Photography; @shannonjadephotography, Styling; @k80.mfi @bkw.mfi, Makeup/ Hair; @lulubell.co.uk, Model; @fp.oav
THE FASHION PROMOTION SOCIETY 2020/2021
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EDITED BY @LILSFOLIO
CONTENTS FETISHISATION OF GOTHIC CULTURE
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AMELIA GODEL @AMELIAG.00 DIANA GIBBONS @DIANASAURUS88 LILY TAYLOR @LILY.ALICE_
APPROPRIATION OF GRUNGE CULTURE GRACE PRESTON
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@GRACELILYPRESTON
HEDONIC CONSUMPTION SUSE LARA DO ESPIRITO SANTA VERA CRUZ
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HEDONIC CONSUMPTION LAUREN GRANTHAM
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BIANCA SALIDAGA @BIANCASALIDAGACRTV CHARLIE LOCKWOOD @CHARLIE.LOCKW00D LOUIS WARDLE @LOUISCOBBLERWARDLE LUCY KENNEDY @LUCEKENN ABBY BROOKS @ABBYBROOKS.FASHPROMO
SOCIAL MEDIA: A MODERN MASK, PT 3
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LOUIS WARDLE @LOUISCOBBLERWARDLE
SUSTAINABLE BRANDS INTERVIEWS
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EMILY CHAPILLON @NOUGHTIESNETWORK
@LAUREN.FASHIONPROMO
IDENTITY
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EMERSON FRANCISCO ACOSTA-ESPINOSA
BEAUTY MYTHS MILLIE TAYLOR
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@MILLIELAURAA
SOCIAL MEDIA: A MODERN MASK, PT 1
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EVIE NIXON @EVENIXONFP CHARLIE LOCKWOOD @CHARLIE.LOCKW00D BIANCA SALIDAGA @BIANCASALIDAGACRTV LOUIS WARDLE @LOUISCIBBLERWARDLE LUCY KENNEDY @LUCEKENN ABBY BROOKS @ABBYBROOKS.FASHPROMO
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SOCIAL MEDIA: A MODERN MASK, PT 2
OVERCONSUMPTION 46-59 SHANNON LAMPITT @SHANNONJADEPHOTOGRAPHY KATIE WOOD @K80.MFI BETHANY WATSON @BKW.MFI LULU GARDNER @LULUBELL.CO.UK OLIVIA VOZZOLO @FP.OAV
REFASHION ARTICLE ROSIE MOTT
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@ROSIEM_REFASHION
ZINE EDITED BY: LILY TAYLOR, @LILSFOLIO
FET ISH ISA TION FET ISH ISA TION 4
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PHOTOGRAPHER: @AMELIAG.00 ILLUSTRATOR: @DIANASAURUS88 MODEL: @LILY.ALICE_
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@GRACELILYPRESTON
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HEDONIC CONSUMPSION
consumer behavior which seeks sensory pleasures or benefits provided by interaction with goods or services.
SUSE LARA DO ESPIRITO SANTA VERA CRUZ @b.y.o.k.b9
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@LAUREN.FASHIONPROMO
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- EMERSON FRANCISCO ACOSTA-ESPINOSA
IDENTITY
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who do you see when you look in the mirror? A question which we never think of or hear often, but subconsciously I feel we all answer that question every time we look in the mirror. We subconsciously discuss with ourselves who we want to be and what we want to look like that day. As a woman, we sit in the mirror and paint on a face to present to the world, and question, what if I put too much makeup on will people judge me, but what if I don t wear enough, will people whisper about my dark under-eyes or my hormonal blemishes. Living in a world where social media has become a huge part of our lives, there is an overwhelming amount of pressure to look like those distorting Instagram filters, which make your skin appear smooth and polished. These unrealistic expectations make us addicted to looking at our appearance and lead us to console in our mirrors to help us change the way we look, to confine to societies standards, we are a society obsessed with our reflection, constantly analysing ourselves on a phone screen, mirror, and shop windows. I view it as if we have two reflections, one which we show others, the other we keep hidden to ourselves and only reveal it when we have trust and love another soul.
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Who do you see when you look in the mirror? 23
@MILLIELAURAA
Who do you want to see when you look in the mirror?
How much time do we spend in the mirror picking out our aws compared to the time we spend celebrating the way we look? I feel we share one of our most intimate moments with the mirror when wiping away the person you were that day. The mirror sees you at your purest self, a self that you don t always show to the world because society judges imperfections. This standard that society has set upon us is doomed its only end result is failure and unhappiness, it is selling a lie that skin should be clear, and lips should be plumper, but what if this standard didn t exist? what if we put all that wasted energy from bullying ourselves in front of a mirror, into other meaningful activities, by looking away from your reection to look at the world around you. I guess if the standard didn t exist the question I would then ask who do you see when you look in the mirror?
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Social Media, a Very Modern Mask 28
M
asks today are unavoidable and are now seen as almost a fashion accessory, they are ingrained into our daily lives and routines. We now spend time on matching them with our outfits, splashing out on designer versions, with corporations such as Off White and Burberry taking advantage and releasing their own during the pandemic. This is a complete antithesis from how we viewed them prior to this year, purely for medical use or had seen them on the streets of Japan and around Asia where they have always been a cultural norm and ingrained into the workings of society. Pre corona virus, the prominent perspective on mask wearing was the belief that they were only for people who work in hospitals or dentists, and were an alien subject within society as their only use was seen to be for medical purposes. Wearing mask in Chinese culture has been happening for a long time. This can be traced back to as early as 1910 due to the pneumonic plague sparked widespread mask wearing. This was then accelerated in 1949, when communists came to power and provoked an intense fear of germs. More recently due to the large amount of pollution the Chinese government has urged its citizens to wear masks. The first people in the western world to wear masks after the rise in cases of the virus were Canadians who had ties to Asia, as they were already accustomed to the mask wearing lifestyle. Designer masks project status and a lifestyle that many cannot afford, however for the top one percent this is not an issue. On the other hand, this new gap in the market in the western world is a new source of income from designer brands during the pandemic due to lack of releasing collections and deciding not to participate in fashion weeks. High-end brands such as Christian
Siriano and are using this as a force for good by donating them to frontline workers, creating price accessible versions, as well as making a political statement by selling black ones with the word ‘vote’ in white lettering. The newest edition the high- end mask world is the Louis Vuitton visor, debuting on the 30th of October. It is a ‘light sensitive, protective visor.’ It has the signature monogram as a trim as well as gold studs. The mass use and distribution of masks, the quick rise in everyone wearing them, combined with the handling of the pandemic, displays to us that masks are not leaving our society anytime soon. It has created almost a mass hysteria and has left use fearful and hyper aware of diseases and the spread of germs. No matter how we handle it in our own way, whether it’s through investing in these almost luxury pieces, hazes over the serious extent of the time that we live in, yet it creates a positive spin on a difficult time and monumental time.
By Eve Nixon
Designer masks project status and a lifestyle that many cannot afford
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By Bianca Salidaga
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Authors: Eve Nixon/ Bianca Salidaga/ Louis Wardle Styling: Charlie Lockwood Photgraphy: Bianca Salidaga Model: Abby Brooks Layout and post prod: Louis Wardle Additional Material: Lucy Kennedy
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n this digital age, it seems to become easier and easier to fall into the trap of seeking validation online. Being over-consumed with likes and followers turns platforms created for sharing ideas into number driven competitions, and substitutes authenticity with deception. We, as a generation, grew up in the age of technology, and many of us struggle with an unhealthy obsession with checking likes or comparing ourselves to each other online, and even more so because of the pandemic – now should be the time that we question these habits. The space between your online self and your physical self can be seen, in many ways, as a mask. We tend to project an enhanced version of ourselves on social media. But when the mask comes off is when you become vulnerable, showing your true authentic self. This space between the online and physical leaves room for opportunities, for threats, for experimentation, for unhealthy habits, and it is important that we recognise this. It is so easy to become addicted and to rely on validation and social affirmation – it has always been in our nature. The Netflix documentary ‘The Social Dilemma’ shows us that social platforms were designed to be this way, to be addictive, and to play on our desires to feel validated. They are designed so that we feel pressure to stay updated and keep up with trends. An overconsumption with social media brings unhealthy competition and jealousy between peers, and pressure to keep up with appearances and trends. This can have a major, negative impact on mental health and relationships (both physical and online). Instead of Instagram being a creative platform where we can share photos, it becomes a race to see who can gather the most likes. As social media is such a big part of modern society, I’m sure we can all understand how it can be both positive and negative. We live in a society that has always and is still constantly pushing forward certain “beauty standards” and suggests that we can only conform to these standards, and arguably it has gotten worse because all these images and ideals are within arm’s reach, and almost inescapable. It is often easy to forget how much of it is edited and changed. The immense pressure of social media has affected us all in some way, both positively and negatively. Losing touch with your self-identity is almost inevitable with the pressures that social media puts on us, however, as a generation we should keep pushing forward to change this and change the way that these platforms are used.
Losing touch with your self-identity is almost inevitable with the pressures that social media puts on us
Could you conceive - in the West, at least -
An Interview with Dr Benjamin Wild By Louis Wardle
Dr Benjamin Wild is a cultural historian, acclaimed author, broadcaster and lecturer. His latest book, ‘Carnival to Catwalk: Global Reflections of Fancy Dress Costume’ has received rave reviews among the academic community. In this interview we predominantly discuss the implications of health crises on the fashion industry and consumer culture both historically and presently. We also weave through other topics of which Ben has an acute knowledge, namely, colour theory, cultural identity and the historic context of which masks have been used. I would like to thank Dr Wild on the readers behalf for being so amiable and for taking part in this short written interview for the Manchester Metropolitan Fashion Promotion Society.
LW - 1. On your podcast Dress Fancy, and spe-
of a Little Yellow Dress?? 32
cifically ‘Hide and Seek: The Power and Provocation of Masks’, you mention the possible longer term impact of the Corona Virus pandemic in regards to it affecting how we consume fashion. Six months on, and in consistently uncertain times, do you believe that the virus has impacted fashion culture and do you still hold the view that masks will be a way of people mediating social demands?
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BW - I think the pandemic has profoundly changed the culture of fashion. Just think of the open letters that The Business of Fashion and The Ellen MacArthur Foundation published in The Financial Times, or Alessandro Michele’s Twitter letter in March, which proclaimed we had all gone too far. Of course, people talk the walk before they start moving and I do think it will take time for some of the more optimistic calls for change to be heeded within the industry. The continued spread of the virus is certainly an
impediment to action here. As to the relevance of masks: The recent dystopian film by the brand Marine Serre goes a long way to show how masks have become emblematic of our current woes. But even before the pandemic, fashion designers and brands, from McQueen to Richard Quinn, had conjured with the face mask in their collections. This is not surprising because the face is the most expressive and prominent part of the human body. So, I think the mask and other forms of facial adornment - including cosmetics (eg. the current popularity of so-called ‘ugly make-up’) - will continue to be an important means through which people respond to various social pressures. LW - 2. Historically, the mask has often been associated with death, illness and other primal human fears, such as funeral veils, plague doctors masks and the use of masks within the KKK. Do you think that this association will change with the involvement of the fashion industry and the commodification of public health issues?
Dr Benjamin Wild. Photograph by Mr Davide Annibale for Mr Porter
BW - The association of face masks with death and dread is longstanding in many of the world’s cultures, and I think the pandemic will only compound this. During the lockdown, there were reports of a person in Hellesdon (UK), wearing an early modern-style plague mask, which would suggest that ominous associations of face coverings remain very prevalent. Think also about western attitudes to the face mask, and the - general - aversion to wearing them. For example, before President Trump declared himself to be immune to the virus, he largely refused to wear a face mask. This likely stemmed from a concern that people would perceive him, and the office of the President, as vulnerable and weak. Here, the mask was perceived to have a negative PR impact because it conjured associations of illness and contagion. LW - 3. Arguably social media is a kind of virtual mask, allowing users to create a sense of distance from their conventional identity. What are your views on the consumption of social media and
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its effect, or lack their of, on the way in which we express ourselves within modern society? BW - I think this is true. I believe that people should be supported to express themselves however they feel comfortable, and I recognise the empowerment that social media can provide. That said, I worry communication through screens creates a psychological distance between people. The pandemic has only further exposed how young people (particularly) feel lonely because of the lack of sustained physical interactions in their lives. I think too heavy a reliance on social media perpetuates a cycle of comparison and homogeneity between people, which can quickly become personally harmful. The example of ‘social media face’ - a generic female face that is apparently a composite of social media selfies - being used as a reference for people seeking cosmetic surgery is, for me, a troubling indication of how these technologies are impacting people’s conception and expression of their identities. LW - 4. Masks have been globally documented for thousands of years. Whilst they are often cited as being connected with cultural identity (indigenous peoples relating to their god or gods) they have also been used as a form of oppression, for example the slave bit. What are your views on the fringe belief that masks to prevent the spread of Corona Virus are nothing but a form of government led oppression? BW - The narrative on how people should best combat the spread of the pandemic has inevitably changed because COVID-19 constitutes a wholly new threat. This has sparked confusion, which conspiracy theories feed off. Nevertheless, I think the scientific evidence has become clearer, and is now clamorous that wearing a face mask in public is the best course of action for individuals and groups of people to protect themselves during the pandemic. Governments around the world may not have communicated this message succinctly or swiftly, but there remains a wide margin between ineffectiveness and oppression!
LW - 5. Sustainability has been a growing topic of discussion within the fashion industry during the past few years. As consumers notably shift to ethical branding, at what point will the fashion industry begin to feel culpable for their impact on the environment and how will this affect the use of masks in the coming years? BW - I think the industry is already feeling culpable. The work of organisations like Fashion Revolution, whose founder Carry Somers recently spoke to MFI students, and public stunts, akin to that staged by Stella McCartney, who had models in animal onesies walking her catwalk, demonstrated - even before the pandemic - that current inequalities and derelictions of responsibility could not continue. However, as the case of Boohoo also shows, there is no consequence with cause and I think we, as consumers, all need to be more heedful that our desire - or expectation - for choice in clothing has consequences. Apparently, it takes twenty-one days to break a habit, and as the Lockdown lasted longer than that, I hope this experience has encouraged people to re-think their buying priorities; I know it has for me. Ultimately, this is what will ensure change within the industry becomes permanent.
LW - 6. In the past, you have discussed the historic use of colour in art and fashion to convey subtext, e.g., yellow and its connection with all things taboo (‘The Yellow Book’ of the late 19th century). Do you believe that consumers still respond to colours in this way? Could you give me an example of ways in which a certain colour is used presently for this end? BW - I’m colour blind and so may be more inclined than most people to think about the effect, and affect, of colour! Nonetheless, colour does have a huge impact on how consumers respond to products. For example, the enforced use of a sludgy green for packets of cigarettes is an attempt to deter consumption; surveys had revealed the colour was identified as being highly repellent. In a similar way, the idea of the Little Black Dress continues to resonate and be compelling to consumers because black has a long association with luxury and elegance. We could trace this back to the medieval period, when black dyes were expensive, or think of the positive associations of the colour and couture when worn by Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Could you conceive - in the West, at least - of a Little Yellow Dress??
If you wish to see more information regarding Dr Benjamin Wild’s work, please visit:
His website - https://benjaminwild.co Find him on Instagram - @benjamin_wild Find Dress: Fancy on Instagram - @dressfancypodcast Watch his TEDx talk - The magnificence of marginality
Dr Benjamin Wild.
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IM DESIGN S
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2. Is sustainability a key part of the brand and how do you implement a sustainable approach? Yes, sustainability is certainly a key part of the brand. Perhaps most obviously, we are re selling second hand designer, thus extending the life span of the garments and preventing them from reaching landfill where they will be incinerated. IM DESIGNS strives to offer young people a sustainable and affordable option of buying designer clothing. Secondly, reworking garments into more trendy pieces gives the piece a ‘new purpose’ and adds value to what would be depreciating in value otherwise.
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‘reworking garments into more trendy pieces gives the piece a ‘new purpose’ and adds value’ Since graduating from my degree in geography this summer, sustainability has definitely become a key element which we have been working on improving. For instance we are about to switch from using plastic mailing bags to using biodegradable polymailers - this has been a long time coming.
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It’s very hard to be ‘perfect’ - it’s all about weighting up what you are ‘preventing’ and what you are ‘contributing’ as a business. As a whole we are VERY sustainable in our approach and operations.
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However, I think it’s super important to remember that we can always do more and I’m sure we will continue to make changes to our operations as we develop.
3. What do you find hardest about implementing sustainable methods into your brand? Interesting question and one that not many people ask... I think the cost is a big thing; not so much with buying our stock but more stationary supplies such as biodegradable polymailers and promo stickers etc. The reason it has taken us so long to make this change was because of cost; it simply was not feasible to do. For example, we would pay 2p for one plastic mailer, compared to £1.08 for a biodegradable polymailer. I don’t think issues around cost will last though; the only reason that these options are more expensive is because there are not enough people in the industry to meet the demand for them right now and therefore the prices are not very competitive. We did assess whether we could use paper mailers (a cheaper alternative) but this was just too risky to execute; imagine your Fendi dress which you paid £250 arrives soaking wet from the rain = not what you paid for. So for the money we were saving by buying paper mailers would have been matched and exceeded by the number of refunds we would have to issue.
@noughtiesnetwork
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OVER CONSUMPTION
PHOTOGRAPHY: @SHANNONJADEPHOTOGRAPHY STYLING: @K80.MFI @BKW.MFI MAKEUP/ HAIR: @LULUBELL.CO.UK MODEL: @FP.OAV
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Why do we feel cravings to buy new in lockdown? Through the tediuos boredom of lockdown, trapped at home with little to do, and mounting health anxieties, many of us resorted to feeding our cravings of enjoyment by buying new fashion items for our wardrobes. Consumer psychologist Kate Nightingale says that the covid-19 pandemic has greatly increased our ʻmortailty salienceʼ - the awareness that we will die. She explains, when this happens we tend to behave in two ways. We become more moral and pro-social, often helping others and/or we become more impulsive. During the pandemic, weʼve seen these two reactions arenʼt mutally exclusive, rather both have come in waves. Once we feel weʼve acted morally for a while, many of us have experienced a period of impulsiveness. This urge to buy something is reflected in the significant surge
Impulse buying is rewarded in the brain by a hit of dopamine, this is what’s meant by ‘retail therapy’ In April when consumer spending was at itsʼ lowest, many of us reacted to our mortality salience by acting morally in regard to our shopping habits, in response to headline news reports exposing the imoral expolitation of garment workers. The global impact of covid-19 on garment workers has been devastating, with many factories laying off workers due to cancellation of orders from western brands, meaning hundreds of thousands of workers who were previosuly earning less than living wage,
is this an impulse purchase? Are you buying it for yes
no
now have no income. Holding major fashion brands accountable for their garment workersʼ suffering has fallen to non-for-profit organisations such as Remake Our World, who started the social media #PayUp campaign, to encourage consumers to hold brands to account for their mistreatment of workers in the pandemic. Their incredible efforts have led to many brands agreeing to wage assurance for their workers, although an estimated $3.2 $5.8 billion is still owed to garment workers globally.
$3.2 - $5.8 billion is still owed to garment workers globally Consequences for garment workers also fell close to home in the UK, where Boohoo Group were exposed for unsafe factory conditions and underpaid workers, earning as little as £3.50 an hour in their Leicester factories. Without protective equipment for workers, their factories illegally remained open, contributing to the mass covid-19 outbreak in Leicester.
Does it work with things in your existing wardrobe?
yes
a specific occasion?
Will you wear it again beyond the occasion? no Sounds like an impulse buy. Try to rent or instead
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in online shopping, especially fast fashion. Impulse buying is rewarded in the brain by a hit of dopamine, often associated with dealing with extreme emotions as it makes us feel happier almost instantly, for a short time. This is whatʼs meant by ʻretail therapyʼ.
no
yes
Have you wanted it for some time? no
Hmmm... maybe think about it and decide in a few weekʼs time
yes Sounds like youʼve thought it through. Remember #LovedClothesLast
@rosiem_refashion
“One garbage truck full of textiles is landfilled or incinerated every second” - Ellen macarthur foundation, 2017
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But despite these horrific allegations, Boohoo continue to churn out extortionate amounts of clothing, and we contine to buy it! Boohooʼs sales rose by 45% during the pandemic. This can be accounted to our wave of impulsiveness, when we as customers chose to remain willfully ignorant of fashion brands poor ethicality, in order to fulfill our craving for new material possessions.
Boohoo’s sales rose by 45% during the pandemic Resultantly online retailers experienced a surge in sales; Asosʼs profits quadrupled during the pandemic, despite them not being able to provide protective equipment for their warehouse staff. Regrettably, 35% of us bought new clothes during lockdown that we havenʼt yet worn.
Can you return your clothing hauls guilt free?
35% of us bought new clothes during lockdown that we haven’t yet worn. Nobody should be personally shamed for buying fast fashion as there are a multitude of reasons we chose to shop from these brands - maybe you really do need that new item and sustainably made or second hand clothing isnʼt accesible for you. But if you can make the choice to buy less and buy better - please do. In this second lockdown (and beyond), ask yourself these questions before buying a new fashion item: - Is this similar to something I already own? - Am I just buying this for the excitement of recieving a package? - Does this go with clothes I already own? - Is the price ridiculously low? if so consider how much a garment
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worker is being paid to make the item. - Do I know how the fashion brand treats its workers? - Has the fashion brand #PaidUp? - Would I buy this item at full price? Or am I just buying it because itʼs a bargain? - Could I find the same or similar item on a secondhand site such as Depop? - Could I find a similar item made by a sustainable/ethical brand? - Could I borrow a similar item from a friend?
send them back, and theyʼll soon find a new home. Right? Wrong. You may not be aware that the majority of clothing returns end up in landfill or are incinerated, as this is the cheaper alternative to fashion brands inspecting and repackaging your returns.
‘haul culture’ encourages us that it’s okay to buy many items at once for that extra hit of dopamine Thereʼs been a 95% increase in volume of online returns in the past 5 years. This can be accounted for in the rise of online shopping, and is driven by ʻhaul cultureʼ. Promoted on social media by influencers, ʻhaul cultureʼ encourages us that itʼs okay (and deemed enjoyable) to buy many items at once for that extra hit of dopamine. The financial burden can be passed back onto the fashion brand when you return half the items in your haul, but the environmental cost worsens with your clothes going to waste without even being worn. When next shopping online remember - you are the end consumer! If you do order something online that youʼre unhappy with or that doesnʼt fit, consider reselling it yourself. Post your unwanted item on a secondhand resale site such as Vinted, and youʼll have the guilt free guarentee that your clothes will have another owner, and youʼll still get your money back!
Youʼre bored in lockdown. Maybe youʼve seen an influencer recently post a clothing haul, and want to order some clothes/ accessories just for fun. If you donʼt like the items you can just
@rosiem_refashion
Where do your charity shop donations really go?
Decluttering was a huge trend over the first lockdown, with many of us clearing out our wardrobes and donating unwanted clothes to UK charity shops. But where do your charity shop donations really go? Less than 10% of charity donations are sold on in retail outlets and up to 90% of charity donations end up overseas.
Up to 90% of charity donations end up overseas. Charity shops are forced to pay to send the rest to landfill, costing hundreds of thousands a year. Over the summer lockdown, closed charity shops were bombarded with a surge of donations, escalating the financial costs posed to charities whilst they lost out on retail revenues.
The British Heart Foundation, which has 732 charity shops across the UK and saves 74,000 tonnes of clothing from landfill every year, said fees charged by local councils to dispose of unsaleable items can cost the charity “up to hundreds of thousands of pounds a year”. “This is money that could be spent on our life-saving research and may jeopardise the long-term future of some of our stores.”On top these costs, BHF said it lost £60 million in sales during the first lockdown.
British Heart Foundation said it lost £60 million in sales during the first lockdown.
CREATED BY: @ROSIEM_REFASHION
The majority of secondhand clothing is exported to African countries such as Ghana, Togo, Kenya, Benin and The Ivory Coast. The influx of cheap secondhand clothing in these markets has made it difficult for domestic clothing manufacturers to compete, and has lead to huge industry de-growth and job cuts over the last 20 years. This is primarily due to the rise in consumption by western consumers of low quality disposable fast fashion. Before donating to charity shops ask yourself… - Is my donation clean and functional? - Would I buy the item in the condition that it is in? - Am I sure the charity shop is currently taking donations?
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If you are unsure whether a shop will take a donation, call them beforehand and ask. Most charities have a list of items they do and do not accept online.
@rosiem_refashion
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