It’s Fashion Revolution week. What’s that, you say? Well I didn’t know either until just a few days ago. It is a movement to ask for more fair working conditions and greater transparency of who is making the clothes we wear. Five years ago, a factory in Bangladesh collapsed because of the unsafe conditions that were looked over – killing over 1000 people and injuring even more. StyleMeFair has a very informative post all about why things like Fashion Revolution Week are necessary in this day and age.
What can you do to help? I’m not going to repeat everything that StyleMeFair has wonderfully listed out, but do check out the Fashion Revolution website for email templates to send to your favorite brands and events to attend. But you can do more!
Practice minimalism – Buying classic pieces that work with your wardrobe and style; rather than just the latest trends in fashion that seem to change every week now. Colette Patterns has a great series called Wardrobe Architect to help you build a wardrobe you are happy with.
Buy Second Hand – Buying garments from the thrift store or consignment shops helps prolong a garment’s life which in turn prevents it from reaching the landfills. Not to mention much easier on the wallet too.
Upcycle/Re-purpose – That dress that you don’t like any more can become a skirt or a child’s outfit. That shirt that may not be your style but you bought anyway – turn it into a pillow cover. The scraps of fabric you cut after making a garment, make a crazy quilt that showcases the history of your makes. Even the little itty bitty scraps that nothing can be done with can turn into stuffing for a floor pillow or a dog bed. It takes a bit of ingenuity but it is possible to bring new life to rejected garments and scraps.
Personally, I have almost entirely stopped buying new clothes for at least a year now. Not because I was aware of the facts behind fast fashion, but more to do with the fact that I was unhappy with how things fit me. But now, I am going to be more conscious of where I shop when I do.
Children’s clothes is much harder to keep up with because their size changes so quickly. But I have bought long sleeve shirts in the fall that I know will still fit in the following summer. Once warmer weather comes around, I cut off long sleeves and make them into short sleeves. It is really quick and easy way to keep from buying more clothes every few months. However, this year I am making more of an effort to make a majority of my daughter’s new clothes this year.
We are buying and tossing more clothes than ever before! This in turn is creating a dangerous fashion supply chain. Let’s do our part to stop the cycle and support the fashion revolution! Ask who made your clothes!!