Sustainable Fashion

Calling out the true victims of fashion: how to shop sustainable (without paying for Vetements)

Sustainable is a word on everyone’s lips. Sustainable living, as well as shopping, is fashionable not only in our wardrobes but in the political climate and our lifestyle choices. And quite rightly too, reportedly the retail industry is the world’s second most polluting industry topped only by oil. Fast-fashion is having a terrible impact on the world, consumer culture and quick turnaround trends insist we purchase more than we need at low cost, driving down quality. Across the globe people from developing countries are being paid next to nothing to work in unsafe working conditions, all in the name of fashion. Nobody should die for fashion; nobody should be a slave to fashion either. Yet, somehow, we let it happen. The collapsing of garment factories in Rana Plaza in Bangladesh in 2013 was the worst industrial accident in recorded history – it took over 1,000 lives, injured a further2,500 and the conditions of the building are typical to many operating factories today. But it’s not just an effect on our people, it’s the planet too. Overproduction is creating mass waste, according to Vetements founder Demna Gvasalia ‘30% of what brands produce ends up in landfills.’ The brand has sparked contentious conversation by calling out brands for overproducing unsustainable garments, yet charges up to £800 for a hoodie. Although the sibling duo present some seemingly unachievable pieces, they do make an excellent point – if we concentrate on the basic rules of economics, which states that value is justified in supply and demand, ‘then anything on sale is overproduced.’

Of course not everyone can afford Vetements, but there are ways in which we can shop consciously, without paying premium. First thing is to change your outlook and alter your lifestyle slightly. There are questions we have a responsibility to ask ourselves; ‘do I need this?’, ‘does it fit me properly?’, ‘am I comfortable?’ – clothing should feel great physically on your skin as well as making you feel good psychologically too. It seems obvious but only buy what actually fits your shape, or buy slightly larger and befriend a tailor and form a relationship – your clothing will feel better and you’ll feel good about helping a local business. As tempting as it may be, don’t throw out a favourite piece because of a little tear or damage, consult a professional first and see if it’s fixable. Quite often it will be and it’ll cost you a fraction of what a replacement would.

In the end we have a responsibility to be more conscious of what we’re wearing

On the topic of durability and longevity, learning how to wash your clothes properly can make the world of difference to a garment’s lifespan, too. By this, I don’t mean separating colours from whites. Congratulations if you’ve mastered this – it’s commendable to many standards, but simply washing on a cooler setting inside out helps maintain fibres. Similarly, drying on a rack instead of a dryer helps to prevent damage from spin cycles, overheating and shrinking.

You should also always be suspicious of labels too, read beyond the ‘Made in…’ logo, and look at the fabric. Try to avoid synthetics such as nylon and polyester, and be aware that just because something is 100% cotton, it doesn’t mean it’s been naturally produced. Usually is grown with pesticides, and bamboo (often said to be the newer more ethical cotton) can require toxic chemicals in order to turn into fabric. If this sounds all a little too technical, just look out for organic cotton, linen, silk, wool and hemp. Even many high street brands such as H&M have organic cotton ranges. You’d also be surprised how many brands make clothing from plastic waste found in the oceans, or manage to produce extremely convincing vegan leather. So buttery, you’d never know it wasn’t real.

Second-hand and vintage is another great option. Ever hear the saying ‘they just don’t make ‘em like they used to’? Certainly true of clothing. You can buy a 30-year old Hard Rock Café tee for $2 from Goodwill and I can guarantee it’ll last longer than a similar style from Forever 21 that retailed at 10 times the cost. Okay, so maybe we don’t all want to sleep in Hard Rock memorabilia like I do, but staples such as wool camel coats, waterproofs, 90’s sportswear are almost always available from thrift stores, as is denim and leather accessories. Whenever I do a clear out, I tend to think back to the last time I wore it, if it’s longer than a year it goes straight on Ebay. Which by the way, can give you lovely surprise when your Paypal account racks up a few hundred without you doing much.

As a general rule of thumb, paying more does usually get you more, but be wary of trends and their offspring. With mediums such as Instagram, Polyvore and Pinterest, trend pieces that are big hit from the catwalk can appear in high street stores in a matter of weeks and we feel a desire to purchase without considering whether we’ll still like it in a month or two, or if it even looks that great on us. In the end we have a responsibility to be more conscious of what we’re wearing. We’re in an era where the options for sustainable fashion extend further than questionable hippie cheesecloth garments that were picked up at Burning Man and Glastonbury, so seriously – let’s stop just feeling good about separating our glass and plastic recycled garbage and start giving a voice to the real victims of fashion.

Written by Rebecca Rhys-Evans

Image by Megan Breukelman