Disclaimer: I am not an expert when it comes to sustainability.
My journey began with searching for good deals and cheap clothes, as always. While fast fashion stores are always priced low and are “on trend,” the quality of the clothing is always disappointing, and after studying the cheap, exploited labor that fuels these companies, fast fashion leaves a bad taste in my mouth. This led to my discovery of sustainable fashion and secondhand clothing.
Why shop sustainable:
Fast fashion industries are often environmentally damaging and unethical. It takes about 2,720 liters of water to produce just one cotton shirt. That’s about as much as water as a person drinks in three years. Producing one pair of jeans is even worse, requiring about 10,000 liters of water. Additionally, about 300 million cotton producers are living in poverty. Over 50% of workers in the fashion industry are paid below minimum wage. Fast fashion clothing is also a huge waste in textiles: nearly 60% of the clothing produced ends up in landfills or incinerators within a year of being made. By 2030, it’s estimated that total fashion waste will be about 148 million tons.
How to shop sustainable:
Ok, this is the fun part.
First, you can shop from sustainable brands. Some of the well known brands are Patagonia, Reformation, Outdoor Voices, Toms, etc. However, these brands can be pricey.
Link to list of sustainable brands: https://www.thredup.com/bg/p/top-sustainable-clothing-brand
Second, thredUp! It’s basically a giant online thrift shop with a really easy way to search for specific items, brands, and styles. The deals are incredible, even on brands like Free People and Anthropologie. I recently ordered 15 items that cost me $160 total when, by their estimated retail price, my total would have been over $600 (!!!!). https://www.thredup.com
Third, think local! Durham has a couple thrift shops that often have fun deals and sales if you look out for them on Facebook. However, my new favorite way to shop secondhand is using the Duke Fashion Exchange Facebook page. Think of it as an online thrift store but within Duke. It’s easy, accessible, and also a place to sell your own clothes.
Happy shopping!
via. Gifer
Resources:
http://globalfashionagenda.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Pulse-of-the-Fashion-Industry_2017.pdf
http://www.wrap.org.uk/sites/files/wrap/VoC%20FINAL%20online%202012%2007%2011.pdf
http://fairtrade.com.au/Fairtrade-Products/Cotton/Why-buy-Fairtrade-cotton