Green is the New Black - Slow Fashion for Sustainable Styling
/“BUY LESS, BUY BETTER, AND REALLY WEAR IT”
Summer is here, albeit in its inimitable British way, meaning it’s time to pack away the winter woolies (except the raincoat) and think about what you need to add to create this season’s wardrobe. It’s also an opportunity to rethink your shopping practices and to create a more mindful approach to seasonal clothing purchases in the form of slow fashion.
What is slow fashion?
Slow fashion is a term coined in 2007, although it is constantly evolving. Whereas a few years ago, we would have considered it sufficient to focus solely on the materials our garments are made from, slow fashion now enables us to consider our clothing choices in a more holistic way. This perspective includes circular fashion, in which items circulate in a closed loop, manufactured to last using renewable materials. We purchase from an ethical company (more on that below), wear, then resell when no longer needed. The high quality of the items means this process continues for some time. When the sustainable garment reaches the end of its life, it is recycled, minimising waste and reducing landfill.
Shop with intent
The key to a sustainable wardrobe is shopping with intent. Shopping in a panic to fill your wardrobe for the next season will lead to poor purchase decisions — think of it as akin to grocery shopping when you are hungry or thirsty. Shopping with intent shifts our mindset towards conscious consumption, which forms the foundation of sustainable fashion.
“BUY LESS, CHOOSE WELL, MAKE IT LAST. QUALITY, NOT QUANTITY.”
Edit your wardrobe
Editing your wardrobe is the first step of shopping with intent, as it gives you the insight you need to make intentional purchases. Buying carefully and selectively will allow you to create a wardrobe that works hard for you, with key pieces combining to create multiple outfits. During your wardrobe edit, you may find items you won’t wear, creating the opportunity to contribute to the cycle of sustainability. You can sell these items on platforms such as Vinted, DePop, or eBay, or recycle them at your local clothing store. Retail outlets that offer recycling facilities include Eileen Fisher, John Lewis, Baukjen, Schuh, and Arket. Participating stores usually have a collection bin in-store, although Baukjen asks that you sent items by post.
How to buy
The next stage is purchasing. When buying, consider the quality of products you are buying, and the sustainability policy of the company you are purchasing from. You can usually find sustainability commitments on the company’s website. Key points to look for are the quality of fabric used, the reasoning behind using those specific fabrics, and the eco credentials of both the fabric and the manufacturing process. For example, Jigsaw outlines its ethos around using only sustainable materials, with a separate section on each material used. Other high-street brands, including COS and Phase Eight, also outline their sustainability goals and practices on their websites.
Buying less but better is a concept reinforced by companies such as E.L.V Denim, which uses upcycled materials; Community Clothing, a British company promoting fair wages and ethical production; and Remake, which focuses on empowering women, fair pay, and environmental sustainability.
And, finally
In a world of over-purchasing, slow fashion is a refreshing change, benefitting the environment, the workers, and the quality of clothing (as well as paying it forward to your bank balance). The space to really consider our choices in a more mindful way is a welcome change from the shopping habits we often adopt.
Spending more money on high-quality clothing that will stand the test of time, rather than filling your basket with fast fashion, is incredibly rewarding and empowering, ultimately building a wardrobe that offers more choice than over-buying throwaway clothing.
If you would like some help to change your shopping habits and refresh your wardrobe for this season, do get in touch!