why slow fashion?
Share
If you've heard the term SLOW FASHION tossed around, yet never thought about it any further,... this might be a sign ...have a quick read: we've broken it down to the simplest terms.
But first, an acknowledgement of the status quo. Fast fashion is fueled by ads that creep up on us in every possible platform, they pop up like a scary jack in the box JUST as we're about to be a responsible adult and get back to our actual job; actual life.
The art of tailoring and sartorial construction is one of the many casualties of mass production, micro-trends and materialism in general. All of us, oversaturated with cycles of micro trends that (if we buy into them) suggest we are hip, in, and with it - "part of" the zeitgeist, the NOW.
Too often we miss underlying messaging whipped up inside strategic marketing meetings that suggest we are incomplete, we are not enough and lacking. If only we had ___x___y__z___.
" Fast fashion is a business model in which clothes are produced quickly. Each collection is based on the latest trends, fuelled by celebrities, influencers, and designers. Fast fashion is characterised by ultra-fast production, low costs, and constantly changing collections. This means that consumers can choose from a wide range of affordable clothes that keep up with the latest trends." Because of the superfast production, clothes are of low quality, which means they don't last long and are thrown away sooner. This business model is also very bad for the environment. Many chemicals and water are used in the production process, which leads to environmental pollution. It takes 2,700 litres of water to make a single T-shirt. That is enough water for 2.5 years per person.
SLOW fashion is a movement in both practice and ideology; which aims to be the opposite of the fast fashion model : In short, a more sustainable and conscious approach to the production of clothing. Slow sustainable fashion is characterised by better quality, fair production and timeless collections made with eco-friendly or recycled materials. This means you can wear your clothes season after season.
Ayush Singh, of Dutch sustainable company MUD suggests the following:
- Build a capsule wardrobe (mix & match)
- Slowly transform your wardrobe - timeless, resilient pieces.
- Buy second-hand
- Support slow fashion brands