Fuck Fast Fashion
We're coming to the end of Fashion Revolution Week. Happening at the time of the heartbreaking Rana Plaza factory collapse in 2013 (google it) the campaign encourages consumers to ask #whomademyclothes. Of course there are ethical issues associated with fashion when many garments start off in the hands of overworked and underpaid people, including children. Fashion Revolution calls for greater transparency in the supply chain. You can find out a bit more over on their website, and challenge the brands online, in store and on social media to tell us exactly where their clothes come from!
Me and my boyfriend started our own sustainable fashion brand at the start of the year, called good.hrt. It's a project hand painting vintage and pre-loved denim jackets, and we have recently started designing one off organic tees too, supplied by Earth Positive. We are good.hrt on Instagram if you want to check it out. These are all unique and promise to stand the test of time. I was encouraged to do this after seeing more of the same *high street brand* bombers. Good.hrt makes sure your jacket is only yours. Upcycle!
Style is so much more than buying the new and the newer and the newest. Challenge the trends by sticking your own sustainable spin on things. Hidden in vintage stores, charity shops and second hand online sites are a trove of hideen gems. For new clothes I occasionally still choose high street, but I've been looking further into the brands I invest in, shocking teen me who had cheap fashion turning up at the house by the truck load. Then again my friend just bought me new shoes because mine had holes in the toes so you don't have to pay any attention to my style advice.
I'm not going to suggest you turn your jeans into shorts when you get sick of seeing them (cool if you do) but passing on is the greatest way to get rid. Don't join the landfill gang. Everyone knows about selling online, but if you don't have the time or will to run to the post office every day you can pass them on to some pretty cool recycling genies like Prolong for example in Aberdeen (see below). There will always be a market of independent creatives who could benefit from free fabric.
Try switching the way you think about fashion & if 10 or 100 or 10'000 people make the small changes you do? Well that could mean positive changes to the 75million odd people who make our clothes, the environment and ultimately make you feel that bit prouder about what you wear.