Slow fashion is a fast-growing movement that offers a sustainable alternative to fast fashion. In contrast to the rapid production and almost immediate obsolescence of fast fashion, slow fashion focuses on creating high-quality, long-lasting garments that stand the test of time.
For those of us over sixty, it’s important to consider the state of the world that our children and grandchildren will inherit, and to do our best to reduce our carbon footprint wherever we can. Making smart fashion choices can help. In this post I’m going to be explaining what slow fashion is, and why you should consider adopting some of its principles.
What is Slow Fashion?
Slow fashion is a movement that aims to counteract fast fashion by promoting sustainability, ethical labour practices, and consciousness in clothing production and consumption. It’s about creating and buying clothes that are made to last and have a lower impact on the environment.
The Key Principles of Slow Fashion
- Sustainability:
The use of sustainable materials is a key consideration in slow fashion. This includes using organic and natural fibers, recycled materials, and minimizing waste in the production process. By using sustainable materials and better production processes, companies can reduce their environmental impact and create clothing that is both long-lasting and eco-friendly.
- Quality:
Slow fashion values quality over quantity, emphasizing craftsmanship, durability, and timeless design. It promotes investing in high-quality, timeless pieces that can be worn for years rather than trendy, disposable clothing that falls apart after a few wears and ends up in land fill. High-quality clothing is also more sustainable, as it reduces the need for frequent replacements. It may be more expensive up front, but this balances out overtime on a cost per wear basis.
- Consciousness and Transparency:
Slow fashion encourages conscious consumption by promoting transparency, ethical labour practices, and fair trade. Advocates of slow fashion look to buy from businesses that pay workers a living wage and provide safe working conditions. This should be demonstrated by providing consumers with information about the entire supply chain, from sourcing of materials to manufacturing and transportation. This allows consumers to make informed decisions about the environmental and social impact of the clothing they buy. Most brands have a Sustainability page on their website these days. Some are better than others. Here is a link to the Marks and Spencer page.
- Community:
Slow fashion fosters a sense of community by connecting consumers with makers and promoting local production. By keeping production close to home, companies can reduce their carbon footprint and support local economies. Locally made clothing also gives consumers the opportunity to connect with the people who make their clothes and see the production process first-hand. Community Clothing is a great example of a UK based company dedicated to sustainability and local community. Here is their mission statement:
“We have a simple mission. To make the very best quality everyday clothing; to make it from the very best natural materials in the very best factories right here in the UK; and to sell it at great prices that everyone can afford 365 days a year. “
Why should you care?
According to a report produced in 2016 by McKinsey, global clothing production doubled from 2000 to 2014, and the number of garments purchased per capita during thar period increased by 60%. Fast fashion businesses have compressed production cycles and vastly increased the rate at which they turn out new ‘on trend’ designs to such an extent that consumers treat the lowest priced garments as disposable, discarding them after just a handful of wears.
environmental impact
The environmental impact of making and buying these cheap and disposable clothes is catastrophic. The global fashion industry is one of the world’s biggest polluters. Some environmental groups have suggested that it may even be the second highest polluting industry behind only oil and gas. Other groups, including those associated with the fashion industry, dispute this ranking and instead put it at around sixth on the league table. Whichever is right, no one is denying that the manufacture of cheap clothing requires the use of large amounts of water and chemicals and emits significant amounts of greenhouse gases. None of this is good for the environment. There are also reports that factory workers are underpaid and exposed to unsafe and harmful working conditions.
The huge increase in cheap clothing sales, however, suggests that most consumers are willing to either tolerate or overlook these social and environmental costs. I’m certainly not immune to the clothes buying compulsion myself, particularly in the sales (See my post about my addiction to buying cotton shirts) but let me try to convince you of the benefits of taking slow fashion principles into account when you go shopping.
How to Embrace Slow Fashion
- Invest in High Quality Timeless Pieces. Choose quality over quantity and only buy pieces you are committed to wearing for years to come. Look for well-cut garments in classic, timeless styles that will never go out of style. Develop your own sense of fashion and style. Know what suits and fits you, then buy the best you can afford.
- Choose natural, sustainable materials like organic cotton, wool, or linen. These materials are biodegradable, have a lower environmental impact and will last longer than synthetic alternatives. They’re also much more comfortable to wear.
- Make your own clothes. Many of us learnt how to sew and knit when we were younger but have lost the knack overtime. Today there is a much bigger interest in these crafts. For sewing inspiration, look at the hugely popular BBC programme The Great British Sewing Bee. Hand knitting has also had a big resurgence with really inspirational knitwear designers selling their patterns online. Take a look at Petite Knit, Sophie Ochera and Anne Ventzel. Local yarn stores also offer classes and online knit-alongs (KALs) which are really great. I’ve done a couple with Tribe Yarns which have been really supportive and fun.
- Shop second hand. Buying vintage and quality second hand clothing is a growth area these days. Look for vintage shops and market stalls and online marketplaces like eBay and Etsy. You can give new life to preloved items and pick up something unique at great prices.
- Take care of your clothes. Reduce the frequency and temperature of washes and ironing. Repair and mend clothing. Learn basic sewing skills to repair a hem or sew on a missing button. Take your clothes to a tailor instead of throwing them away.
- Become aware of the environmental and social impact of the clothes you buy. Look at labels and consider the environmental footprint of your shopping. Attach importance to the working conditions of the people who produced them. Many clothing lines now have a Sustainability tab on their website which details their approach to the subject. (See Uniqlo’s one here)
- Invest in brands that are committed to sustainable development. Here is a list of Harpers Bazaar’s favourites as a starting point: The best and still chic sustainable brands.
- Don’t buy on impulse. We all do it, and usually go on to regret it. That impulse buy lives at the back of your wardrobe, tags still in place, until eventually you need more space and send it to a charity shop. Maybe someone will buy it, but there’s a big chance it will end up in landfill. Think twice before you buy.
Conclusion
Embracing slow fashion is an ethical and sustainable choice that benefits the environment and society as a whole. By adopting the principles of slow fashion, you can make a significant impact on reducing waste, conserving resources, and supporting ethical labour practices around the world. As an added bonus, thinking more carefully about what you buy can help you to develop a more thoughtful and personalised wardrobe, ultimately leading to a better dressed you. Why not give it a try?
As always, I’d love to see your comments.
Thanks for reading, Sian.
Leave a Reply