In my last post, I discussed unethical labor practices in the fast fashion supply chain. I included a quote from Patrick Woodyard’s TEDx Talk. I really enjoyed his whole message and think his company, Nisolo, is doing great things in terms of sustainability and ethics in labor (they also have really good looking footwear!). I will include his talk at the bottom of the post. As promised, this post will include some simple steps you can take to start thinking and dressing more ethically and sustainably.

Awareness of social issues is key to understanding the world we live in. While we’ve learned some unpleasant things after exploring unethical labor issues in fast fashion, we can use the resulting unpleasant feelings to fuel our own desire to effect change. Even if it’s on a micro-level.

Before I get to those steps you can take to get more ethical and sustainable, let’s do a little activity!

While researching ethical fashion, I’ve watched a lot of videos and at least a couple of them (including Patrick’s TEDx Talk) told me to look at the clothes I was wearing at that moment. They asked me to think about my clothes: Do I know who made them? Or what they are made of? Do I know where they were made, and how factory workers were paid and treated? Now it’s your turn: I want you to do the same; check out the tag on the items you’re wearing. I’ll post my answers at the bottom.

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Here are some ways you can turn your aspiration to change into action:

1. Take Care: Start treating your clothes better. Rethink how often clothing needs to be washed; review on an item by item basis as you undress each day. You probably don’t need to wash things as often as you think, and washing less will help clothes last longer. When you do wash: read the instructions so clothes stay looking their best; but, keep in mind that cold water is gentler on clothes, keeps dark colors from fading, and uses less energy, so use cold more if you can! Hang more clothes to dry; get a great folding drying rack (I’ve had this one for a few years and it’s been great). Between washes, hang clothes up to air out and use a steamer to refresh clothes if needed. Don’t use dry cleaning, and if you do, use it sparingly (better for the clothing and the environment). Get clothes repaired (or DIY) or altered to extend their life. Commit to working on stains so you don’t have to throw something out; try Googling how to remove a specific type of stain. [Note: I highly recommend you get yourself a stain guru–my mom is my go-to resource for giving stained clothing another life! I always have a small pile of clothes to hand over when I see her.]

2. Get & Stay Curious: Read the tags on the clothes you own and while you’re out shopping. What is the item made of, and where is it made? Research brands you have in your closet and the brands you are considering buying. If you have a smartphone, USE IT! Conduct quick Google searches as you’re shopping to learn about a company’s sustainable and ethical efforts, if any. I will be providing some great resources for sustainability info on brands soon; until then, GOOGLE (and no, I don’t work for them, just a fan 😉).

3. Be Wary of Greenwashing: Brands that give us the impression their product is more green, sustainable, and/or ethical than it actually is; essentially, environmental propaganda. They’re capitalizing on our desire to feel good about our purchases. Look for brands that are transparent–with their supply chain, pricing, materials, practices, etc. Vague descriptions almost always mean Greenwashing. When you know you’re buying from a truly ethical, sustainable brand, you will feel great every time you wear that item.

4. Speak Up On Social Media: Make your voice heard! Tell your favorite brands and stores that you want sustainable and ethical clothing, accessories, and shoes. Praise brands when they announce changes but hold them accountable for following through. As a current digital marketing grad student, I can tell you: brands are listening, especially on social media!

5. Adjust your expectations: This is hard for anyone but if you’ve been a highly bargain-oriented shopper for years, adjusting your expectations about what clothing should cost is going to be a tough process. Try shopping with a brand that is completely transparent with costs, like Everlane (see image below of cost breakdown on a pair of jeans). Even if you just look at their product webpages to see a breakdown on the garment’s cost/pricing structure, this should help you gain a frame of reference. When you see a bargain, think about the craftsmanship and labor that went into it and ask yourself if the person who created it is truly being valued.

6. Let Your Money Talk: When you do shop, spend with ethical & sustainable brands or brands that are making moves to improve the transparency of their supply chain. Look for a curated list of brands that support ethical and sustainable practices coming soon to the blog! Till then, here’s a link to get started:

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Ok, did you look at your tags? What did you find out? Anything interesting? I’d love to hear in the comments! (Scroll up to “Leave a Comment” under the post title.) Here are my tag answers:

I was still in PJ’s that morning, so I checked the tag on my Gap pajama pants:

• 95% modal 5% spandex
• No country of manufacture listed
• Fall 2010 (Gap tags list the season and year and I love to see how incredibly long some items have lasted—like 9-year-old PJ pants!)

Then I checked the tag on my old J. Crew Factory tee that was demoted to the PJ pile at some point because I didn’t love the fit of it (which is why I shouldn’t have bought the cheap tee in the first place, but I’m getting off-topic):

• 100% cotton
• Made in China
• J. Crew doesn’t print the year on tags, but I would bet the shirt is about 6 years old

I felt pretty good about the fact that although Gap and J. Crew aren’t considered sustainable brands, I’ve kept these items forever and used them like crazy. Cost per wear is fractions of a penny and they haven’t ended up in a landfill. But, I have no idea who made the items or how well those people were paid or treated in the factory. This is the way to do it if you are going to shop at retailers like Gap or J. Crew; treat it well and make it last, honor the time and craftsmanship that’s gone into it. And let’s make sure we tell these brands we want them to make some changes.

Thank you for reading! I hope you will think about some of these ideas a little more each time you look at your wardrobe or go shopping, and maybe even adopt a change or two in your life. As Sheryl Crow sang, “A change would do you good.”

Stylishly Yours,

Molly

 

Video: TEDx Talk “Fast Fashion’s Effect on People, The Planet, & You”

 

References:

Bauck, W. (2017, July 18). Stella McCartney’s Latest Campaign Was Shot In a Landfill. Retrieved from https://fashionista.com/2017/07/stella-mccartney-fall-winter-2017-ad-campaign.

Fast Fashion’s Effect on People, The Planet, & You | Patrick Woodyard | TEDx University of Mississippi. (2017, March 8). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPM9lhackHw&feature=share

Kenton, W. (2019, September 29). What You Should Know About Greenwashing. Retrieved from https://www.investopedia.com/terms/g/greenwashing.asp.

Meyer, M. (2019, April 2). Best Ethical Clothing Brands That Deliver Stunning Quality At No Price! Retrieved from https://wtvox.com/fashion/best-ethical-clothing-brands/.

Peoples, L. (n.d.). Stella McCartney’s Latest Campaign Was Shot In A Landfill, & Here’s Why That’s Totally Normal. Retrieved from https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2017/07/164161/stella-mccartney-fall-2017-collection-sustainable.

The Curvy Authentic Stretch High-Rise Skinny Jean – Dark Blue Wash. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.everlane.com/products/womens-curvy-as-highrise-skinny-jean-darkbluewash?collection=womens-bestsellersv2.