If you've ever been online, you know that fast fashion is a problem and has been a problem for a long time now. If you have never come across a rant, post or account about a cleaner earth with posts about fast fashion, fast fashion is basically any retail store you buy new clothing from that is not known to be sustainably or locally sourced or made. If you do not know, cannot pronounce or are unsure of where your clothes were made or shipped from, it's probably a fast fashion chain. Why is fast fashion a problem? Because the people who make the clothes we buy at stores such as Forever 21, H&M (who now has an H&M Conscious line) and Old Navy are probably made by people who get paid little-to-nothing, sometimes in potentially dangerous conditions in an unknown part of the world. We should care about this because the materials being used to make these clothes is often not sustainably sourced and could take years and years to decompose if we throw them away and they go to the landfill. An alternative method to fast fashion could be shopping local shops that are very transparent about where their materials come from and who makes the products, or you could thrift! If you've never been thrift shopping then you're probably missing out. There are not only good deals and sustainable shopping (you're reusing clothes to give them new life), but there are also some of the coolest finds you'll ever see. Finds that you'd never find in a retail store. Plus, you'll be the only one to own the pieces you find, they're basically one of a kind and more unique than regular fashion.
For the past few months, I've been focused on minimizing my harm to the planet and have been pretty much exclusively shopping at my local thrift or on online thrift shops such as these:
Hydeandseam
Moonwolfthrift
Theperfectthrift
Thriftytrendsss
Thriftalldayboi
A.r.closet
2ndhandstpete
Wearwithalvintage
Rosegirlsvintage
Shopginasclothes
Outtoftheclosett
Peachhousevintage
Rootedwildvintage
Oak.vintage
Femmedefoi_
Kenz.andco
Sauvetage__
You can shop all of these shops on Instagram and even a few of them on Etsy.
Think thrifted clothes can't be stylish or fun? Think again with these outfits I've put together over the last few months:
A quote from emmasthriftyfindz on thrifting -
“I’ve always enjoyed thrifting because i like for my outfits to be unique, and i’m constantly changing up my style and always want to try new things! The only problem was i didn’t have money to buy good quality, sustainable clothing for retail prices, so i turned to thrifting and fell in love with the constant treasure hunt that thrifting took me on. After awhile i had just collected way too much and i thought people would appreciate the things i was finding. I’ve never had real passions, or goals before starting this business, which was a huge thing missing from my life. My account has added so much happiness and fulfillment into my life and i’ve met so many amazing people in the thrifting community. I’ve also learned the effects of fast fashion. I used to be an avid forever 21 shopper, i bought new pieces all the time, & wore them a few times, never thinking about the people who made them, or the resources that created them! there is such an excess of textiles in our world, so shipping second hand is not only good for the earth, but for people around the world who create fast fashion pieces. My mission is to provide fashionable pieces to all sizes at a fraction of the retail price. I want my buyers to be able to show off their individuality and also help the planet. It’s so easy to be basic, but it’s so much more interesting to be unique.”
A quote from Kenz.andco -
"Through my small business I have come to appreciate the ideas of sustainability and the concept of “buy less, choose well”."
A quote from Femmedefoi_ -
"As consumers we should be more conscious of where we put our money because not only are we buying a product, but we’re supporting a business/a brand/an image/a companies ethics. Question clothing brands more and don’t blindly spend your money."
Shop small, buy sustainable.