A Beginner’s Guide To An Ethical Wardrobe
By Rachel Goldsmith
December 2020
The phrase ‘breaking up with fast fashion’ gets thrown around a lot. Some people are able to go cold turkey and never again set foot in ASOS’s hallowed digital halls. For a lot of us though, it’s as messy and complicated as any other breakup.
Fashion Revolution reported that 38% of consumers surveyed in 2018 considered the social impact of an item of clothing before purchasing, and 37% considered the environmental impact [1]. Yet the UK alone spent 59.3 million GBP on apparel in 2019 [2], and our fast fashion shopping habits jumped by 46% in the first lockdown of 2020 [3]. This year Pretty Little Thing’s ‘Pink Friday’ sale featured reductions of up to 99% with some items selling for just 4p [4]. It was a total devaluation of labour and materials, yet it still proved wildly popular.
The point of this guide isn’t to demonise anyone for buying fast fashion. Fast fashion is designed to be accessible, affordable, and even addictive. In comparison, sustainable, ethical fashion can be time consuming and expensive. Being an ‘ethical consumer’ is tied up in privileges not afforded to everyone. However, if you are looking to make some changes, here’s some things to consider. This guide doesn’t include any brand recommendations, but there is a list of resources at the end to help you do some research.
1) Reduce What You Buy, and Buy Mindfully
The most sustainable item of clothing is the one already in your wardrobe.
Overconsumption and production of fashion is a major environmental issue. However, if your wardrobe is full of clothes that you don’t like, that don’t fit you, or that you just don’t wear, you are more likely to make impulse buys and not get the best out of what you already own.
Set aside some time to review and organise the items you already own. Have a look at what you wear and what you actively avoid wearing in order to establish if there is anything you are underusing or could pass on to someone who would use it.
Before making a purchase ask yourself:
Does it work with other pieces in your wardrobe?
Do you already have something that does the same job?
Will you use it frequently?
2) Choosing Where To Buy
There are thousands of options for sustainable shopping. They fall loosely into three categories, each with pros and cons.
Second Hand & Vintage
The second most sustainable item is one that has already been in someone else’s wardrobe.
‘Second hand’ might refer to anything pre-worn, found anywhere from your siblings’ wardrobe to charity shops, and online marketplaces such as Depop. Increasingly second hand stores carry low quality fast fashion items, but this also makes them the most affordable option. You can find almost anything second hand if you have the time to look.
Stores marketing themselves as ‘vintage’ tend to be more expensive, but carry a more curated selection and higher quality items. Some brands create collections made from vintage fabrics or repaired/remade garments. It can be tricky to find larger sizes, particularly in women’s clothing.
Sustainable & Ethical Brands
The growing number ethical and/or sustainable brands available has expanded the range of styles available. Prices tend to range from high street prices upward- think £12-18 minimum for a basic t-shirt, £30-40 and up for trousers and dresses. The prices can be prohibitive, but the clothes are generally made to last and investing in smaller businesses, innovation, ethical trading practices and sustainable materials is a plus. Size inclusivity is improving but still has a way to go.
‘Green’ Collections
If you find yourself buying fast fashion, you can still make sustainable choices. Most fast fashion brands have a ‘green’ collection, though it still only represents an average of 1% of the products offered [5].
3) Choosing Fabrics & Making Them Last
When it comes to fabrics, try to avoid non-organic cottons, polyester, viscose, and mixed materials.
Instead, look for Organic Cottons certified by the Better Cotton Initiative – they do not appear on labels but you can check their website for a list of participating brands [6]. Also look out for less polluting versions of viscose such as Tencel, lyocell and Monocel, and for single fibre fabrics (i.e. 100% cotton rather than 80% cotton, 20% polyester). Finally, items made from reclaimed, recycled and deadstock fabrics help prevent textile waste.
Taking care of your items makes them last longer. Pay attention to the care instructions, and repair where possible.
4) Workers’ Rights & Brand Transparency
Pay attention to how a brand treat their workers. Following the shutdown of retail during the pandemic brands refused to pay for orders, leaving garment workers unpaid for work they had already done. Low pay, modern slavery and mistreatment of workers is rife in the textile industry. Before buying from a brand, try to find out how transparent they are about their supply chains and how the workers are treated. Where possible try to buy from companies certified by groups such as Fair Trade or Fair Wear Foundation (FWF).
5) Consumer Activism
Whether or not you are able to shop sustainably, the most significant action we can take as consumers is to make our voices heard and demand change in the fashion industry.
Resources:
If you want to do some more research, find brands that work for you, and get involved in some activism, take a look at the resources below.
Good On You – Brand ethics & sustainability ratings (they also have an app): goodonyou.eco/
The Fashion Transparency Index 2020: www.fashionrevolution.org/about/transparency/
Better Cotton Initiative: bettercotton.org/
The Payup Campaign Brand Tracker: payupfashion.com/tracking-brands/
Fairtrade Foundation: www.fairtrade.org.uk/
More organisations fighting for change:
Labour Behind the Label: labourbehindthelabel.org/
Redress: www.redress.com.hk/
Remake Our World: remake.world/
Remember Who Made Them (check out their podcast): rememberwhomadethem.com/
You May Also Be Interested In: Circular Fashion, Clothes, Gender and Climate, Individual Action Towards A Net Zero Future, Stepping Up To The Plate: The Future of Sustainable Diets
References:
[1] - Fashion Revolution Consumer Survey 2018: www.fashionrevolution.org/resources/consumer-survey/
[2] – The UK retail industry (apparel): www.ons.gov.uk/businessindustryandtrade/retailindustry
[3] - Fast fashion shopping habits jump by 46% during first UK lockdown, study shows: www.retailtimes.co.uk/fast-fashion-shopping-habits-jump-by-46-during-first-uk-lockdown-study-shows/
[4] - Critics attack Pretty Little Thing's 8p Black Friday dress deal: www.theguardian.com/business/2020/nov/27/critics-slam-pretty-little-things-8p-black-friday-dress-deal
[5] - Style that’s sustainable: A new fast-fashion formula: www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/sustainability/our-insights/style-thats-sustainable-a-new-fast-fashion-formula#
[6] - Better Cotton Initiative: Find Members: bettercotton.org/find-members/
© 2020 Climate Just Collective