Slow Fashion: Join the Revolution!

Slow Fashion is a movement. It is a way of doing business for fashion-related companies and a way of buying and dressing-up for conscious consumers.

The term Slow Fashion came organically following a new wave. It was coined by Kate Fletcher of the Centre for Sustainable Fashion, following the phenomena of the slow food movement. As with the slow food movement, Fletcher saw a need for a slower pace in the fashion industry. Slow Fashion opposes the fast fashion model that emerged around 20 years ago.  And if we want to preserve our environment, Slow Fashion is 100% necessary. Indeed, ”seventy-five percent of fashion supply chain material ends up in landfills. This amounts to ‘the equivalent of one garbage truck of textiles per second.’”(Pulse of the Fashion Industry 2018 Report).

Some Slow Fashion Potential Characteristics:

• Made from high quality, sustainable materials;

• Often in smaller (local) stores rather than huge chain enterprises;

• Locally sourced, produced and sold garments;

• Fair trade;

• Few, specific styles per collection;

• Clothes to keep and wear beyond one season.

A Revolution within the Fashion Industry

The values that make up the Slow Fashion movement suggest a complete overhaul of consuming and production.  This approach has inspired many changes in recent years, particularly in the production of clothing, but also in consumer behaviour.

And while there is a growing support for Slow Fashion, there is still work to be done. To really support the Slow Fashion movement, we need to be a part of the growing movement of people looking beyond the “appeal” of the cheap, high turnover of fast fashion. We can maintain awareness of what a brand is really representing and focus on quality, not quantity by keeping our clothes longer and by simplifying our wardrobes. Because less is more.

Slow Fashion in Practice

Here are practical tips to become a slow-fashionista:

• Buy quality clothes. The better the quality, the longer you can keep them.

• Select items that you can mix and match, for example, with similar colours or materials. This will help you keep your wardrobe simple.

• Buy it if you need it. Try to avoid impulsive shopping. You like an item? Try to wait overnight before buying it. If the envy is still present, this means you really want it.

• Beware of low prices. Fast fashion brands are setting very competitive prices. Yet, below those low prices hide child labour, bad working conditions and even slavery.

• Look at the country of origin. A high price does not specifically guarantee respectful production conditions. Sometimes, famous and expensive brands source badly. A sad example is obviously items sourced from Bangladesh.

• Buy fair trade. If the item was produced in a third-world country, ensure it was so following fair trade guidelines. Buying fair trade from the third-world can have a very positive economic and social impact.

What to join the Revolution? You are just a click from it. FVA Alternative Business Wear has Slow Fashion as a business model. Read more articles to dig into this trend.

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