Will sustainability ever be fashionable?
We need to talk about eco-anxiety
Author: Poppy Mansfield Jones
Editors: Sophie Palmer
My Story
My name is Poppy Mansfield Jones, age 18, and currently known as the resident cheapskate of my friends. I see this as a good thing, not simply because I love saving money but because there's a real adventure in the process of locating a bargain! Living in Canterbury in the UK, for the last five years, I have made use of my city's vast selection of second-hand shops.
Clothing is, in my opinion, the best form of self-expression to exist since redecorating the room your parents furnished while you were still in your 'dinosaur phase'. Finding and buying 'slow clothing' is one of the most rewarding hobbies out there. If you're brave enough to stray from the traditional (but congested) world of Primark-esqe shopping, you'll find yourself discovering some unique and cheap gems to help diversify your wardrobe!
Though it was a timely process, I now have a much better taste in fashion than when I began my journey at age 14. Before I made the commitment to sustainable shopping, I felt trapped by the concept of trends and upholding them. The difficulty with trends is that while they constantly come and go, the public pressure to dress and shop in a certain way remains consistent throughout life. For example, when I was younger, it was fashionable to wear moustache and emoji prints, but now it's all dark colours and chains!
As Aditi Mayer comments in episode seven of the Force of Nature Podcast, season two: "Fast fashion has caused us to see clothes as a disposable commodity rather than the art that it is." In the long term, it's best to simply buy what makes you feel confident, and what you believe to be beautiful.
The Positives of Sustainable Shopping
How cheap it is! My favourite items to wear at the moment are a dress I bought for £3, a £5 jacket, a £10 jumper, and a £2 pair of trousers.
Your outfits will feel more unique. I think my outfits really display my sense of self because the clothes were hard to find - they had to catch my eye!
Often, your clothes will be of better quality. Of course, you can simply buy fast fashion second-hand and make sure to look after them. But you also have the option of buying high quality items at a much more affordable price point. unless you buy a fast fashion item second-hand. I often do this but There's less pressure to buy too much. Fast-fashion sites often insist that you purchase a certain amount of items before you're entitled to free delivery, or they give you a discount only once you go over a price threshold. With second-hand shopping, you can still keep up with trends, but you’re much less likely to purchase impulse-buys..
The environmental impact of your wardrobe will be reduced.
Each outfit has a story and sense of pride behind it as you had to put effort and energy into searchingfor it.
The best places to buy sustainable clothes online:
Depop — a second-hand app where you can sell or buy clothes. It's a great way to recycle your closet and make money on the side!
Vinted — another second-hand clothes site. Personally, I prefer Vinted to Depop. While Depop has a more polished feel, Vinted is always a better deal for money since there is no seller's fee and bundles always come with a significant deduction of the final cost!
Vestiare — a high-fashion vintage site selling fantastic items you won't find elsewhere.
Ebay — a site more known for its eclectic variety of strange items from across the world but more recently becoming a place for shocking finds amongst the madness!
Reformation — a feminine company making their clothes from low-impact materials and repurposed vintage clothing. It's an expensive brand, but their clothes are beautiful.
Thought Clothing — a casual mid-priced company with clothes made from natural fabrics, with a supply and manufacturing chain that upholds social and environmental policies.
The environmental impacts of fast fashion:
So now I've taken you through the positives of stepping away from fast fashion, let's talk about the negatives of supporting this industry.
Three out of every five fast-fashion items end up in landfills.
The modern-day fashion industry is responsible for 20% of all water pollution globally.
30% of substances used to make clothing poses a risk to human health
Fast fashion currently accounts for 20-30% of microplastics flowing into the ocean.
Within a year of being produced, almost 3 fifths of clothing end up in incinerators or landfills, leading to toxins seeping freely into groundwater, soil, and the air. Many companies operate on an 'open circle' supply chain meaning there are no apparent barriers to disposal. Companies often burn unsold stock to drive trends.
Less than 11% of companies have implemented recycling strategies, and those usually won't correctly recycle the items, though discounts act as a stimulus to drive more sales.
While it might be challenging, resisting the urge to reach for your wallet as soon as you see the new 'it' dress will not only save you money, but it will add up to a massive reduction in your personal carbon footprint. You deserve to live in a world where your clothing is beautiful and sustainable.
I am still learning how to treat myself kindly in a world where I feel guilty for many of the slip-ups and everyday activities I engage in - such as coming home to the light I left on all day or using too much water in my showers! But I make sure to remind myself of the positive steps I have made in terms of my clothing habits. Looking forward, I would advise everyone who experiences eco-anxiety to try and be kind to themselves and focus on setting meaningful and achievable goals that will positively affect the world. Focus on what makes you happy and fulfilled and follow that path: turn your anxiety into action.
You can listen to Episode Seven, Season Two, of the Force of Nature podcast here.