A pink gingham midi shift dress by ethical and sustainable London-based brand Birdsong costs £169; a similar style from H&M will do much less damage to your pocket, at £19.99. One dress is made from Tencel fabric made from wood pulp, sustainably harvested from renewable wood sources, and was made in London for living wages. Continue reading “Privilege and sustainable fashion”
Category Archives: Sustainable fashion
Is fashion causing a biodiversity crisis?
In 2020, McKinsey called biodiversity ‘the next frontier in sustainable fashion’ Many of us are already aware of the link between the fashion industry and climate change: the clothing industry generates more greenhouse gases than international aviation and shipping combined. Less well-known is the contribution fashion is making to the biodiversity crisis. We are living through anContinue reading “Is fashion causing a biodiversity crisis?”
Don’t be fooled: Greenwashing in fashion
Growing interest in sustainable fashion has prompted brands from Prada to Primark to communicate their environmental and ethical credentials. Several fashion businesses have launched sustainable sub-brands, among them H&M’s Conscious Collection and Zara’s Join Life brand. But which businesses are genuinely benefitting the environment, and which are hoping to bamboozle shoppers into thinking they’re greenerContinue reading “Don’t be fooled: Greenwashing in fashion”
‘Sort of’ plastic-free July
This year I’ve been sort-of attempting Plastic Free July. This is a movement which encourages people not to buy anything made out of plastic all month, or to minimise the amount of plastic they buy. I say ‘sort of’ because attempting this makes you realise how deeply plastic is embedded in our lives: from brushing yourContinue reading “‘Sort of’ plastic-free July”
My sustainable fashion journey — Raelene
“I realised that I could be buying clothes made by someone who was effectively enslaved,” says Raelene. In the past, a firm fan of Boden, Phase Eight and other high street brands, her shopping habits were transformed by a sustainable fashion event in London in 2013. Like most people, Rae had no idea that manyContinue reading “My sustainable fashion journey — Raelene”
Why I’m celebrating the hole in my jeans
I realised a few days ago that a pair of my jeans had a hole on the inside of the right thigh. That doesn’t sound very remarkable, but for me it was a proud moment. Watching TV recently, I saw an advert for the fast fashion brand Missguided. The ad’s strapline was, ‘You’ve got plansContinue reading “Why I’m celebrating the hole in my jeans”
Where do I start with sustainable fashion?
Google is a reliable barometer of what’s on our minds. The search engine has recorded an exponential rise in the number of people typing ‘sustainable fashion’ into search bars over the past few years. This implies that more people are now connecting the contents of their wardrobe with the climate and ecological emergency. Maybe you’reContinue reading “Where do I start with sustainable fashion?”
Should we stop shopping?
This white vest which I recently bought is the last clothing purchase I’ll make until June 2022. The major reason is that I have so many clothes. Switching from my autumn/winter wardrobe to my summer wardrobe has been quite an undertaking, involving many hours of unpacking, hanging clothes out to air, washing and ironing. AndContinue reading “Should we stop shopping?”
A letter to my MP about clothes
It’s occurred to me that although I’ve made some lifestyle changes to become more planet-friendly (or at least less planet-unfriendly), such as only buying second-hand clothing, my activism so far has been zero. Nada. Nothing. As a small first step, I’ve written the below (very formal-sounding!) letter to my local MP. Feel free to copyContinue reading “A letter to my MP about clothes”
ASOS is all-conquering – what does it mean for sustainability?
ASOS has done so well recently that the company’s CEO has confidently proclaimed the brand to be ‘the number one destination for fashion-loving 20-somethings’. Like Boohoo, ASOS has been one of the few fashion retailers to do incredibly well in the past year. Being a digital-only retailer has been a clear advantage for ASOS, forContinue reading “ASOS is all-conquering – what does it mean for sustainability?”
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