Slow fashion – consider it…
In an age where we can own or experience anything we desire at the click of a button and have it delivered to our homes or screens, consumption has taken on an unsustainable edge. Instant gratification has over time become the biggest driver of human action and fashion remains a significant contributor to this category. Advertising and social media also keep most of us unaware of the actual cost of the fashion we own, consume and discard, focusing instead only on selling versus educating.
That being ironical though since it is an era of information and ample awareness.
The 101
A slowly rising wave of conscious living hopes to stem the tide of overconsumption. So, while it is exaggerated (to say the least) to think that not buying a basic cotton T-shirt from a mass produced label outsourcing from an undeveloped nation, can help the planet; it is fair to say that a lifetime of conscious consumption of fashion can make a significant difference to your impact on the planet.
From the strain on water resources to irrigating cotton crop to the introduction of man-made compounds such as synthetic dinners or pesticides, fashion poses an enormous challenge to sustainability. Redesigning or reinvigorating the fashion industry with its current practices and existing customer mindset such that fashion is not in conflict with the planet is the intent of the Slow Fashion Movement.
Simply put, it is about quality time devoted to creating a product of better quality that is built to endure. What this also means is an audience, like you and me, that values quality and cares about the impact of it on the larger ecosystem.
Slow Fashion and you
Just the way customers drive higher consumption when offered fashion at prices too low to be fair to the makers, conscious customers can drive the movement towards sustainable, ethical, eco-friendly fashion by making themselves aware and looking beyond instant gratification.
It helps to understand that slow fashion doesn’t translate to reducing our choices but to designing, producing, consuming and living better. Something that used to be a way of life even a decade ago.
What can you do
Educate yourself. When buying basic wardrobe staples and garments you will wear for a while, give a thought to where it has come from, how much wear you will actually get out of it before retiring it.
Pay for quality. Garments made from high-quality material, in classic styles and with attention to detail are usually timeless. They age slowly and often wear the signs of aging well. Support and buy from brands and designers who create them.
Be considerate. Think of the people who make the garment you are buying. Be fair in what you are willing to pay. Be prepared to pay more for products that are made carefully with attention to detail and by hand. What often to us, is merely a fashion purchase drives people’s livelihoods. And in our mad race to live and enjoy we tend to forget. Support local design and labor, because that is the ecosystem we are living & contributing towards...
Expand your scope. Build relationships with the people who create what you consume and engage to understand what goes into producing what you consume. The backstory always gives us a whole new perspective and increases the value we attach to a product or experience.
Value Longevity. We all know the joy of wearing into something over time and feeling the familiar comfort of something that’s aged along with us. Remember that the next time you are on the brink of a buying decision. Keep endurance, versatility and the ability to age gracefully in mind while buying a product over trend.
Trends are indicators, not diktats. Take the time to discover what works for you instead of relying on trends. In fact, we all have elephants in our closets that were simply trend buys and have been worn all of thrice! - Invest in fashion instead of going broke trying to keep up with it.
Stretchery and Conscious Fashion
At Stretchery, we are founded on the core ideology of being a fair trade brand that prioritizes the planet first. We work to build conscientious products while respecting the rights of the people who create them and the course of nature. Just like the global movement, Fashion Revolution, we deeply echo with their vision.
Fashion Revolution is a global movement that runs all year long. They celebrate fashion as a positive influence while also scrutinizing industry practices and raising awareness of the fashion industry’s most pressing issues. They aim to show that change is possible and encourage those who are on a journey to create a more ethical and sustainable future for fashion.
Vision
The belief of a fashion industry that values people, the environment, creativity and profit in equal measure.
Our mission
We want to unite people and organizations to work together towards radically changing the way our clothes are sourced, produced and consumed so that our clothing is made in a safe, clean and fair way.
We believe that collaborating across the whole value chain — from farmer to consumer — is the only way to transform the industry.
Our mission is to bring everyone together to make that happen.
#whomademyclothes
As part of a larger movement towards transparency in the fashion or clothing industry, the #whomademyclothes campaign was started. It was a unique stance across social media, that encouraged people to get involved in understanding who actually makes the clothes they wear and the real-time cost and impact of fashion in our daily lives. To understand how this works first hand and to join the movement, check out the Fashion Revolution page at http://fashionrevolution.
Design and Sustainability
While all our practices at Stretchery are designed around this philosophy, it has over time even seeped into the design, the details and even the execution of our lines. Doing less with more and balancing the challenges of being sustainably fashionable are the predominant themes of our latest collection, Off the grid. Look it up and the beautiful products in resulted in here www.stretchery.com
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