Fashion, Lifestyle

Fashion, Lifestyle

15 June 2016

How to Build a More Ethical Closet and More Authentic Style

ethical-closet

My style has changed through the years and lately I’ve been finding myself thinking more and more about my relationship with clothes. We are constantly surrounded by “buy more” messages, with four designer collections coming out every year and fast fashion which has totally destroyed our will to choose good quality clothing. What we care is having more, and having it now. And we don’t care if we wear something less than 3 times before we throw it away. That’s something I’m not happy with anymore. I did a lot of stupid shopping through the years but what I really want now is to create a cohesive closet that will make me happy and I will be proud of to wear over and over again.

Of course there’s also an ethical problem with over-production and fast fashion. Did you watched The True Cost?

I’ve collected some articles, links and good readings that made re-think on what I really want to buy and wear from now on.

 

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via passionforfashion.dk

 

5+Ways+to+build+a+more+ethical+closet+(no+matter+your+budget)

via into-mind

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1 | ETHICAL BRANDS AND DESIGNER LISTS

Great resources from other bloggers and sites to discover ethical produced clothing.

30 Ethical Fashion Brands you need to know [via Into Mind]

Style and Sustainability – the full list of brands [via Make It last]

Fair Fashion [via dariadaria]

A Beginner’s Guide to Ethical Fashion [via Suitcase Mag]

A List Of Ethical Indipendent Fashion Brands [via The Private Life of a Girl]

ethical-stores

 

2 | AN ETHICAL PROBLEM

Some articles I collected (there are a lot more of course!) that give an introduction to the cost and ethical problems of (not fair) fashion.

Low wages, unsafe conditions and harassment: fashion must do more to protect female workers [via The Guardian]

The True Cost Of Cheap Clothes [via Livemint]

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Forget creativity – Fashion needs to talk about sustainability [via The Globe and Mail]

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And a very interesting article on fashion system (not directly concerned on sustainability), a discussion with people working in fashion (very long read):

What’s wrong with the Fashion Industry? [via vestoj]

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3 | BUY LESS AND CHOOSE WELL

Something we could easily do. A great example is Maria with this post. She chose to buy only 5 pieces in 6 months. I guess something like this would be too hard for me. But to know HOW MANY pieces we buy in 6 months is a great way to know that we are buying too much.

 

4 | LOVE YOUR CLOTHES

When I look at old photos with my mom she knows exactly where she bought whatt she is wearing in the photo, where she bought it and how much she loved it. What would we say? “Oh, I guess It was a Zara top, I wore it two times and than threw it away“. So sad. That’s not the relationship I want to have even with “things”. I want to love and care for what I wear.

 

5 | BUY SECOND HAND OR VINTAGE

The easy alternative to get good clothes for a good price. And now you have so many more options on the web, like buying on Etsy, Depop (which I joined a month ago).

 

6 | BUY INDIPENDENT AND NEW DESIGNERS

This post with the three good online stores was one of the most read on my blog. And I wrote also one for jewelry. I always thought that a fashion blog should give advices also on new emerging designers or good new shop and options.

 

With this post I don’t want to say I won’t buy fast fashion or non ethical designers ever again (and that you don’t have to either) but it’s good to find some other options. And I will try to care more and to take care of what I already own. To make better and long lasting choices, that’s a good point.

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24 comments

  1. BELLISSIMO, FANTASTICO POST. Ti giuro che ne ho uno uguale identico in bozze, con LE STESSE IMMAGINI salvate e tanti dei tuoi link!!!!!! hahahahahaha morta

    giulia

    • Eh abbiamo un certo feeling, su questi argomenti poi! 😉

      Erica Blue

  2. bellissimo articolo Erica! Il tema personalmente mi interessa moltissimo: a luglio sarà un anno che non compro nelle catene fast-fashion e più leggo articoli, libri e mi documento più sono convinta della mia scelta. ovviamente non voglio demonizzare niente ( se troverò il pezzo della vita da Zara potrò ancora cedere, anche se non sento più nemmeno il desiderio di entrare nei negozi-fisici e online- quindi la vedo dura) ma l’anno scorso sono arrivata al classico punto di avere l’armadio letteralmente pieno di stracci… necessitavo di disintossicazione. è strano, ma quando smetti di comprare chez Zara&Co col tempo ti rendi conto di quanto pochi siano i bei capi ( tessuto, taglio..)sul mercato..diventi super-selettiva senza rendertene conto. Ogni tanto ancora sento di poter cedere a qualche acquisto impulsivo, ma per fortuna esistono i resi! :) utilissimi gli articoli che indicano i green brands, non se ne conoscono mai abbastanza!

    se vuoi leggere un buon libro sul tema ti consiglio ” To die for” di Lucy Siegle.

    C.

    chiara

    • Ecco anch’io ho proprio bisogno di disintossicazione! E grazie per il consiglio del libro, mi ispira molto!

      Erica Blue

  3. Ciao Erica!
    Hai riassunto in questo bellissimo post esattamente quello che penso e che con le mie parole cerco di dire da un pò!
    E’ da 3 anni che lavoro come buyer nel vintage/second hand, ho cominciato a Londra (confermo, un altro mondo per quanto riguarda questo tema) ed ho continuato con un mio spazio a Milano – da grandissima appassionata di moda quale sono sono passata dal comprare spesso nel fast fashion a rivoluzionare l’armadio quasi senza accorgermene. Pensa che in 4 cambi di stagione ho eliminato quasi tutto quello che avevo delle varie catene, e non per presa di posizione ma perchè, come dicevi tu, confrontando la qualità dei capi ci si rende conto di cosa vale la pena tenere!
    E poi penso ci sia anche un bell’elemento di ‘personal style’: se da un lato è bello riuscire a replicare i trend attuali con il vintage, dall’altro c’è un potenziale creativo infinito!
    Great job davvero per questo post :)

    (ps: spesso per novità sui brand sostenibili guardo loro, sono molto sul pezzo: http://www.thegoodtrade.com)

    Giorgia

    • Sì veramente la qualità è un’altra cosa! Grazie per il link!

      Erica Blue

  4. Bellissimo post!!!molto utile la lista dei brands, se posso ti consiglio Komana Design (ha un sito e un negozio su Etsy) e come negozio (sia fisico che online) Couverture and the Garbstore

    ida

    • Grazie mille Ida, do un’occhiata!

      Erica Blue

  5. Great post!! I don’t want to support fast fashion brands anymore, and since ethical brands are usually more expensive, I shop mainly second hand online on sites like Depop. Where would you consider to be the line between second hand and fast fashion? For instance, sometimes I want to buy a H&M top on Depop, but would that be supporting fast fashion? I know I would definitely wear it more than a few times a month, but I want to make the right decision! :)

    Michelle

    • Buying second hand is always giving clothes a second chance, so I think you don’t have to struggle even if it’s (was) fast fashion!

      Erica Blue

  6. True. It is time a fashion blogger wrote about fashion and ecology.

    Irina

  7. Love this post and it was great to see it featured in the Bloglovin newsletter. Thank you so much for including a link to my post on ethical fashion brands! :))

    Sophie Davies

    • You’re welcome Sophie and thank you, I’m a happy reader of your blog!

      Erica Blue

  9. Love the guidelines – now we have absolutely no excuse anymore:-)

    mormormedstiletter

    • thank you!

      Erica Blue

  10. Ciao Erica,
    bellissimo questo post, grazie per aver condiviso le immagini, i link e tutto il resto! Leggo le altre ragazze che non comprano nelle catene fast-fashion da un anno e penso : woww quanto vorrei farlo anch’io! provare per un periodo a non comprare da zara & co. poi vuoi la pigrizia o l’ignoranza di non sapere dove altro potrei comprare, non ci riesco mai! True cost voglio vederlo da quando ne avevo letto sul blog di Giulia!
    In ogni caso volevo dirti che hai veramente uno dei blog più curati, interessanti e pieni di spunti in Italia, si vede che ci metti impegno e passione!

    Claudia

    • Ciao Claudia! Grazie mille per il commento e per le belle parole. Secondo me non devi importi di non comprare mai più da Zara, è che avere qualche capo di qualità sarà molto più duraturo e sensato per il tuo guardaroba. E per tutto il sistema-pianeta. Qui qualche idea per le alternative ho cercato di darla.

      Erica Blue

  11. “Clothes are never a frivolity, they always mean something” – one of my favourite quotes by James Laver. Love reading people’s opionin and slow fashion and this was no exception, thank you for a great read!

    Scandinavian Slow Fashion coming soon to http://www.byem.com

    BYEM

  12. I agree with so many of the above comments! Grazie per un post tanto sensibile e pieno d’informazione.
    For years, I have only bought vintage and consignment items and have successfully avoided the fast fashion chains. It is very rewarding finding a vintage item and wearing it, with the knowledge that it is one of a kind and well made. I started my blog nearly two years ago in order to write about my love of vintage and my personal experience finding and owning it.

    Vintage truly is forever…..
    http://www.beastofstyle.com

    Silvia DiPierdomenico