Why I am ditching fast fashion.

Let's face it, how many times have we stood in front of a jam packed wardrobe and said 'I've got nothing to wear.' We have all done it and up until recently I didn't really think much of it. Since I started earning at the age of 16, before most nights out I would plan in a shopping trip to Topshop, Forever 21, H&M etc and pick up something new. When I still lived at home I would also raid my best friends wardrobes, usually just a few hours before we headed out.

I didn't think twice about the cost of buying something new everytime we went out. Until leaving uni, money was disposable to a certain extent, and the thought of being an outfit repeater was worse than chucking 20 pound at a crappy made slip of a dress. I blame the Lizzie Mcguire movie for the shame of wearing an outfit to a social occassion more than once. Did we all forget about washing machines?

Times have changed however and now the impact of 'fast fashion' is hitting our TV screens, newspapers and social media. Yes, we all know about climate change: cars are bad, plastic is evil and going veggie/vegan is the better option. But the fashion industry has a massive impact on the world we live in today.

People are buying 60% more clothing items in 2020 than they did in 2014, yet they keep those new items for half as long. Up to 85% of textiles ends up in landfills, with a rubbish truck load being burnt or dumped EVERY SECOND. Even the clothes we keep have an impact, with many items of clothing sending thousands of microplastics into the ocean with every machine wash. The fashion industry is the second largest consumer of water world-wide. These aren't facts than you can know and just ignore.

Fast fashion isn't just impacting the environment. The affect it has on the workers is appaling too. We have all learnt about sweat shops, it's taught in year 8 Geography. Boohoo's factories in Leicester have been found to be paying their workers less than minimum wage and were made to work throughout the COVID lockdown without access to hand sanitisers and PPE. Yet, on their insta they will happily say they are feminists and that they support black lives matter. Hmmm, I think not. Their workforce is mainly made up of POC with the ladies slaving away at the machines and then men working in the warehouses.

I have been changing my makeup bag over the last 2 years to make sure that the products I use are cruelty free and as sustainable as possible. Now is the time I take a hard look at my wardrobe and buying habits.

I'll put my hands up now and say that my wardrobe is FULL of unethical brands. Stores that I know do not treat their workers in the factories correctly. My mindset for a long time was if it's cheap then it's a bargain. I would justify buying poorly made items because it wasn't having an impact on my own pocket. I cannot afford to think this way anymore.

Now, I am in no rush to throw these items of clothing away. Yes, I made the mistake in buying them, but throwing them away does way more harm than good. From now on I am making an effort to repeat outfits - something that not so long ago was sacrilegious to me. I'm learning to style the outfits differently - it's amazing what a change in jewellery and footwear can do to a look. I have also started taking clothes to the tailors when they need fixing or taking up - once upon a time they would have just gone in the bin. Some day soon I will learn how to use the sewing machine my Nanna left me...

I am making an effort to buy less and when I do, it's from an ethical and sustainable source. One of my favourite brands at the moment is Lucy and Yak. Yes, it is more expensive than popping into Primark or H&M. But, by paying a little extra I can know where the money is going, who created the item and the working conditions they have. That extra 10 pounds is worth it for knowing that I haven't helped a toxic brand.

Now, it's important to note that I understand the importance of shops like Primark. For some families, shopping at Primark and similar stores is the only way they can afford to dress themselves and their children. I get it, and would never attack anyone for shopping there. When it comes to buying ethically, I am aware that you have to be in a financially stable circumstance to do so. The problem isn't with lower income families, the problem is with the huge corporations who feed off the poorer communities.

Buying less and wearing my outfits as much as possible is a personal choice. These decisions have come from lots of reading and educating about fast fashion. I'm definitely still learning and still making mistakes. Living ethically is not an overnight thing, it's something I will have to work on for the rest of my life. I will keep having these conversations and will also continue to raid my friends wardrobes, because sharing is caring.

Links for additional reading:

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/jul/07/fast-fashion-clothing-brands-leicester-boohoo-consumers

https://www.businessinsider.com/fast-fashion-environmental-impact-pollution-emissions-waste-water-2019-10?r=US&IR=T#clothing-production-has-roughly-doubled-since-2000-1

Till next time,

Stay Golden x