How many of you have items you have worn only once or twice; Or worse, NEVER! Before you have discarded them? How often would you throw clothes away, even when they have nothing wrong with them? Sure, some of you may give your clothes to charity, thinking you are helping someone less fortunate, easing the feeling of guilt you may have for discarding a perfectly good piece of clothing. Side note: when you do this, you have just passed your junk problem onto a charity to deal with! Check out this: Fast Fashions Dirty Secret
Did you know, one garbage truck full of clothes is burned or dumped into landfill every second? Another way to explain it: up to 85% of textiles go into landfill each year (UNECE, 2018) that’s enough to fill the Sydney harbor annually!
This is the result of consumer shopping habits driving the clothing industry to increase production and produce more cheap clothing, for less. Consulting firm McKinsey and the World Economic Forum estimates the number of garments produced each year has doubled since 2000 (Dottle & Gu, 2022). Fashion companies have gone from an average offering of two collections per year to five or more. Large chain brands such as H&M offer 12 to 16. Zara releases 24 collections per year! Who needs to update their wardrobe 24 times per year? No one does! That’s why a lot of this clothing ends up in the dump.
Slow fashion is the opposite of the fast fashion model that emerged around 20 years ago. Fast Fashion crafted the business model for clothes to become cheaper, and trends to cycle faster. Think Zara’s 24 lines per year….
The term ‘slow fashion’ was coined by Kate Fletcher of the Centre for Sustainable Fashion. Kate defined slow fashion as quality-based rather than time-based. Other slow fashion pioneers have noted, slow fashion encourages slower production, unifies sustainability with ethics, and ultimately invites consumers to invest in well-made and lasting clothes. Slow fashion results in better quality, due to the fabrics and cuts designed to last longer. The manufacturing of garments and accessories takes longer, with workers being paid fair wages, which results in well-constructed garments.
Slow fashion brands have slower production schedules, small-batch collections, and work with recycled, or environmentally friendly materials. They don’t chase trends; instead develop enduring styles with layering options to create classic and versatile pieces. This encourages customers to build minimalist wardrobes and invest in garments that they keep for a lifetime.
Slow fashion needs you! 
Slow fashion cannot take over the fast fashion world without the consumers help. Consumers need to become more conscious of their purchasing practices, break the habit of having to have the latest trend and question brands on their sustainable practices and ethical supply chain efforts. Support slow fashion brands by not only purchasing their products, but by also sharing and promoting their contribution to the industry. Slow fashion is very expensive for brands to take on, due to the lower production requirements pushing costs up. They don’t fall into the “buy more, pay less” per meter when purchasing materials, nor do they sacrifice the conditions of the factory or pressure on the workers, just to produce more for less. You also won’t find a lot of slow fashion brands in shop front locations. Again, this is a cost they will often avoid, to ensure their products are able to stick to their slow fashion brand values. Take some time on socials, and hashtag #slowfashion, you will see brands pop up you never know existed!
Things to pay attention to when you next make a purchase:
- Pay attention to how your garments were packaged? Did they use minimal packaging, was it bio-degradable or recycled materials?
- What percentage of the material in your garment is recycled?
- Have they constructed your garment with materials that are kinder to the environment?
- How does the brand contribute to the slow fashion movement?
- Where do they source their textile materials?
- Can they tell you or show you where their products are constructed, and the condition of their factories?
- Is the garment well made?
For more insight into the importance of slow fashion, check out: Fast Fashion to Landfill
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