We all have our favorite clothing brands. However, some stores do not make clothes in ways that are kind to workers, consumers, or the environment. While some brands are working to spread positive messages, others are putting out t-shirts with hateful slogans. Learn to be a more ethical fashionista with these tips:
1. Do your research
Put your favorite brands through a background check. Search to see if their hiring practices are fair or if their ethics have been a subject of debate recently. Look at their prices as well; if they are unbelievably cheap see if they explain why on their website. While some stores are inexpensive because they buy the leftovers from other brands or use cheaper material, others are inexpensive because they don’t pay their employees or the manufacturers properly. Do your best to support companies who treat everyone – from manufacturer to consumer – well, and who send messages to their communities that you can support.
2. Buy fair trade and eco-friendly
Fair trade clothing is great because both the producer and consumers of the project benefit. If a clothing store is fair trade,they are providing proper compensation to their workforce, usually in developing countries. Also, the clothes are often beautifully handmade and sometimes even eco-friendly! The downside? While rightfully so, often fair trade is quite expensive.
3. Buy thrift
That’s where thrifting comes in! No matter where the clothes originated from, you know that if you buy them secondhand they are not being wasted. Secondhand clothes are cheap and unique, and buying them keeps material out of landfills. Make sure to donate or sell your own clothes when you’re done with them to keep the cycle going.
4. Swap
If you don’t have any dough to spare, trading with your friends is an awesome (and free) option. When you swap clothes for clothes you’re extending each item’s life cycle and getting adorable outfits at no cost to you. It’s like spring cleaning and shopping at the same time!
Don’t be discouraged if you find you’ve been buying clothes from undesirable places; in a world where every company’s business plan isn’t laid out, it can be hard to discern the morality of your clothing. No matter how you decide to start your ethical fashion journey, every little step you take makes a difference.