Slow fashion – isn’t that a contradiction? And no, it doesn’t mean that the South Coast retailers are behind the likes of Gateway and Galleria.
I had never heard the term before a friend introduced it. She even did a degree in ethical fashion, so it must be a real thing.
The new trend in the eco-conscious generation is this idea of and investing in sustainability. The trade-off is shirking an entire mentality.
It is no longer about finding the cheapest mainstream deals at large retailers who mass-produce and exploit resources; it is time to support local designers and fair trade manufacturers, instead.
What is sustainable fashion?
It’s a bigger shift in our millennial mindset towards ‘better systems for a better world’.
We don’t look at a dress and say, “That’s lovely. I’ll buy it.”
We look at the type of material, the way it was made, processed, shipped, and even grown (yes, hemp and organic cotton is making a comeback here).
The ethical fashion movement isn’t meant to be another scheme in elite market advertising, tricking guilty consciences into buying expensive products or services.
At its core, fair trade isn’t profit-driven, and the day it becomes about money, it will implode.
Fair trade is about being a responsible contributor.
You can support a business that cares about how it sources and transports its products, and how its employees relate to their industry and the environment in which it operates.
It might produce fewer items as economies of scale play out, but it also emits less waste, and uses renewable, environmentally friendly resources that have been tracked and measured carefully (like ‘bean to bar’ coffees).
The price tag reflects this extra effort, but a helpful way to look at it is that you’re ‘investing’ in one or two high-quality items.
You aren’t filling your shelves with ill-fitting apparel that you’ll end up throwing into the dump or storing for years without ever feeling good about wearing it.
Slow fashion keeps your wardrobe uncluttered and timeless, and it is often better for your skin and home with fewer chemicals, dyes, and synthetic substances.
It is a mindset change as well as a lifestyle difference. You think of the source and process before you purchase it. You save money and time when you stop window shopping sales for clothes you don’t need.
You will feel amazing in a piece knowing that it gels with your ideals. You will also know the journey it took to get to you was a gentler one.
South Africa is already on this track if you look up from the flyers thrown into your car window.
Our very own Sonia Giovanna extraordinaire is a prime example of how much love goes into designer fashion when it is sustainable.
Her pieces are breathtaking (and good for the earth). And, she’s local.
Put your money where your heart knows it needs to be and take things slow. You can thank me later.
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