Everywhere in the UK and in Europe, you find new shops which promote eco and ethical shopping. But what is it? Here at Stand Out Model Agency, we had a photo shoot for Maniyak. They are promoting, among others, practicality, durability and comfort. Also, if you remember one previous article on the Bastille Day, we spoke about Ooh la la vintage, Tara Starlet and Madame Tralala, three French Customizers who transform vintage clothes and give them a new life.
Ethical fashion is fashion with focus on social and environmental sustainability, making sure the producer received a fair amount of money for his work and that the garment has been produced in an environment-friendly way. The fashion industry is one of the most exploitative sectors in the world but step by step, people are trying to do the right thing, giving people fair wages, reducing their environmental impact, promoting slow fashion and perpetuating ancestral traditions, such as embroidering.
We might think, as a consumer, that ethical fashion will mean less clothes, a smaller wardrobe, and for some, it is, but it doesn’t have to be. It is true that most ethical shop display more expensive clothes, and it is only fair, because it means that the worker has been paid properly for his job. But there are amazing options for the conscious dresser, which do not necessarily mean shrinking your wardrobe or your buying power.
Fair trade is already quite well-known among the world. We heard about Oxfam and Max Havelaar. These organizations make sure that the people in developing countries who import their production to developed countries have fair working conditions in terms of hours and wages.
You can decide to go for a focus on environment and buy organic clothes. This means that the garment has been produced from natural fibers, grown without pesticides or toxic materials, thus preserving both our health and the environment.
Quality and slow fashion mean a lower productivity but also better clothes and quality clothes. If you have quality clothes, it means you can keep them longer and you don’t have to throw them away after wearing them one season. Some of you might think: “Right, but fashion is a fleeting thing and I don’t want to wear the same pair of trousers 10 winters in a row”. No, you don’t, I don’t, but then, recycle them! If you do not have nimble fingers which can transform you clothes, exchange them! There are quite a few opportunities for this arising. First you have the charity shops where you can buy second-hand clothes, but you also have events, spreading across Europe in which you go with your clothes leave them there and come back with others. Simply swapping your clothes with somebody else might do the trick. You have new clothes and you didn’t spend a penny, so it’s good for your finances, for your wardrobe, your self-esteem and even for the environment. In this mindset, you also have vintage clothes or garments created from the 1920’s to 1975 and which have been given a second life, transformed to be up-to-date. This is not recycling but up-cycling!
So change your way of dressing up and change the world. You can feel fabulous in fashion that helped others or the environment or both!
Written by Anne de France
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