainability is used to deceptively indicate a larger brand shift, such as a fashion brand that creates a small organic cotton collection and markets it as a company-wide shift.
HIGG Index: A tool used to self-assess a brand’s sustainability throughout its supply chain. Created by Cascale (formerly the Sustainable Apparel Coalition), the index was under scrutiny for greenwashing allegations and received a series of recommendations, which the organization set out to correct immediately. (Teen Vogue reached out to Cascale for a progress update.)
Invest: The act of putting cash or other financial contributions behind an item, cause, organization, or movement to help support its development.
Jersey: A soft, stretchy knit fabric that was originally made from wool but now often includes cotton and synthetic fibers.
Kayayei: A Hausa term used to refer to head porters in Ghana, typically young women who carry large loads of clothing on their heads in the market; a practice that is dangerous and can lead to permanent damage or even death.
Related: When You Donate Clothing, These Women Carry the Load
Living wage: The wage required for a worker to meet the cost of basic needs like housing and food; varies widely by region.
Microplastics: Small plastic particles that, in fashion, often come from fossil fuel-based fabrics like polyester.
Mycelium: Fungal fibers that can be used to make vegan alternatives to fabrics like leather.
Related: Stella McCartney to Debut First-Ever Mushroom Leather Bag
Net-zero: When carbon emissions are effectively cut or counterbalanced to such a small amount of residue that they can be absorbed by nature and not linger in the atmosphere.
Organic cotton: Cotton that is grown without the use of pesticides, a practice that is usually certified by an organization like the Fairtrade Foundation.
Polyester: A type of synthetic fabric derived from petroleum.
Quantitative analysis: Data studied to better understand variable components in a system to determine things like the effect of deforestation on climate change.
Recycled: When waste is converted into a new material or other products.
Related: Recycling Beauty Products Doesn't Have to Be Difficult
Regenerative farming: An agricultural process of reversing the degradation of soil by using natural practices.
Secondhand: Clothing, shoes, and accessories that have already been bought or used by someone prior.
Related: Secondhand Clothes Are Taxed Twice, These Fashion Brands Want to Stop It
Supply chain: Supply chain refers to the entire process of making a product: from the farm or plant that creates the fabric to the factory that assembles an item to its delivery to consumers.
Synthetic: Man-made materials like polyester or nylon.
Transparency: Sharing information about how and where a product is made.
Upcycling: Creating a new garment out of a used garment.
Related: What Is Upcycling and What's the Big Deal?
Vegan: Fabrics and products that do not use any animal products or byproducts.
Related: Billie Eilish’s Air Jordan Collaboration Includes Two 100% Vegan Silhouettes
Vintage: Clothing that was made in the past. In fashion, the timing that makes something vintage can vary, but most resellers agree that at least 15 years old is considered vintage.
Waste (textile): In production, textile waste is unused materials that are usually sent to landfills. In the secondhand market, waste is clothing that is unsold and sent to a landfill.
Related: Christian Siriano Sent Textile Waste Down the Runway at New York Fashion Week Spring-Summer 2025
Xenobiotics: Chemical pollutants, like plastics and synthetic materials, that are foreign and often harmful to their environments.
Yellow oxide: A natural oxide-based pigmentation used to dye fabrics.
Z
Zero waste: Clothing that is produced using all fabric available, even after cutting.
Story Credits
Header art: Tina Tona
Art Director: Emily Zirimis
Designer: Liz Coulbourn
Associate Visuals Editor: Bea Oyster
Style Director: Alyssa Hardy
Originally Appeared on Teen Vogue
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