An industry stuck on fast forward

Part 2: What can I do?

In part 1 of this miniseries, we learned how industrialisation of the fashion and textiles industry, combined with clever marketing, has normalised a wasteful, occasion-driven habit of consumption. The raw materials used, the environmental pollution it causes, and the social injustice weaved into its fabric, mean that the issue of fast fashion is one that cannot be overlooked, and must be acted on.

"Clothing manufacture and sales in the UK is still the fourth largest pressure on our natural resources after housing, transport and food. To address this huge challenge, we all need to learn to value our clothes more." WRAP, 2017

So what can I, as an individual, do to change a seemingly unassailable industry?

Well… (after having accepted that the solution is not to try convince my girlfriend that she can wear the same outfit twice)… I can say that having listened to the many passionate sustainable fashion activists, I am confident that there are easy, actionable solutions that we can all adopt to become more sustainable in our fashion choices.

First of all, love and appreciate the clothes you already own.

Organise your wardrobe – take everything out and remind yourself of what you own. If you know what’s in your wardrobe, you’re more likely to wear more of your clothes and you’ll most likely discover things you haven’t seen in months.
Have a winter and summer collection – separate your clothes into summer and winter wardrobes and put away the clothes you won’t need for six months, then it’ll feel like a new wardrobe when you get them out again.
Learn how to tailor items of clothing to make new looks/styles from the same items of clothing.
A great way to show respect to the people who made our clothes is to value and look after them; always read the label when it comes to washing, wash at no more than 30 degrees on a short cycle (which will also contribute to reducing energy & water consumption), air-drying whenever you can, hang them up and fold them properly, because the better care you take of your garms the longer they will last. When they get damaged, learn how to mend them. There are hundreds of YouTube tutorials on up-cycling and darning. The more use we can get out of each item of clothing, the more we reduce the emissions footprint of our wardrobe.

Make use of friends & family. Create a habit of sharing and swapping items of clothing with your friends and family, this way your fashion isn’t limited by what’s in your wardrobe.

Explore the rapidly growing world of rentals. Increasing numbers of clothing rental websites are popping up, such as HireStreet, Our Closet, and Hurr, which offer a simple way to own clothes for a short period of time, thus getting the most out of the clothing already in existence.

If you do buy, buy second hand. There are hundreds of places to buy amazing second-hand clothing, both on the high street and online. Charity shops are an overlooked source for great clothing – which also have the benefit of your pennies going to support great causes! There are also vintage markets, thrift shops, again, both high street and online. Go check out Vinted, Thirft+ and even Oxfam online.

If you do buy new, buy conscious. Buy from small, local businesses that are fully transparent in their sourcing/operations and engaged with their audience, and, most importantly, are taking efforts to reduce environmental impact. If you need to buy something from a larger corporation, make sure it is making genuine efforts in both sustainable and ethical practice. When you buy a new item of clothing, consider Livia Firth’s #30wears campaign which encourages consumers to ask: Will I wear this item a minimum of 30 times? Other important questions to ask are - Who made these clothes? How will this product end its life? Do I really need it? What is it made from? Does the price reflect the effort and resources that went into this?

Think before just giving clothes to a charity shop or throwing them away. If you own an item of clothing that you really do want to get rid of, consider the points above. Could you tailor/edit/adjust it to make a new item? Could you give it to a friend or family member? Could you rent it through one of the rental websites? Could you sell it on DePop?

Build a personal style - Know what works for you, your body, and your lifestyle. This encourages you to be more conscious about your fashion choices and will help you feel confident about your look - regardless of what the latest “trends” are.

Finally – get active and get involved! Have the important conversations and ask the difficult questions. Put pressure on clothing producers to improve their practices. Vote with your wallet.

Also, guys, we buy clothes too. We’re not immune to the problems of fast fashion. The same principles apply to us as well – let's be a part of the solution.

I give fast fashion a 1/10

Here is a collection of brands & websites that I have found during my research… it is by no means comprehensive and I would love to discover more companies and add them to this list – so please get in touch if you are aware of any!

When looking for sustainable brands, the following websites are a great place to start…

· Good On You – extensive list of brands rated in terms of ethical & sustainable practice. Supported by Emma Watson.

· Done Good – collection of sustainable & ethical brands and products

· The Good Shopping Guide – compares retailers by their ethical standards.

Here are some inspiring individuals to follow if you want to learn more…

· Sustainable fashion activist Venetia La Manna. BBC Radio 1’s Sustainability Expert and is the Sustainability Ambassador for The Body Shop. Venetia runs the Slow Fashion Exchange Facebook group.

· Lydia Morrow Self-taught seamstress promoting sustainable fashion.

· Creative Wardrobe “a mindful consultancy that helps women to build more joyful, functional and sustainable wardrobes”

Rental fashion brands:

· By Rotation

· Girl Meets Dress

· The Endless Wardrobe

· Hurr Collective

· Our closet

· HireStreet UK

Second hand online:

· Thrift+

· Oxfam