To many of us, the end of a year is not only the season for festivities, but also for shopping sprees. From 11.11 to Christmas, it’s almost impossible to make it through this period without buying (a lot of) things, whether it’s out of the necessity of getting gifts, or a generous holiday spirit, or simply because the sales are too tempting.
For some, though, it seems hardly festive to burn a hole in your pocket to buy more goods than you need, which you’d probably only use once or twice anyway (I know we all have clothes in our wardrobe that we really should have worn more). And as we’ve become more environmentally conscious as consumers, crazy year-end shopping seems to diverge from our desire to shop (and live) sustainably.
If you find yourself opting for simplicity and utility and avoiding unnecessary clutter, you may be what we call a minimalist, and this article is for you. Or, if you just want to cut down on superfluous spending this holiday season (and beyond), you can find inspiration here as well. Read on for our ideas for a minimalist holiday season.
Salient Label
Salient Label is a Singaporean slow fashion brand that prides itself in its minimalist style, as well as its mission of sustainability. Their pieces are simple yet elegant, featuring sleek silhouettes and uncomplicated colours and prints. A scroll through their Instagram page shows honest and thoughtful design behind every item.
This clean and effortless look is a refreshing contrast to the repetitive and often sloppy designs in fast fashion stores, making Salient Label the perfect choice if you’re looking for a unique gift, or if you’re putting together a minimalist outfit that stands out from the crowd.
Sustainability
Being minimalist and sustainable isn’t merely the responsibility of customers; it’s still up to brands to manage the environmental impacts of their production. That being said, you can be assured that Salient Label takes ethics and sustainability seriously.
In The Edit collection, deadstock fabrics from past designs are utilized to create new clothes; perfect-condition inventory that is stored over 3 years will also be made into new designs. In The Studio series, Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) approved fabrics are used, which are organic, renewable, or biodegradable materials that are free from toxic chemicals, and are produced with responsible treatment of water.
For every Salient Label purchase, a mangrove tree will be planted in Sumatra, Indonesia — no strings attached.
They will also be releasing in-house, pre-order designs, starting in late 2022, as an effort to further reduce fashion inventory waste and become even more eco-friendly.
Being a minimalist isn’t about indiscriminately cutting things out of your life and constraining the fun; on the contrary, by getting rid of unhelpful distractions and excesses, you can focus on what truly matters and enjoy life in a freer way — rather than being tied to the temporary thrills of (over)consumption.
Keep a lookout for brands like Salient Label, which are not only minimalist in their design but also their production. The season isn’t festive just because you’re buying stuff; find what’s truly meaningful for you to enjoy the holidays in a simple and meaningful way.