Slow fashion

Slow fashion is a trend in the fashion industry that encourages people to buy fewer garments and to avoid fast fashion clothing. It emerged as ethical fashion just after the turn of the twenty-first century, and gained its new name several years later.

Slow fashion embraces keeping and using garments for long periods rather than buying the hottest fashions and wearing them for only a brief time. Fast fashion is often seen as an unsustainable fashion trend that has many negative consequences, whereas slow fashion focuses on sustainability. Slow fashion is also closely related to other fashion trends, such as eco fashion and ethical fashion.

Although no industry standards exist for slow fashion, people who believe in the concept share a general set of principals they use when buying clothing, shoes, and accessories. Their chief common goal is to encourage sustainability in the fashion industry.

Background

The idea of slow fashion grew out of the trend of fast fashion. Fast fashion is a trend in the fashion industry that embraces making and purchasing new styles of clothing throughout the year. In the past, fashion designers and clothing makers often released two to four clothing lines per year. This gave consumers the opportunity to change their garments and accessories every few months, usually with the changing of the seasons. However, fast fashion changed that trend. Some retailers began changing their merchandise as much as every week so that they would constantly have new, extremely trendy styles for people to buy. This encouraged consumers to buy new clothes, but it also encouraged them to wear the clothes only a few times since the styles would fade so quickly. Consumers felt they could purchase many different garments each season since the clothing was so cheap and trendy.

Despite its popularity, critics of fast fashion have pointed out that this trend can be harmful. One of the most serious effects of fast fashion is its impact on the environment. Clothing is made in one place and shipped to another, increasing its carbon footprint. It is made from cheap, often synthetic material, and then it is quickly disposed of by consumers. Millions of pounds of textiles are thrown away in the United States each year, in large part because of fast fashion. Even fast fashion styles that are donated often end up in the trash because they are cheaply made and easily tear and stain. Fast fashion also has a human cost. Clothing companies try to make as much money as possible on their clothing, but they have to sell the items cheaply to gain customers, so the people who sew and manufacture the clothes are often paid very little and many work in dirty, dangerous conditions. Because of these concerns, some people have adopted what they call a slow fashion model.

Overview

Slow fashion was a response to fast fashion. Some people who are interested in fashion and design became concerned about the negative effects that fast fashion had on the environment and the garment workers making the clothing. No one single organization or company defines slow fashion. Instead, people who are interested in making the fashion industry more sustainable have adopted similar practices that together help make up the slow fashion movement. One of the most important aspects of the slow fashion movement is buying fewer garments and accessories. The defining element of the fast fashion movement is that people buy new products all the time to keep up with trends. Therefore, the defining element of the slow fashion movement is to avoid buying so many clothes and producing so many different styles.

One way people interested in slow fashion do this is by purchasing high-quality clothing items. Garments made through fast fashion are often made with cheap, thin fabric. The fibers in the fabric are also usually synthetic, which means they are made from chemicals, such petroleum. These fibers are often cheaper than natural fibers, such as linen and wool. Yet, these synthetic fabrics often do not produce clothing with high-quality lines and looks. The synthetic fabrics also feel less comfortable against the skin. Clothing companies save money by lowering the quality of the sewing and stitching in garments. The sewing and stitching of a garment changes the way the clothing fits the body, and it can change the entire look of the clothing. People who adopt slow fashion look for clothing with high-quality stitching and sewing, which helps the clothing last longer and makes the clothing look better for a longer period. People who support slow fashion also look for other details—such as lining and embroidery—that make clothing higher quality and longer lasting.

Another way people embrace slow fashion is to buy secondhand garments and accessories. Vintage clothing items are often high quality with elements—such as fine stitching and lining—that make the clothing items desirable to people who value quality. Buying secondhand clothing is often less expensive than buying new high-quality items, too. Furthermore, buying secondhand clothing allows people to purchase new items for their wardrobes without adding new clothes to the waste stream.

Some people who are interested in slow fashion also learn to repair, make, or redesign their own clothing. These practices can save old clothes from being added to the landfill. People can also ensure that their clothing is high quality and will last for a long time. Some people update clothing they already own to give it a new style. For example, some people might change the sleeves of a dress or turn pants into a pair of shorts. Other people might use old clothing to make new clothes. For example, some people use old dress shirts to make dresses for young girls. Furthermore, people can hem or redesign clothing to fit them at different stages in their lives.

People who embrace slow fashion all have the shared goal of making the fashion industry more sustainable. This is a goal that is shared by consumers who support more specific goals. For example, some consumers support eco fashion. This means they support clothing manufacturers and purchasing habits that have the least impact on the environment. Some people support ethical fashion, which involves paying people who make clothing a living wage, avoiding negative impacts on the environment, and (for some) avoiding using animal products in clothing. Some people believe that using animal products—such as leather, feathers, and bone—in clothing and accessories is wrong because they believe animals should not be harmed for fashion.

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