Sustainable Fashion and how we should be buying our clothes

Zoe reflects on the Lumsden Leadership Summit talk on sustainable fashion.

As someone who is both interested in fashion but very much concerned about the increasing environmental threat we are facing, I jumped at the opportunity to attend the Lumsden Leadership Summit talk on sustainable fashion, and it did not disappoint. The talk was facilitated by Ella Davis, a St Andrews alumni who founded Sulke, an ethical vintage clothing brand, and was in discussion with Alina Bassi, Ann Lindsay, and Ayesha Barenblat. Bassi is a chemical engineer who founded Kleiderly, a company that aims to transform textile waste into products. Lindsay started out working in couture, from which she became a journalist both of fashion as well as other topics such as politics, then transitioning into writing books and public speaking. Barenblat works to bring justice and equality within the fashion industry and founded Remake to enforce this further and educate civilians on the disparity within the fashion industry.

Three main themes emerged out of the discussion. The first was around the idea of multi-billion fashion companies. Barenblat mentioned a good indicator of whether a company was treating its workers right was the number of products they sell and the price of the products. If a company is selling a lot of products at a price that is exceptionally low, it is likely that they are not paying their workers well, the majority of whom would be women and from ethnic minorities conveying a real lack of care for these people. We need to be aware that by buying from these companies, we become part of the issue. Companies such as Shein and Boohoo have multimillion pr teams that perpetuate that they are sustainable when in fact it is just a façade. Bassi mentioned how many of the heads of sustainability in these fashion brands that she has worked with had no adequate experience or training for the job that they were supposed to be undertaking.

Source: pexels

On the other end of this fast fashion, is where our clothes end up. Bassi shared that a staggering “87%” of textiles go into landfills, with Charity shops getting the pick of the best of the bunch because of this constant cycle of buying and chucking that has become so normalised today. This segues nicely into the real crux of the issue: how we as individuals value our clothes. Lindsay shared that she worked out that in the 1950s using a weeks’ worth of an average accountant salary one could buy six jumpers from M and S, in today’s equivalent one could buy twenty-eight jumpers. One must really reflect on who has suffered for the jumpers to be so cheap. Whilst it is great that clothing is more accessible for those who earn little, maybe the emphasis should be on keeping our clothes pristine and mending them when they become a little worn.

It was agreed by all that a large part of the problem is the lack of awareness around where our clothes come from. Lindsay mentioned how very few people nowadays knit and sew. This theme of value and making one’s clothes is probably what resonated and related to me the most as I do knit and sew, but I had never thought about whether this means I appreciate my clothes more than my counterparts that don’t? In the last year, I have made a conscious decision to make or buy all my clothes second-hand apart from a few exceptions, something which I guess had I not sewn I would not have necessarily done.

Perhaps if people could make clothes, they would not only appreciate the work that goes into it and be less likely to partake in this buy and chuck culture, but they might be more likely to create something that truly reflects them and be proud of it. Something which I can really resonate with as I rip up two pairs of jeans in my wardrobe that have never suited me, and transform them into a new pair of jeans and a handbag. Items that make me happier and more accomplished than anything I could have ever bought. As Bassi said, consuming loads ultimately does not make us happy. We should be challenging brands instead of trying to conveniently ignore the issue.

Source: pexels

Of course, it is easier for me to say this as I reflect on my own creativeness. I am not denying I have never felt the urge to buy something from these brands, in fact, the new ASOS sunglasses in my bedroom are a manifestation of exactly that. Did I need sunglasses? Yes. Did I need two pairs of cheap “trendy” sunglasses, leaving me to still having to buy proper useful sunglasses? No. Attending this summit has reminded me that a one-off, does not suddenly mean I am not contributing to the oppression and global environment crisis, and I hope and think it will be a long time, if ever, before I buy anything from one of these unsustainable fashion conglomerates ever again. The summit and this article are a reminder of that for me and I hope it can be a reminder for you too, to normalise wearing the same outfit, celebrate unique style, and value our clothes.

Comments

comments

142 thoughts on “Sustainable Fashion and how we should be buying our clothes

  1. I like what you guys are up too. Such smart work and reporting! Carry on the excellent works guys I’ve incorporated you guys to my blogroll. I think it’ll improve the value of my website :).

  2. Hi, I think your site might be having browser compatibility issues. When I look at your website in Safari, it looks fine but when opening in Internet Explorer, it has some overlapping. I just wanted to give you a quick heads up! Other then that, fantastic blog!

  3. Java Burn: What is it? Java Burn is marketed as a natural weight loss product that can increase the speed and efficiency of a person’s natural metabolism, thereby supporting their weight loss efforts

  4. I like what you guys are up also. Such smart work and reporting! Keep up the excellent works guys I’ve incorporated you guys to my blogroll. I think it’ll improve the value of my web site 🙂

  5. Hey There. I discovered your blog the use of msn. That is a really well written article. I’ll be sure to bookmark it and come back to learn extra of your helpful information. Thanks for the post. I’ll certainly comeback.

  6. Hey there! I know this is kind of off topic but I was wondering if you knew where I could locate a captcha plugin for my comment form? I’m using the same blog platform as yours and I’m having trouble finding one? Thanks a lot!

  7. Heya i’m for the first time here. I came across this board and I find It truly useful & it helped me out much. I hope to give something back and help others like you helped me.

  8. What is ProDentim? ProDentim is an innovative oral care supplement with a unique blend of ingredients designed to promote better oral and dental health

  9. You could certainly see your skills within the paintings you write. The arena hopes for more passionate writers like you who aren’t afraid to say how they believe. Always follow your heart. “No man should marry until he has studied anatomy and dissected at least one woman.” by Honore’ de Balzac.

  10. Good – I should certainly pronounce, impressed with your web site. I had no trouble navigating through all the tabs as well as related info ended up being truly easy to do to access. I recently found what I hoped for before you know it in the least. Quite unusual. Is likely to appreciate it for those who add forums or anything, web site theme . a tones way for your customer to communicate. Nice task..

  11. You can definitely see your skills in the work you write. The world hopes for more passionate writers like you who aren’t afraid to say how they believe. Always go after your heart.

  12. Your style is so unique compared to many other people. Thank you for publishing when you have the opportunity,Guess I will just make this bookmarked.2

  13. What is Renew? Renew is a dietary supplement designed to support blood flow while also aiming to boost testosterone levels andprovide an explosive energy drive

  14. I do like the way you have presented this issue plus it does supply us some fodder for thought. Nonetheless, because of what precisely I have experienced, I simply just wish when the actual feedback pile on that men and women remain on issue and in no way start upon a soap box involving the news du jour. Yet, thank you for this fantastic piece and although I can not necessarily go along with the idea in totality, I respect your standpoint.

  15. Do you mind if I quote a few of your posts as long as I provide credit and sources back to your site? My website is in the exact same niche as yours and my visitors would definitely benefit from some of the information you present here. Please let me know if this ok with you. Many thanks!

  16. Good site! I really love how it is simple on my eyes and the data are well written. I’m wondering how I could be notified when a new post has been made. I have subscribed to your RSS which must do the trick! Have a great day!

  17. I discovered your blog site on google and check a few of your early posts. Continue to keep up the very good operate. I just additional up your RSS feed to my MSN News Reader. Seeking forward to reading more from you later on!…

  18. Very nice post and right to the point. I don’t know if this is really the best place to ask but do you people have any thoughts on where to hire some professional writers? Thanks 🙂

  19. What does the Lottery Defeater Software offer? The Lottery Defeater Software is a unique predictive tool crafted to empower individuals seeking to boost their chances of winning the lottery.

  20. What Is Sugar Defender? Sugar Defender is a meticulously crafted natural health supplement aimed at helping individuals maintain balanced blood sugar levels. Developed by Jeffrey Mitchell, this liquid formula contains 24 scientifically backed ingredients meticulously chosen to target the root causes of blood sugar imbalances.

  21. I really like your blog.. very nice colors & theme. Did you create this website yourself or did you hire someone to do it for you? Plz reply as I’m looking to create my own blog and would like to know where u got this from. cheers

  22. Wonderful website you have here but I was curious about if you knew of any message boards that cover the same topics talked about here? I’d really like to be a part of group where I can get suggestions from other knowledgeable individuals that share the same interest. If you have any suggestions, please let me know. Thanks!

  23. Someone essentially assist to make severely articles I would state. This is the very first time I frequented your website page and up to now? I amazed with the research you made to make this actual submit incredible. Great job!

  24. Good site! I truly love how it is simple on my eyes and the data are well written. I am wondering how I could be notified whenever a new post has been made. I’ve subscribed to your RSS feed which must do the trick! Have a great day!

  25. Very interesting details you have observed, appreciate it for posting. “What the world really needs is more love and less paperwork.” by Pearl Bailey.

  26. An intriguing discussion is worth comment. There’s no doubt that that you ought to write more about this subject, it might not be a taboo matter but generally people do not speak about such subjects. To the next! All the best!!

  27. Hello there, simply became aware of your weblog via Google, and located that it is truly informative. I’m going to watch out for brussels. I will appreciate when you proceed this in future. Lots of other people might be benefited out of your writing. Cheers!

  28. Great beat ! I would like to apprentice at the same time as you amend your web site, how could i subscribe for a blog site? The account aided me a appropriate deal. I had been tiny bit familiar of this your broadcast offered vibrant clear concept

  29. After study a few of the blog posts on your website now, and I truly like your way of blogging. I bookmarked it to my bookmark website list and will be checking back soon. Pls check out my web site as well and let me know what you think.

  30. Excellent goods from you, man. I’ve understand your stuff previous to and you are just extremely wonderful. I actually like what you’ve acquired here, certainly like what you’re stating and the way in which you say it. You make it enjoyable and you still care for to keep it wise. I cant wait to read far more from you. This is actually a great website.

  31. My developer is trying to persuade me to move to .net from PHP. I have always disliked the idea because of the costs. But he’s tryiong none the less. I’ve been using WordPress on several websites for about a year and am worried about switching to another platform. I have heard very good things about blogengine.net. Is there a way I can transfer all my wordpress posts into it? Any help would be really appreciated!

  32. Hey very nice site!! Guy .. Excellent .. Amazing .. I will bookmark your site and take the feeds additionally…I’m satisfied to find numerous useful information right here in the post, we want work out more techniques in this regard, thanks for sharing. . . . . .

  33. I used to be more than happy to seek out this net-site.I wished to thanks on your time for this excellent learn!! I undoubtedly having fun with every little bit of it and I’ve you bookmarked to take a look at new stuff you weblog post.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

THE STAND