Introduction
Living consciously is a vital part of every yoga journey. Being conscious of the food we put in our bodies, how we treat ourselves and others, and being aware of how we treat the planet, are all values we strive to adhere to on a daily basis. Part of this is being conscious of the clothes we buy: where they come from and their impact on people and planet.
What do these terms ‘fast fashion’ and ‘slow fashion’ really mean?
The term ‘fast fashion’ first appeared in the 1990s to describe quick manufacturing of contemporary fashion trends at an affordable price. Designs move quickly from catwalk to store to consumer to being discarded when then new trend arrives. These pieces are not made to last, but ironically, due to the high synthetic content, do not decay in landfill.
While current fashion trends have to be designed and manufactured quickly and inexpensively to allow the mainstream consumer to buy current clothing styles at a lower price, there is a huge cost to people and planet of fast fashion.
The ‘slow fashion’ or conscious fashion movement has arisen in opposition to fast fashion. Blaming fast fashion for pollution and damage to the natural environment, both in the production of clothes and in the decay of synthetic fabrics, slow fashion offers sustainable alternatives, natural fabrics made from sustainable materials that last longer and biodegrade more readily.
With disasters such as the Rana Plaza building collapse in Bangladesh in 2013, the deadliest garment-related accident in world history, drawing the world’s attention to dangerous working conditions in developing countries, slow fashion places an emphasis on the importance of fair trade and safer working conditions.
Why do many of us find it so hard to change the way we shop?
Most of us know all this already and we cannot continue to turn a blind eye to the effect of our consumer choices. And yet, let’s face it, the lure of the High Street and attractive, cheap clothing are a tough temptation to resist.
Most of us can relate to the power of retail therapy. We love buying new things. Whatever your thing is – the latest little black dress, funky shoes, branded activewear, another handbag…- when you’re feeling a little low and in need of a pick-me-up, how often do your thoughts turn to a new purchase to achieve happiness? How often in the pursuit of happiness does a burning desire for an object over-ride an actual need for that object? If we allow ourselves to surrender to this constant dissatisfaction of wanting more, we can soon find ourselves in a continuous spiral of wanting more and more and never actually finding contentment. Of course, our world feeds this desire for more and more: that’s how consumerism works. And the very real consequence is that we’re using up the world’s resources far more quickly than we can ever replenish them.
The key to sustainable living
The belief that all we need is inside of us is key to living sustainably.
I have everything I need
We do not need to rely on external sources to find inner contentment. We need to consciously remind ourselves of this truth each day.
Breaking free of these patterns of accumulating more and more and rejecting the lure of fast fashion will lead us to live a more sustainable life.
Here’s how I’m making that shift
I love clothes. I came to this passion later in life, having dressed conventionally most of my life, valuing practicality and comfort over individuality and creativity. Becoming friends with another Helen released me from any constraints about what I would wear. We brought out an adventurous, even eccentric spirit in each other. So now I wear what I want to wear when I want to wear it without concern for what anyone else may think. I express my personality through the outfits I put together.
However, I care about people and planet.
I believe we are all interconnected and that my consumer decisions have a far-reaching effect.
Having read news reports from clothing factories around the world and watched Andrew Morgan’s documentary film ‘The True Cost’, how could I continue to turn a blind eye? Ignorance is bliss, yes, but ignorance is not an option in the modern world.
I started to move away from the cheap, fast fashion of the high street (that is so alluring, I get that) towards more ethical clothing decisions – fair trade, organic cotton, sustainable bamboo etc. I also developed a habit of frequenting charity shops and vintage fairs, falling in love with the adventure of never knowing what purchases I may return home with! Five years ago, I made the decision to buy no new clothes for a whole year. It was tough, really tough – and the first thing I did after midnight on New Year’s Eve was click the button to buy a black velvet dress with lace sleeves online!
This year, I have bought no new clothes for myself either (apart from a couple of items I needed for my holiday). I’ve celebrated some great pre-loved finds. I still love the way I dress and never resort to exclaiming that I have nothing to wear! High Street or online clothes shopping is no longer an option for me. I will not now return to buying myself new clothes. I am happy to be modelling a new sustainable way of dressing.
The only exception is to buy new items that I fall in love with from companies that support sustainable fashion. That’s why I love all the active wear brands that Yogamatters works with to bring us yoga wear in soft bamboo, organic cotton, recycled polyester and other sustainable materials. Now that I buy less, I appreciate what I do buy new much more and take more care so that my beautiful clothing lasts much, much longer.
I buy to wear time and time and time again. Each item of clothing is to be treasured.
Ten tips on how to transition from fast fashion to slow fashion
- Remind yourself of why this transition matters. Do some research online. Watch ‘The True Cost’.
- Don’t take everything your favourite retailer tells you at face value. Many of the High Street brands are making claims around sustainability because they know it matters. Dig deep and do your research.
- Start exploring the charity shops and vintage fairs in your area. See it as an adventure. Sometimes you will find nothing; other times, you’ll come home buzzing with your purchases.
- Let go of the need to follow the latest fashion trend. The most interesting people are those with individual personality and style. Wear what you love and people will love you for it.
- Start getting to know some ethical brands you can trust. Read the stories on their websites. If you need something new, then make a conscious choice to buy sustainably.
- Be prepared to pay more than you’ve been used to. People get put off buying sustainable clothing because it is less affordable. But if you are buying less and shopping more in charity shops, then you can afford to pay more for the occasional item that you can be sure is costing the environment and producers less.
- When buying new, only buy what you love because these sustainable pieces are created to last and you can expect to be wearing your new clothes for many years!
- If you’re concerned about being seen in the same outfit twice (on your Instagram feed for example), then think about ways to switch it up eg. wear the same dress with different accessories to dress it up or down. You actually need never wear the same ensemble more than once!
- Set a realistic target for yourself that is a challenge but not unattainable. Not buying new clothing for a month is actually easy, especially if you stock up your wardrobe the month before which defeats the object! However, maybe not buying new for a year feels too difficult. It’s only by making a decision to change that change will actually occur though! So how about deciding not to buy any new clothing until Christmas or taking the decision to not buy any clothing in the first six months of 2020?
- Tell people what you are doing: not to brag or make anyone else feel bad but to show your commitment to your decision. Allow the people around you to encourage you and keep you on track. Surround yourself with people who get it Find your tribe.
