4 Ways of Fair Fashion
Unfortunately we live in a system that doesn't really care for anything but profit. Fashion is one of the most polluting industries in the world, and not only that, it exploits its workers and often uses sentient beings as materials. For more info, I put a few resources below.
But there is an alternative: Fair fashion. Here I'll tell you the 4 ways I get my clothes ethically.
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| Handmade necklace, thrifted t-shirt, vegan&fairtrade shoes and hand-me-down jeans |
Hand-me-downs and Swaps
Who doesn't want free stuff? You can ask your family members and your friends to see their old clothes that they don't use anymore. It might be a little weird at first, but it's fun, I promise. My wardrobe has always consisted in mostly hand-me-downs from my mother, but recently I decided to take a step further and ask a friend if she had any bathing suits that she didn't wear and didn't mind giving to me. We had fun going through her wardrobe and found a few bikinis that she never wore because she thought they didn't suit her, so I took them, and I'm in love with them!
There are also facebook groups to give, sell or swap used clothes. Look for one in your area.
Thrift Shopping
When you're used to buying in fast fashion stores it can be overwhelming to go into a thrift shop, but it's just a matter of getting the hang of it. There are many kind of thrift stores, so if you hate one, try visiting another! It might be tiring at times, but I promise that when you do find something you like, it's an indescribably good feeling that you could never get from a fast fashion store.
Small & local artisans
There are so many talented people struggling to make a living, while we are giving all our money to big companies, making their owners richer and richer while doing nothing for the actual workers. If you pass by a workshop or a family business, check it out. You might find something you like, and in much better quality than you would find in a fast fashion store.
You can also check etsy for beautiful, handmade pieces.
Ethical Brands
If you can afford supporting an ethical, fair trade brand, that is a wonderful way to shop ethically. By an ethical brand, I mean brands that actually care about their workers and the environment - if you go on the brand's website and there isn't any information on how the workers are treated, where the factories are or the materials they use, it's probably not an ethical brand. And beware of the green washing: just because a company says it is conscious doesn't mean it actually is.
I probably will list a few ethical brands in the future, but meanwhile, I really like Kristen Leo's list.
Resources
The True Cost (Documentary)
https://cleanclothes.org/
http://fashionrevolution.org/
When you're used to buying in fast fashion stores it can be overwhelming to go into a thrift shop, but it's just a matter of getting the hang of it. There are many kind of thrift stores, so if you hate one, try visiting another! It might be tiring at times, but I promise that when you do find something you like, it's an indescribably good feeling that you could never get from a fast fashion store.
Small & local artisans
There are so many talented people struggling to make a living, while we are giving all our money to big companies, making their owners richer and richer while doing nothing for the actual workers. If you pass by a workshop or a family business, check it out. You might find something you like, and in much better quality than you would find in a fast fashion store.
You can also check etsy for beautiful, handmade pieces.
Ethical Brands
If you can afford supporting an ethical, fair trade brand, that is a wonderful way to shop ethically. By an ethical brand, I mean brands that actually care about their workers and the environment - if you go on the brand's website and there isn't any information on how the workers are treated, where the factories are or the materials they use, it's probably not an ethical brand. And beware of the green washing: just because a company says it is conscious doesn't mean it actually is.
I probably will list a few ethical brands in the future, but meanwhile, I really like Kristen Leo's list.
Resources
The True Cost (Documentary)
https://cleanclothes.org/
http://fashionrevolution.org/
I hope this helps you make more conscious choices in the future!
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