The Biggest Fashion Faux Pas

Everyone loves a good fashion trend, well, mostly.

Personally, I still don't understand the appeal of Crocs. However, as a collective we don't always understand on a wide scale what these trends can do long term to the planet or to the people tasked with production. Everything made in bulk has an impact on the environment. The one we have to live in. When things are made quickly and cheaply, corners are cut.

While some steps have been taken to curb carbon emissions and better our planet, not enough has been done to make production safe. Toxic chemicals and dyes are often used in fast fashion to get the clothing distributed and get that profit coming in.

We feed into the pollution when we break out our wallets to buy the latest and greatest fashion or tech products the world has to offer. The ingrained fear of being left out overwhelms us to the point we buy that thing we don't really need that'll amuse us for five minutes, we might even wear it here and there for a few months, and then it becomes a permanent fixture on a shelf or in the closet.

Fashion trends are hurting us.

Fast fashion, quick trends, and mass produced textile items lead to overstuffed landfills and air pollution. Fashion comes second place in polluting our planet, trailing in behind oil. The waste this industry contributes to our planet is exponential in numbers. But that's not all, it's been known for awhile that the workers making these garments for the majority of brands that exist do not receive a livable wage from their work. They often work in terrible conditions and most of them are women.

Is fast fashion worth such a steep price?

I don't think it is. In 2020, I began seeking alternatives. I've fiddled with the idea before but never felt like I was in a financial position to buy well made clothing that lasts. But then I realized I was already doing my part in a small way by buying used clothing.

Thrift shops offer clothes at cheaper prices, most of these are in good condition with plenty of wearable years left in the garments.

Used Clothing is AWESOME.

There's an underlying shame that comes with buying secondhand as a child and unfortunately, it tends to follow us into adulthood. We grow up watching our friends come to school every year with the latest and best shoes and clothing. Being the kid in hand-me-downs or thrifted clothes isn't always easy. From a young age we are taught to want the new things, the shiny things, the things our friends have.

We see commercials, hear ads, and listen to adults and children chatter about the newest fashion or toys or cars. Consumerism and envy drive us. A capitalist society runs on convincing the consumers that we need something new. But do we?

Chances are the product exists and someone out there is selling it used. Clothing is a great example of this and thrift stores, online or in person are an excellent way to do something small in your life to help out.

It's something that should be normalized and even encouraged. It keeps those items out of landfills and gives them a second life. Whether it's that 80's band tee or an old beat up desk that needs sanded and repainted, buying used items is resourceful.

Love 90's fashion? Hit up a thrift store instead of buying those newly released "throwback" items. Most fashion trends come and go so buying secondhand gives you a pretty good chance to find some gems.

A few online thrift worthy sites have appeared in recent times to make the shopping safer in a COVID-19 impacted world. I've recently stumbled upon unclaimedbaggage.com which sells items from lost/unclaimed luggage at discounted prices.

It keeps the items away from landfills and it isn't just for clothing. There's a section for unusual finds, collectibles, and even electronics. So if you have some extra time and want to fall down a hole of browsing things people have lost while traveling, I recommend giving it a go.

Stop throwing clothes away!

Up-cycling clothing that has outlived its purpose can help in small ways! Reduce your clothing waste, repurpose or donate old items. Turn ripped clothing into reusable rags for cleaning or make it into scrap pieces for sewing or crocheting. I recently turned old shirts into t-shirt yarn and then used that to crochet a purse.

There are at least a hundred different ways to reuse shirts, sweaters, and even jeans.

Knitting and crocheting, even sewing with sustainable fibers can provide long lasting wearable products as well. They cost a little more, they take more time to make, but they are worth the price in longevity and quality!

Shop local, handmade, and small to help the impact.

Even knitters and crocheters can heed this advice! Hand spun and hand dyed yarns might be more expensive but they're more ethical. You pay a small business or person for the work and time they put in.

You can find clothing made from recycled materials.

There are so many options for this one! A quick google search and you'll find things you didn't even know existed. There are shops dedicated solely to fashion made from recycled products.

There are many ways to reduce, reuse and recycle when it comes to the things we wear on our bodies. The biggest fashion faux pas is the one that leaves our planet and other human beings suffering for profit. When we place profit over people we create a society that will choose quick over safe. Let's lose fast fashion and bring in something more sustainable.