What was the last piece of clothing you purchased? Is it hanging in the back of your wardrobe waiting to be worn? When you decide what to put on in the morning do you still feel that you have nothing to wear? Do you feel like you have no clothes even though you surfed the net yesterday? Are you still unsatisfied with your wardrobe? Are you having an identity crisis? Is your wardrobe a reflection of who you really are?
What if I told you these internal doubts all come down to the dilemma of fast -fashion. Fast fashion is the term given to inexpensive clothing produced rapidly by mass-market retailers in response to the latest trends. Fast fashion as we know it is an industry so present on our planet today ,and it is one that leaves a destructive trail of environmental and ethical issues. Every season we are captivated by the latest trends, bombarded with endless products at low prices offering a fast exchange process, one click and it will arrive tomorrow. Satisfied or not, was the cost worth it?
Recently fashion brands across the globe have been adopting a more sustainable approach to supply and demand, as well as using more natural fibres and less synthetic fibres which add to high carbon emissions. According to estimates, 262 per cent more CO2 is emitted to produce a single polyester T-shirt than a cotton shirt.
Slow fashion is a model that respects handmade traditional artisanal crafts, supports local communities, making way for business that was lost to high production, unethical factories. Such a model paves the way for a more mindful consumer, making them aware of what is being purchased and the story that lies behind it.
By filling a wardrobe with inexpensive garments with a short lifespan, soon to be discarded, costs more as well as cluttering the wardrobe and the mind. If we look to purchase high quality long lasting clothes, ones where we are aware of its story and how it was made, it is perhaps more likely we will wear it more and wear it with pride.
The saying goes more is less and less is more.
