Fast fashion, that is to say the unbridled production of clothing by large global chains, is causing ecological havoc that urgently needs to be reduced. Faced with the giants of disposable fashion, only our consumer choices can make a difference. Resistance to fast fashion, instructions in 5 steps for a virtuous fashion.
Buy less
Quite simply. Fast fashion is based on the irresistible attraction of new models at knockdown prices, offered almost every week in stores. Cheap for us, the price is nevertheless high for those who manufacture them on the other side of the planet, in conditions sometimes close to slavery. In addition to the men and women exploited, nature also pays a high price: inevitably to have such low prices, the production processes are not clean, especially in producing countries where the legislation is less strict. This is as much waste and harmful and chemical products that are dumped into nature, as many synthetic fibers from oil (acrylic, polyester, polyamide) that are used and astronomical quantities of cotton fibers, whose very water-intensive cultivation depletes the soil . So before buying, we think: do I need it? Do I already have one? How many times will I wear it? Can I wait?
Buy second-hand and vintage
For every piece of clothing that is not purchased new, there are as many raw materials, packaging, chemicals and polluting dyes that are not used. And what a saving! This is also true for vintage clothing to be purchased in thrift stores that also exist online today. Overconsumption allows you to find second-hand clothing that is very little worn, or even new. And if you sell your clothes in turn, you also avoid waste and the excessive production of textile waste, which is among the most significant in the world. However, be careful of the perverse effect of easy second-hand sales: do not buy without thinking on the pretext that you can always resell the item later.
Buy ethically
You have to buy less, and better. Select French brands that cost more, yes, but are of better quality. It is an ethical choice that allows you to acquire one or two beautiful pieces where, for the same price, you would have had 5 or 6 of poor quality. Also buy clothes from sustainable and ethical fashion brands that display their manufacturing processes in complete transparency: fair pay for workers, ethical sourcing of their raw materials, eco-designed products and ecological processes. Fashion from small designers is a more virtuous and more original fashion. Also promote companies that donate part of their profits to organizations or associations in favor of the planet and sustainable fashion.
Promote recycling and upcycling
Some brands have made recycling their trademark and produce exclusively from recycled fabrics or materials. Others will claim upcycling , that is to say the transformation of already existing items into new models. In this case, synthetic fibers are a way of recycling plastic which, once melted, can easily be transformed into threads that are woven. This committed approach has the double merit of responding to both the problem of textile waste since they are reused, but also of a less polluting production since it does not require the production of virgin materials. Still a little confidential, these fashion brands, which you can easily find on the internet, are on the way to becoming the new standard of tomorrow's fashion.
Organize a clothing swap
The concept is simple: gather friends, neighbors, acquaintances, at one of your homes. Each person brings clothes that they no longer want. The clothes are pooled, sorted by type (jackets, pants, etc.). Each person in turn can go and help themselves - for free - in one of the categories and take an item. You can use numbers to draw at random to designate who starts. The first person can choose from the jackets, the second can choose first from the skirts, etc. Finally, when everyone has been able to take what they wanted, it's time to try them on: you put back what doesn't fit you and you can start again. If you took an item that someone else wanted, you just have to exchange it. The atmosphere is good-natured. The clothes that no one wants are donated to charity. It's hard to compete with these exchanges that allow you to redo your wardrobe for free!
Fast fashion may still have a bright future ahead of it because consumers are still in the whirlwind of overconsumption, but the giants have feet of clay. Indeed, more and more people have become aware of their production methods and are now turning to cleaner solutions. You are lucky to have the choice, so make the choice of slow fashion , ethical, clean and sustainable fashion.
