Where do my clothes end up?

With such an increase in our consumption of fashion we should be considering where last seasons unwanted garments end up...another part of the lifecycle of our clothing that garners little of our attention. Possibly because fast fashion is often also labelled “disposable fashion”, we have taken this term as one that indicates it is ok. In reality fashion is not at all disposable and simply throwing out unwanted garments is not ok!

"The average American throws out 82 pounds (37kg) of textile waste every year, adding up to 11 million tonnes of textile waste from the US alone." - The True Cost

Most of us have good intentions and donate our used clothing, but according to The Secondary Materials and Recycled Textiles Association (SMART) only around 45% of these donations are actually resold as used clothing.  So what happens to the rest? Some garments find a second life through associations like SMART, becoming industrial rags or being ground down and reprocessed. Others are sold off to textile merchants who, after sorting and grading the garments, export them to be sold in developing nations...turning your donations into tradable goods.

While the exporting of our used clothing provides opportunities for buyers in these countries to resell at a profit it simultaneously becomes particularly damaging to the local garment industries. And whatever remains unsaleable ends up dumped in landfill...in these developing countries. So we are simply moving the problem for those less fortunate to deal with! An everlasting, but out of sight, and environmentally damaging byproduct of our trend driven wardrobes caused by the fact that our consumption has reached a level where the amount of 'used' clothing we are producing exceeds the world's need for it. 

While of course it is always better to donate or re-sell your used clothing, what we really need to consider is where the problem begins. And that is with us and how much we consume. Consider how you can fill your wardrobe in more environmentally friendly ways. Become more aware of where your donations go by asking your local charity what they do with unsold clothing. Understanding where your used clothing may eventually end up might make you think twice before you make that next impulse purchase. Let’s start reducing the waste in our wardrobes by practicing conscious consumption and help curb consumerism together...one conscious step at a time.

Fashion Is Not Exclusive

Whether you like it or not the fact of the matter is that as humans we all wear clothing...which means we all play a small part in this industry. I've been thinking about this a lot lately, and while we all have varying degrees of interest in fashion and choose to allocate varying amounts of time and thought to what we wear, essentially every single one of us makes fashion choices every morning when we get dressed.

What we wear represents who we are, what we believe, what we want to be, it's our identity. Some people take an anti fashion stance and dislike the idea that what you wear is or should be an aesthetic representation of yourself. I'm not here to tell those people they're wrong, we are all free to believe what we like. However, something that is often associated with this way of thinking is the idea that being concerned about aesthetics is something a person of intellect wouldn't be bothered with. This notion I have more of a problem with!

How did something that has for so long been part of our culture, something that has invariably become part of who we are as humans, receive such a negative position in society? Fashion and what we wear is symbolic of our history and the craft of constructing garments is a true skill and art form.

To deny that fashion plays a role in all of our lives is to deny an aspect of being human and how we express ourselves. What we wear is a choice, even if it's declared as anti fashion, this is a fashion choice in itself. To put effort into how you look does not diminish your intellect, in fact I believe it to be more a sign of respect for yourself, and therefore adds to who you are. We all have the power to make our fashion choices mean something, not only to ourselves but to the environment and our fellow humans.

Let this serve as a reminder that we are all in this together!

How to Thrift Shop Successfully

Be patient...this is key! With used clothing it really is luck of the draw but remember the excitement of the unknown and the hunt for that perfect item is part of the adventure. Be level headed and calculated or you'll risk making a purchase for the sake of it. Without a range of sizes available and items being one off you can easily be overcome with a sense of urgency and oh well it'll do attitude...don't fall into the trap, there will always be a next time and, just like your favourite chain stores, new stock arrives daily!

My first thrift store experience went like this. Flicking through the racks I began to wonder if I’d find anything other than Zara, H&M or Forever 21 and I was quickly disheartened. But after persevering and spending some time I happened upon a 100% silk slip dress by Ralph Lauren and thus made a very rewarding $17.95 purchase. Ensure you're buying something of quality by checking the fabric content, understanding brands and what an item would cost to purchase new, and always do a full check for any wear and tear.

If you're buying a polyester shirt from Zara versus a designer label silk top there's no question which will have more longevity in your wardrobe. However, if you love the item and take good care of it then the purchase is still much better than buying new from a fast fashion chain! Apply the same standards of fit and versatility as you would to any other purchase. Otherwise consider if a garment can be altered nd if you're happy to spend the extra money to achieve the right style and fit for you. Scope out your favourite thrift store, try more than one before giving up, find out if there are particular days they receive new stock and visit on a regular basis. You never know which visit might result in an amazing find and all the hunting will be worth it.  

Online resellers like Ebay also provide great access to used clothing and often brand new items as well. It helps in this case if you can be specific in your search by knowing exactly what you're looking for. Know your size across different brands and don't be afraid to ask the seller questions, getting specific measurements can help ensure you get the right fit. If you've had your eye on a particular piece that’s out of your price range, be patient and set up alerts, you never know when you might get lucky. And always check seller ratings to ensure you're making a legitimate purchase!

In Store Thrifting

• Be patient and persistent!
• Don't lower your standards when it comes to fit for your body and style personality.
• Understand quality in fabrics and brands for transparency on pricing and longevity in your wardrobe.
• Do a full check for wear and tear before purchasing, you most likely won't be able to do returns.
• Seek out a store that caters to what you're looking for and get to know how they operate.

Online Thrifting

• Be patient and persistent!
• Know your size across various brands and ask for specific measurements to ensure correct fit.
• Set up alerts to assist in your search for a specific piece.
• Ensure you are purchasing from a legitimate re-seller by reading reviews and checking ratings.
• Follow your favourite sellers and/or websites to never miss their new listings and maybe even become part of the community by selling some items yourself! 

Most importantly though have fun...turn shopping into a challenge, an exciting game! Purchases will be much more rewarding if you've put in some effort to get there. Challenge yourself to adopt a positive approach and always place importance in your fashion discoveries. Happy thrifting!

Who made my clothes?

Although we might put a lot of thought into shopping and filling our wardrobes, we don’t put nearly as much into considering the journey each item of clothing has taken to end up in our hands. And despite what we may presume it is not just machinery constructing our clothing, it's people, and lots of them. It is estimated that 1 in every 6 people alive in the wold today work in some part of the global fashion industry, making it one of the most labour dependent industries in the world.  

I can’t help but think of the old saying “out of sight, out of mind” when it comes to the production of our clothing. As consumers we can easily dismiss and take for granted the things that we aren’t exposed to. Entering a retail environment we are in a pristine consumer haven and far away from any signs of the effect we are having on our planet and its people. 

We’ve all heard the term sweatshop, and while it was headline news in the 90’s we assume that this is no longer a relevant term. While this may be truer for China today than ever before, the largest exporter of fashion in the world now has competition from developing countries such as Bangladesh, Vietnam, Cambodia and Turkey. And due to fast fashion corporations seeking lower production costs they are looking to these countries and moving at least a portion of their production out of China, and therefore moving the problem. 

The Rana Plaza disaster in 2013 shone a spotlight on the continued existence of sweatshops as the horrific event claimed more than 1,100 lives, the most fatal of any garment industry incident the world has ever seen. A factory where well known brands, that most of us have likely purchased at least once, produced clothing. And just one factory in a long list that are used indirectly by large corporations, avoiding the responsibility for any malpractice conducted at the factories by going through a middleman. 

"There are roughly 40 million garment factory workers worldwide, the majority of whom make less than $3 a day." - The True Cost Movie

The aftermath of this tragedy sparked change in the industry and there is some great work still being carried out in honour of those who lost their lives and to make a difference for generations to come. Fashion Revolution is helping bring awareness to these issues, asking consumers to #whomademyclothes and hold fast fashion companies accountable, because the scary truth is that they themselves don’t necessarily know….and if they don’t know how can we as consumers know.

Although these issues rely on government reform to some extent, transparency from brands is also key, and we have the power as consumers to demand it! Understanding and asking ‘where did my clothes come from?’ and ‘who made my clothes?’ is at the centre of becoming a more conscious consumer. Unfortunately for the most part we continue on, indifferent and unchanged, too enticed by the cheap price tags offered by fast fashion.

Remember each garment originated somewhere, I encourage you to look at the tags on the clothing in your wardrobe and observe the countries they were made in. Consider how much you paid for an item and how much of that went to the person who made it. Put some time into discovering brands manufactured locally and invest back into the country in which you live. Make educated purchase decisions and help push for transparency...because we have a responsibility to our fellow humans and together we can achieve positive change.

Are You Buying Into Consumerism?

The idea of consumerism dates back to the 1930’s and is widely credited to a man named Ernest Elmo Calkins, an advertising mogul as we’d call him today, who said “To make people buy more goods it is necessary to displace what they already have, still useful, but outdated, old-fashioned, obsolete.” As a result we have become a nation of professional over consumers, allowing fast fashion retailers to continue to strengthen their grip on the industry for over twenty years. 

Marketing plays such a key role in moulding our behaviour towards fashion and now more than ever we have constant exposure to advertising with the prevalence of social media. We have been trained to believe that happiness comes from stuff, so much so that the idea we will be happier if we own that particular thing is in most cases a subconscious effect. Retail therapy anyone?! The combination of marketing and consumerism gives fast fashion retailers a fool proof business model centred around planned obsolescence. 

“The world now consumes about 80 billion new pieces of clothing every year. This is 400% more than the amount we consumed just two decades ago.” - Livia Firth, Creative Director of Eco-Age 

It seems as a society we are in the middle of an identity crisis with our constant desire for change. We have an instilled fear of missing out or not fitting in and can't seem to commit to one look. We need to find ourselves. Consumerism is so much a part of our culture that it has become the first necessary change to ensure a more ethical and sustainable future for the garment industry. Marketing does not control us, nor to that matter do other people and their opinions. We and we alone are in control of our own thoughts and actions.

Do you choose to continue to buy into the never ending cycle of consumerism? Or do you choose change? Changing your mindset is the first step, and a change in action will easily follow. You are in control of curbing your consumer behaviours...one conscious step at a time.