Just last week I had never heard of slow fashion but I wish I would have known sooner. Every year there are billions of garments that are sold and thrown away. Once thrown away they end up in landfills to where they just sit there for years or are burned which can cause a serious amount of air pollution to pollute out airs. Now how can we change and/or help that? By practicing slow fashion.
What exactly is slow fashion?
Photo by Karly Santiago
This was pretty hard for me to explain at first as I had to read through many sources to achieve an answer but according to Study-Ny.com, “Slow Fashion is the movement of designing, creating, and buying garments for quality and longevity. It encourages slower production schedules, fair wages, lower carbon footprints, and (ideally) zero waste” (Study-NY). Just think more along the line of ethical clothing. When slow fashion products are made they are not made in sweatshops and the quality is really good that they last for years. It’s still clothing but just with a good cause as opposed of fast fashion.
What is fast fashion?
According to Study-Ny.com, “Fast fashion is described when companies imitate styles and trends seen on the runways at fashion week and recreate them at a much lower price and quality to sell to the mass market” (Study-Ny). Most companies like Forever21 and H&M make a huge amounts of clothing in sweatshops overseas where they pay these little to no money. It’s absolutely crazy to think but is true. In fact H&M is the largest fast fashion brand and only uses a small percentage of their profit to pay their workers overseas. What brands practice slow fashion? After I learned more about slow fashion I wanted to find companies that practiced slow fashion.
Here are a few that I found:
Everlane – www.everlane.com
Reformation – https://www.thereformation.com/
PACT – https://wearpact.com/
ABLE – https://www.livefashionable.com/
Alternative Apparel – https://www.alternativeapparel.com/
Above are a few companies I have found but there are still many more out there.
Is it possible for a college student to practice slow fashion?
Photo from Alamy Stock
Yes and no. This is a tough question but I want to say that it’s all in your mindset and how much you believe in ethical clothing. Slow fashion companies are ethical down to the material they use to the way they produce their items. With that being said it can get very expensive. A lot of slow fashion companies may charge $98 for a simple dress, which I have seen, but if you research well enough you might find some companies with a decent price. For example PACT is a slow fashion company based in Colorado whose prices are not that bad. As of the time I’m writing this they have a sale going on for 2 workout/lounge leggings for $30 and sweatshirts for around $40 to $50. Yes, it still is a lot of money but here in America we boast so much about Victoria Secret that charges the same amount for the same clothing. Why not spend that money on a clothing company with better value and is more eco-friendly? At the same time it just seems easier to shop at places like Forever21 and H&M because they are more convenient and cheaper.
Alternatives
If you cannot afford paying for items sold in slow fashion companies then there is an alternative. Thrifting. I thrift all the time. If I don’t wear certain clothes that I have anymore then I send them to thrift stores, Goodwill, Salvation Army and even Plato’s Closet. Usually when I go I also have a look around to see if there is anything that I like. Some people may not like wearing clothes that other people have worn but honestly it’s not that bad. When I buy something from a thrift store I make sure before I wear it just to be safe. If I can do it, you can do it to.
In all, we can all make changes to our lives to become more eco-friendly from recycling to practicing slow fashion. I encourage each and every one of you to do your research and find ethical brands that you may like.