/ / Ethical Fashion, Journal, My Wardrobe
and is reprinted here with her permission. Link to original at the end.
and is reprinted here with her permission. Link to original at the end.
Clothes are an important part of our daily life. Yet the global industry that employs one sixth of the world's population is riddled with issues such as fast fashion, toxic chemical use, forced labour and waste. We have the opportunity to affect millions of people’s lives and to protect our environment by how we shop and what we wear. Rules are made to be broken, but by following these you can make a difference.
1) Research ethical designers
(Ethical, Eco, Sustainable, Green are generally interchangeable words). There are so many designers with exciting collections that are using intelligent design and pushing the production boundaries. Read online magazines and eco-fashion blogs to keep up to date with the latest developments.
2) Ask yourself if you really need something new
or if you can wear something in a different way to make it feel fresh. If you are buying it, think about what you have that you can wear it with so you don’t need any new accessories.
3) Try and set a limit
for how many things you buy a year. Make it the right number for you. Think of how many things you usually buy every month or year and then take off at least a quarter. Or even half it – you don’t need as much as you think.
4) Support small local designers
In a world that is increasingly global, it’s hard for local artists to compete with the high street. But the things that they create are special, original and come with a low carbon footprint.
5) Buy something organic
or made from a new fabric such as from Soy Bean, Nettle or Milk. They are not as harmful to the earth and the farmers as more common fabrics such as non organic cotton which involves heavy pesticide use.
6) Have a wardrobe clear-out
and give your unloved pieces to your local charity shop or hold a swishing party. Research the best clothing banks to donate to as some recycle every bit of clothing even if it is damaged, and some throw away things they can't sell.
7) When buying something new, ask
the shop/designer what is not on the label such as what it is made from, where it was made and who by. This way you learn about the story of your clothes and if the designer or brand hasn’t thought about it, you are helping change the industry by reminding them to do so.
8) Get out your sewing machine
and customise something old (maybe two or three things) into something new. Sewing machines are not as hard to use as you think they are.
If you don’t think you can do it yourself, find a sewing class, or you could ask your gran!
9) When buying something new, think of how long you will like it for.
1) Research ethical designers
(Ethical, Eco, Sustainable, Green are generally interchangeable words). There are so many designers with exciting collections that are using intelligent design and pushing the production boundaries. Read online magazines and eco-fashion blogs to keep up to date with the latest developments.
2) Ask yourself if you really need something new
or if you can wear something in a different way to make it feel fresh. If you are buying it, think about what you have that you can wear it with so you don’t need any new accessories.
3) Try and set a limit
for how many things you buy a year. Make it the right number for you. Think of how many things you usually buy every month or year and then take off at least a quarter. Or even half it – you don’t need as much as you think.
4) Support small local designers
In a world that is increasingly global, it’s hard for local artists to compete with the high street. But the things that they create are special, original and come with a low carbon footprint.
5) Buy something organic
or made from a new fabric such as from Soy Bean, Nettle or Milk. They are not as harmful to the earth and the farmers as more common fabrics such as non organic cotton which involves heavy pesticide use.
6) Have a wardrobe clear-out
and give your unloved pieces to your local charity shop or hold a swishing party. Research the best clothing banks to donate to as some recycle every bit of clothing even if it is damaged, and some throw away things they can't sell.
7) When buying something new, ask
the shop/designer what is not on the label such as what it is made from, where it was made and who by. This way you learn about the story of your clothes and if the designer or brand hasn’t thought about it, you are helping change the industry by reminding them to do so.
8) Get out your sewing machine
and customise something old (maybe two or three things) into something new. Sewing machines are not as hard to use as you think they are.
If you don’t think you can do it yourself, find a sewing class, or you could ask your gran!
9) When buying something new, think of how long you will like it for.
Is it a keeper or something you will wear once? Try and buy something that you can get a lot of wear out, even if it is special, you might as well wear it whilst you can.
10) Buy something that is fair-trade
The Fairtrade certification guarantees that producers have been paid a fair price for the material. For example you can get fairtrade cotton and fairtrade gold.
Note that if they have written fair-trade as two words that they don’t have the official certification (although they might be implementing fair trade practises)
Rent or borrow
something instead of buying something new. It’s a great feeling when you wear something belonging to a family member or a friend, and it makes them happy to see you enjoying it too (that is if you asked permission!) If they don’t have your taste then you could try a designer rental service.
© 2012 Words - Amisha Ghadiali www.elegancerebellion.com Design - Joana Casaca Lemos www.joanacasacalemos.com
10) Buy something that is fair-trade
The Fairtrade certification guarantees that producers have been paid a fair price for the material. For example you can get fairtrade cotton and fairtrade gold.
Note that if they have written fair-trade as two words that they don’t have the official certification (although they might be implementing fair trade practises)
Rent or borrow
something instead of buying something new. It’s a great feeling when you wear something belonging to a family member or a friend, and it makes them happy to see you enjoying it too (that is if you asked permission!) If they don’t have your taste then you could try a designer rental service.
© 2012 Words - Amisha Ghadiali www.elegancerebellion.com Design - Joana Casaca Lemos www.joanacasacalemos.com
- Reprinted with permission from the Author
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