Over the past couple of months, I have been really interested in how to live a greener life. Greta Thunberg has inspired many on the importance of saving the planet, including me. Now, more than ever, we can't turn a cold shoulder to the realties of the fashion world. As I started to dive more into green living I came to realize how big of a pollutant the fashion industry is. The more I've read, the more I've realized that the biggest culprit is fast fashion. Fast fashion has taken over the industry and the economy. If you see Kendall Jenner wearing a couture Off White outfit to the Met Gala, you will easily see the exact same outfit on fashionova a couple hours late (for 1/3 of the price). While I'm not going to get into the whole copying a designer's artwork argument here, I do want to open up the discussion to fast fashion and its environmental impact.
Why does fashion matter?
Fashion has shaped our history. Fashion is art and it can be a political statement. Whether you realize it or not, fashion has been integral in shaping our society - especially when it comes to womens rights. Take the iconic Chanel suit. It's been in the fashion world since the 1920s and has been the epitome of fashion, but did you know that the suit is also an integral turning point in women rights' history? Coco Chanel actually designed this suit to free women of restrictive corsets and allow them to move about freely. It was a modern and feminine take on the much more comfortable male fashion. This one design has driven so many waves in female fashion! The history of fashion is incredibly interesting, and there are so many more stories that depict why fashion is integral.
Personally, fashion is a way for me to express myself. I don't think I have a specific style, in fact, I love to play around with styles and textures. On some days I love wearing a cute dress, on other days I just want to wear jeans and t-shirt, however on most days I wear sweatpants and oversized shirts because college is rough. As much as I love fashion, I've come to realize the importance of QUALITY over QUANTITY. I love a good deal, but I prioritize where i'm getting that deal. I would much rather save up money to buy a great quality sweater that I can wear for years versus buying a cheap sweater that will last me a season. Additionally it saves space. Do we really NEED that trendy shirt/jacket,/jean just because "its a good deal." Is a good deal worth buying into a company that refuses to participate in green working conditions and/or products? The biggest reason that I shop for quality is because of the environment. I want to buy clothes that will last me a long time so that I don't have to keep throwing away clothes and repurchasing new ones. I also want to note that I RARELY buy new clothes. I buy clothes if it's an absolute necessity and I can see myself wearing them for a long time.
Environmental Impact of Fashion
^^ I think this article does a great job of hitting the impact of fashion on a surface level.
Rethinking Fast Fashion
Fast Fashion exploits workers overseas and American workers
Major contributor to the decline of American manufacturing
Environmentally catastrophic
Does not pay workers a LIVING wage
Exploits and disempowers women
Unethical Brands
I definitely have pieces in my closet from some of these stores (and I will continue to wear those already bought pieces because I don't want to be wasteful). However, I have not purchased an item from them for over 2 years (and won't unless their ethics change).
Forever 21: Guys read up on this brand. The things that they have gotten by with is incredibly heartbreaking. In fact, they have refused to sign the Bangladesh Accord: An agreement that requires companies to ensure SAFE working conditions.
Abercombie and Fitch
Gilly Hicks
Uniqlo
H&M: HUGE sweat shop scandal
Primark: Bangladesh Scandal
Zara: Accused of using migrant workers in Brazil to work in slave like conditions
Ethical/Sustainable Brands I Love
ASOS: recently it's made incredible changes to support a more environmentally focused initiative
Everlane
Reformation
thredUP
American Eagle: it's on the rise to being an ethical brand
Stella McCartney: Definitely a pricey brand, but if you're look for "designer products" her brand is actually part of a sustainability coalition. Additionally she doesn't use leather or fur.
Thrifting/Second hand!
^^ great link to find ethical brands!
What Can We Do?
Shop smart. Go thrifting, buy second hand, shop ethical/sustainable brands. Why should we continue to collect numerous amounts of clothes that will only last us a season? In the grand scheme of it all, is it really cheaper to buy ten $7 black t-shirts over the course 5 years? We need to wear our clothes longer, and shop when we NEED new clothes.
As a medical student/blogger:
I've been blogging since my freshman year of college and have written mostly about being pre-med, advice, travel, millennial life crisis, and so much more. In August of 2019 I finally decided to open a public instagram. While it's still a small platform, about 90% of the content I post are my outfits. I love fashion. It's not an avenue I will pursue a career in, but I love experimenting with different styles and getting inspiration from other accounts. I mean hey doctors can be stylish too lol. I'm definitely trying to make more of an effort to post about being pre-med, study habits etc, it's just hard because when I'm trying to study for physics, the last thing on my mind is posting an insta pic. Thus, while my instagram is mostly about my outfits I wanted to point out that i'm going to make an effort to try to show more sustainable pieces, either from shopping or thrifting. I'm sure you've noticed that the outfits I post all consist of pieces i've already posted about. The reality is, I don't want my instagram to be about trying to get y'all to buy new clothes or shopping into unethical brands. I want to post my outfits, interact with you guys, and talk about issues I really care about.
Navigating how to live a greener life is hard. It's something i've only recently started to do. I'm not perfect and I know there will be days where I slip up. But I think as a community, we need to try to be more green, especially when it comes to fashion.
Till next time,
Srini
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