Jun 13

Jun 13 A Slow and Considered Approach to Ethical Fashion by Isabella Rose Young

A Slow and Considered Approach

We live in a society that glorifies fast paced production, hustle culture, materialistic excess and a demanding essence of rushing things in order to achieve “success”. But something’s been lost, muddled along the way because we have it all wrong. Isn’t the real success to be living gently with nature, our families and community, embracing simplicity to enjoy the little things?

Our Earth currently holds enough clothing for the next six generations. That’s billions of garments, enough to clothe our great grandchildren through to their great grandchildren. Each year we consume 80 billion pieces of clothing globally and only 20% is recycled with the remaining 80% sent to our overflowing landfills. With this overwhelming excess of clothing, where does it all go and why are we not circulating it more? Let’s make thrifting, mending, up cycling, recycling, selling and swapping cool. Let’s make it the new norm.

Isabella’s Closet

In my closet I like to keep things minimal, holding on to timeless and good quality pieces that I love. I use a one in and one out rule which means if I get a new item of clothing then I must let one go. Donating, selling, gifting or swapping are great ways to keep your wardrobe circular and maintain its size. If a piece of clothing does get too worn then you can always upcycle it like giving it a new cut, flower pressing or naturally dyeing it a new colour, crafting it into a reusable bag, stuffed animal, cushion or even use the fabric as rags for cleaning around the home.

Conscious Choices

If you do buy new clothing from a fashion label, thrift shop or marketplace then it’s important to be aware of how ethical (or not) the label you’re buying from is. 93% of brands surveyed by the fashion checker in China, India, Bangladesh and Indonesia are not paying their staff living wage and they often work in unsuitable, dangerous conditions on pressured deadlines to produce garments quickly. It’s essential for us to remember each piece of clothing we own has been made by someone. Their hands and energy have crafted every design, button, fabric, colour and stitch whether hand sewn or via machine.

The good news is, there are thoughtful fashion labels who consider and value their staff; paying them fair trade wages, offering a safe work environment, suitable breaks and small releases that remove the pressure to create on a demanding deadline. So next time you buy an item of clothing new, why not support a slow, conscious and ethical brand that is transparent in their processes?

Ethical Fabric Options

When it comes to the fabric of your clothing; synthetics such as polyester, nylon, acrylic, faux fur and faux leather are a good one to reconsider and to stay away from even if they’re recycled. Essentially these fabrics are plastic or they use a multitude of chemicals, coal or oil to manufacture.. They are relatively cheap to make which is why you may come across them often. However, synthetic fibres won’t biodegrade in generations to come and can release up to 700,000 microfibres in a single wash.. Allowing these microplastics to enter our oceans waterways. When wearing synthetic fibres you're not only passively wearing a pollutant, but also fabric that unfortunately may be toxic for your health. Plastic is a known endocrine and hormone disruptor as well as skin irritant.

What about Pre-Loved?

When choosing future clothing that’s newly freshly made or pre-loved, opt for natural fibres which are biodegradable such as organic cotton, linen, wool and plant based viscose. Check the fabric & care / details section upon a website before buying a garment - or read the tag of the clothing if you are buying second hand. It should tell you here the material it’s made from and what ratio if it’s a blend. Soft and delicate fabrics may need to have extra care taken for them including washing and drying. Thankfully there are plenty of eco-savvy, low toxicity and gentle laundry brands around! Drying your clothing outside with the sun is also an excellent way to harness mother nature’s natural energy.

Now more than ever it’s time to change.. to slow down, rethink, and take positive actions toward a sustainable and regenerative future. We have the opportunity and responsibility to consider where the clothes we are wearing came from.. what materials and dyes they are made with and what will happen to them once we have finished wearing them. Upcycling, donating, selling, gifting, taking care of and mending our garments is key to creating a future shaped by sustainable, ethical and slow fashion.

Guest Blog Post by Isabella Young @isabellaroseyoung

If you enjoyed reading this, be sure to check out our other guest blog post

Love Annie / @ethicallyso

xxx