A Guide to Ethical Fashion: How to Shop and Produce Sustainable Clothing
Whether you personally believe it or not, science has proven we are DOOMED. Just look at the ghastly development of global warming. Mother nature is being corrupted. This is all down to us humans, accustomed to living under specific conditions and being selfish with our planet. We must take into account that fashion production contributes to this downfall. This is because we mass-produce clothes and fabrics, creating excessive amounts of garments. For this reason, we need to turn to ethical fashion.
The plastic fibres are polluting our oceans, and we are using toxic dyes. Beauty definitely has a deadly price! Not to mention in the fast fashion business, we have an underpaid and overworked community that needs more attention and exploitation. This article focuses solely on ethical fashion. So, how you can do your bit whilst also looking the shit! To assist our planet as well as your wardrobe.
Online Second-Hand Shopping
This isn’t a paid advertisement. However, I suggest a few websites that will help you discover in-style recycled attires that don’t cost millions. Back in the day, we started off with eBay, which many are aware sells anything and everything second-hand. Although eBay is still a functioning site, we have come across more modern and popular sites that focus on clothes. Depop is one of my favourite websites to use for recycled clothing. There you can buy or sell any style of garment or accessory, and it’s easy to use!
The same goes for Vinted. I have not used this site for as long or as often as I have Depop. However, all I have heard and experienced from this app is positive. It doesn’t take much to recycle your old clothes by uploading them online for a bit of dough. Or even saving someone else’s closet space by purchasing second-hand outfits. It’s not necessary to go to high-end stores and spend hundreds of pounds to look chic and sexy!
Recycling and Upcycling
Recycling your unworn and unwanted clothes has never been easier, whether you need the wardrobe space, you’ve outgrown your clothes, or the clothes have outgrown you! Donate clothes to your local charity bins and aid someone less fortunate. Another form of recycling can be charity shops. Charity shops will accept most clothes, and your outfit can be ready to go to the next person. Charity shops are also a gold mine for good and cheap finds, and the proceeds go to a great cause. As I have mentioned, you can also sell your clothes online once you’ve had your time with them. That’s a great way to make a little money and hand someone else your past aesthetic.
You may have heard of a phrase called “upcycling”. Whether you have the technical skill or know-how, upcycling is a way you can alter and adapt your clothes to create a fresher style out of your past outfits. Upcycling can be anything from bleaching, amending, splicing, dyeing, tying and much more! I love upcycling old clothes as you get to keep your “meh” top and turn it into a “Damnnnn” top. You have the power to change your aesthetic without buying new clothes. I did a lot of this in lockdown! Most of the time, you can use tools around the house.
As a fashion designer myself, whenever I create new pieces, I generally tend to use recycled materials from my college campus. Alternatively, I also cut up and reuse fabrics from old clothes. You’d be surprised how much material you can fester from a pile of unworn garments.
Ethical Fashion is the Answer
We all may want to have expensive tastes and enjoy the retail therapy experience. However, there are many better and more sustainable ways to strut your stuff. You can save money whilst still keeping in the loop of trends and styles. With help from the internet, you can fester some ideas that can save you some money and help contribute to saving the planet. There’s always a two-birds-one-stone scenario when it comes to your wardrobe.
