Invest in your wardrobe!
I don’t mean "go shopping." I mean when you do buy clothing, take a minute and read the tags. Look for indications of true efforts to minimize environmental harm, provide humane working conditions, and promote animal welfare. Ask questions and do research on your favorite brands and designers.
Did you know on average a person wears a single piece of clothing seven times?
Maybe you have heard of the 30 Wears Challenge started by Livia Firth, a climate activist and founder of Eco-Age, a few years ago. Considering every piece of clothing and accessory purchase with this in mind is brilliant! The longer you keep your clothing in circulation, the less you need to buy. This is the definition of Slow Fashion.
Quality clothing is more expensive. High end fabric is more durable when working with natural fabrics like linen, hemp, wool and cotton. In terms of construction, there are more stitches per inch for strength and wear and tear, built to last.
Fast fashion almost surely is low quality, poorly designed and provides the factory workers unacceptable working conditions. Have you ever asked yourself how a dress can cost $10 retail?
The EU is implementing a digital product passport (DPP), which is a traceable document of a product’s complete life cycle, including the post-consumer phase i.e. what happens with surplus inventory and discards, providing key data to support the circular economy and decarbonization activation. In other words, all brands and designers in the EU must provide thorough details and full transparency for all clothing as they transition to efficient and circular practices.
Support the Fashion Act, the Fashion Sustainability and Social Accountability Act, and other legislation to accelerate circular directives in the US. Europe is way ahead of us!!! If (when!) this New York State bill is passed, it will hold major brands and designers accountable for their part in climate change. It can't happen soon enough! Come on, people!
Not all companies present themselves and their efforts honestly and accurately - a practice known as greenwashing, a topic for a later newsletter. Start googling the brands you love, let them know how important their participation in the circular economy is to you. Make your voice heard.
I highly recommend Good On You, a trusted and ethical rating system. Get the app, type in a brand or designer and see if they meet your standards.
Don't forget to consider taking the 30 Wears Challenge!
xxsasha
P.S. On a smaller scale, I feel certain my mission to repurpose and restore pre-loved thrift shop shirts is on track. Supporting smaller businesses with this same philosophy is an example to the bigger companies of the consumers' priorities and where we put our dollars.
