Take Action Against Fast Fashion

Challenging the fast fashion industry

As a consumer of clothing, you have the power to make changes to the fashion industry. If you stop buying from fast fashion brands, these brands will have to reduce production of environmentally and socially unethical clothing. The first step is to identify which brands are ethical and which are not. Luckily, you can visit the website "Good On You" or download the app with the same name. The app and site contain information on more than 2,000 fashion brands, each rated on environmental friendliness, labor ethics, and animal rights. If you look up a brand that the app rates as "avoid" it suggests similar brands that are more environmentally concious.

Still, even though shopping at more environmentally concious brands is considerably better than buying fast fashion, buying new garments ensures that eventually more fabric will end up in landfills. In order to extend the life of the clothing you already own, invest in a sewing kit. With a little practice and some help from Youtube tutorials, you will be able to replace buttons, patch up holes, and resew torn seams. Don't be afraid if your sewing isn't perfect! Turn your mending into art and follow the trend of visible mending with colorful stitches and noticable patches.

Another way to extend the life of clothing is by buying second-hand at vintage or thrift stores. Many thrift stores, including the Buffalo Exchange chain, donate a percentage of proceeds to charities, so you can help more than just the environment by buying second-hand.

Finally, whenever you buy new clothes, think about how much wear you will get out of each garment. If you don't think you will wear a garment at least 30 times, consider the environmental costs and put it back on the rack.