The Journey to Conscious Consumerism

Recently I had an experience that has been weighing heavily on my conscious. 

The situation:  My day job is in a corporate environment – which means I need to dress to a certain standard. For two years I have been on the hunt for some nice boots to wear to work (prior to this I wore the same boots for over 7 years). With my boots being beyond repair (trust me I asked multiple shoe repair places) it was time to say goodbye. After spending 7 months getting away with wearing some also deteriorating Converse, it was time to pull it together and purchase some new ones. During my two-year hunt, I had been scouring second-hand shops and second-hand online retailers but had failed to find anything that I liked and in my size.

During a period of pure desperation, and trying to stay atop financially with the current economic climate, I decided to purchase from a retailer and brand I would never normally support - and I’ve felt bad about it ever since.

What is Fast Fashion and Is It Bad? 

Let’s begin with what fast fashion is. I think SHEIN immediately comes to the forefront of everyone’s mind when the word ‘fast fashion’ is mentioned. They are in the lead when it comes to today’s current fast fashion climate. However, most brands aren’t far behind – in that they all operate in the same way. Garments are cheap, stylish, following current trends, and being produced on a mass scale. Because they are cheap, they aren’t made to last, and sadly that is the aim of fast fashion: they want you to keep coming back. 

There are so many environmental issues associated with fast fashion. Some include the materials it is made from (plastics and petrochemicals), polluting waterways through the wastewater in production and dispersal through washing at home, toxic dyes, as well as mass production resulting in mass waste, and nowhere for it to go. The Atacama Desert in Chile, and multiple countries within Africa, are current examples. Clothes and shoes are quite literally dumped on these nations with little that can be done, often resulting in millions of garments being burned, which in turn becomes a human health concern for those living amongst this Western obsession of buying clothes at almost every paycheck. 

We can’t ignore the ethical issues either. Workers producing the garments are often working in extremely harsh, and unfair conditions; including being overworked, underpaid, and in dangerous working conditions.

The Behavioural Issues

There are some interesting behavioural issues associated with our consumerism in today’s modern society. We are often caught up in this world of what is trending, a lot of us require quick dopamine hits, and the fact of the matter is we often operate in this state of ‘monkey see, monkey do’. When we see our favourite influencers or content creators marketing a brand, we want what they have, and we may wholeheartedly trust their opinion. There often isn’t a space being held in this type of marketing for the environmental impact or the human laborers on the other end of that piece of clothing. 

As we delve deeper into what seems like an economic disaster, it is getting harder and harder for the average person to be able to afford nice things let alone an expensive piece of clothing. In my case a pair of boots that were going to set me back almost $600.00 (NZD). Now it is important to note I wholeheartedly support ethical fashion, and the prices associated with it. It is expensive because they are often made from high quality and ethically sourced materials, whilst the person making the garment/shoe is being paid a living wage and working under safe conditions. 

Trust me when I say it is a struggle to write about the other half of the argument. The argument of people not being able to afford certain ethical practices in times of financial hardship, including myself. I feel as though it goes against all my beliefs, but I think a lot of conscious consumers and those transitioning to being conscious can relate to this dilemma. 

It’s About Minimisation, Not Elimination

Hear me out: Considering myself a bit of a radical environmentalist, it is hard to say but the fight for the environment is about the minimisation of harm and not elimination. It is about doing what is feasibly possible for you right now – as the elimination of unethical practices is quite frankly impossible in the world that we live in. 

I thought for months about whether to buy these boots or not, and I have felt guilty, even for months afterward. I think this guilt is because I genuinely have no idea where they came from, and it is hard for me to ignore the poor human on the other end of this pair of boots. It is also not usually how I would consume, so there is an element of shame attached to this purchase. However, I know I have minimised harm in other places for the protection of our environment and human rights. For example, I use bar soap and shampoos, I use eco-friendly products to protect our waterways, I eliminated meat from my diet, and I hadn’t consumed fast fashion for over two years prior to this purchase. There are so many things I consider before I consume, and that is where the magic lies for long-term change. Nobody is perfect, we all make mistakes along our journey, and it is important to be extra kind to yourself if you are in a place of financial hardship – as so many are in the same boat right now. 

Consider These Before Buying Fast Fashion: 

1. The most important factor in my journey to eliminating fast fashion from my wardrobe has been to stop following trends. Find your own style and own it. 

2. Carefully consider every piece that you buy. I will often think about a piece of clothing for months before purchasing it so I can evaluate whether this piece is required in my wardrobe. Keeping in mind there are some things you may need immediately but this is where the conscious consumerism really kicks in!

3. Consider the material of the piece you want. I always try to go for linen, cotton, or hemp –  and organic if I can. These materials, depending on the dyes used are generally much safer for human health and the environment. 

4. Scour second-hand shops and second-hand online retailers first. Not only can you find hidden gems, you can almost always find that piece you wanted at half the price. I tend to go for a mixture of op shopping and online second-hand shops like Designer Wardrobe If you are looking for a specific piece or brand, designer wardrobe almost always has it listed. 

5. Do some brand research and be wary of greenwashing. If a brand has nothing on their website about their sustainable practices that is generally a big red flag. Don’t be afraid to reach out to your favourite brands and ask questions. If they don’t respond, you pretty much have your answers. 

6. Find value in having less in your wardrobe. Purchase less and save up that money you would normally put towards cheap items; instead, put it towards a higher quality item that is going to last you a lifetime. 

7. And finally, normalise repairing clothing and shoes. We don’t need to throw everything away because it has a hole or a stain. Most things can be fixed. 

Small Changes = Big Changes Over Time: 

As I leave you, remember that we often cannot see how our small changes accumulate over time into something meaningful. It is about the small daily changes that add up over time, with more people practicing in an ethical way, that makes the biggest changes. Fast Fashion is a well-oiled machine at this point in time, so don’t be afraid to make mistakes along your journey. Learning about conscious consumerism can be challenging – but it is also a very rewarding process. 

We hope you enjoyed our latest guest blog post by the amazing Emma (follow along to see her journey building a tiny house). Check out our other journal posts here for more top tips & tricks to living a sustainable life.

Keep an eye on your emails for our next guest blog post.

Love Annie / @ethicallyso

xxx