https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/sustainable-fashion---is-it-possible-in-our-current-system Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Wed, 29 Apr 2026 01:02:11 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/sustainable-fashion---is-it-possible-in-our-current-system#post-1565650 Thu, 01 Oct 2015 12:40:10 +0000 Anonymous 1565650@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Very thought-provoking post, Laura (as always). &nbsp;</p> <p> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/sustainable-fashion---is-it-possible-in-our-current-system#post-1565550 Thu, 01 Oct 2015 04:50:05 +0000 rachylou 1565550@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>There has to be a totally different economic system IMO and this will require a total collapse of the standard of living... I think this is why young people love apocalyptic fiction right now... </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/sustainable-fashion---is-it-possible-in-our-current-system#post-1565338 Wed, 30 Sep 2015 19:01:19 +0000 celia 1565338@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Call me cynical but I have a hard time believing in all companies that say they are sustainable. Maybe some of them are, maybe all of them are, but I will have to take their word on it.<br /> I find that this big corporations brand and rebrand things with the only purpose of making more money, and while we allow them to make more money we are not making a difference.<br /> Case in point, H&amp;M has now a sustainable line . So , I wonder, from all the square footage of clothing you have in the store this few items are sustainable? And miraculously they are about the same price as the other ones ? And all that attones for the 3 stores I saw on almost the same street ?<br /> I think we can curb our consuming for the sake of consuming in the hopes that the markets understand that we would like quality and focus on that instead of mass production. However ,as someone already referred, how will that affect the people who their only family income comes from sweatshops and the like ?<br /> Unless we , as a planet, understand that we are interconnected and that we need a global solution I don't believe there will be much of a change.<br /> I guess my answer to your initial question is no. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/sustainable-fashion---is-it-possible-in-our-current-system#post-1565326 Wed, 30 Sep 2015 18:37:32 +0000 Jenn 1565326@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I've had the same experience with polyester, Sally, except with the bonus that it gives me a rash. If that weren't the case, I think I'd be perfectly fine with buying it, in moderation, for items that were going to see a lot of wear. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/sustainable-fashion---is-it-possible-in-our-current-system#post-1565323 Wed, 30 Sep 2015 18:22:52 +0000 Sal 1565323@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I too agree that clothing quality at retail has declined. Knits are the worst in my opinion, and price does not equal quality. I have the most disappointments with tees as they stretch or shrink, pill or develop holes. Woven fabric is easier to repair too if there is a tear or seam hole. I am moving away from knits to a large degree, or at least being very careful about which ones I choose. Holey tees are not a good look on me.</p> <p>Some of the longest lasting tops in my closet are 100 percent polyester. They look the same as brand new 5-8 years later after regular use. So maybe environmentally there are some pluses! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/sustainable-fashion---is-it-possible-in-our-current-system#post-1565314 Wed, 30 Sep 2015 17:57:16 +0000 catgirl 1565314@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I only have a minute, but I wanted to say my friend and I walked into Forever 21 the other day and we were kind of horrified at the amount of STUFF that is cheap, "disposable" and taking up space.&nbsp; And yet, it's already there.&nbsp; It made me think of "The Lorax". </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/sustainable-fashion---is-it-possible-in-our-current-system#post-1565311 Wed, 30 Sep 2015 17:47:26 +0000 Anonymous 1565311@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I don't know what the answer is. I try to buy the best quality I can afford, but things just don't last for 10 years like they used to. I'm lucky if I get 5 years of wear out of something these days. And I'm careful how I wash things, etc. I take good care of my stuff. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/sustainable-fashion---is-it-possible-in-our-current-system#post-1565304 Wed, 30 Sep 2015 17:42:09 +0000 donnat 1565304@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>This is a huge issue. I try to do something. I buy second hand. I mend and alter. I try to buy less. It is hard though. Thrifting is not what it was even 10 years ago. The second hand stores are full of forever 21, h&amp;m, joe. Lower end items. Fine fabrics and well made items are harder and harder to come across. They still do show, but you have to be patient, in this busy society who has time for that.<br /> Every summer top I purchased this year is done. They all developed those little holes around the belt area. Tops from, winners, or club monaco, price point didn't make a difference. You can't tell anymore what is worth spending money on.<br /> I definately can't afford the true high end clothing. But<br /> I worked in the garment industry in the 80's. A ladies blazer, popular priced would be $170.00 - $300.00. There were some really nice blazers at cost co this summer for $29.95? What is with that?<br /> My rant here doesn't even touch on the third world issues. Both human and enviromental.<br /> This subject is so big...I am afraid without legislation any changes will be slow . </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/sustainable-fashion---is-it-possible-in-our-current-system#post-1565133 Wed, 30 Sep 2015 10:23:56 +0000 Astrid 1565133@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I'm with Sally on this one. I think I have to do something, even if my contribution is minuscule. That means I try to do everything that is possible in my circumstances, because yes, my time and money is also limited. But I try to make the best decisions within my means. Unfortunately that means I can't afford to always buy sustainable brands or do research beforehand. But I also try to buy less overall, buy second hand, repair broken things, alter things to fit again etc... It's a combination of things. Is it perfect? No, but it's a start.</p> <p>As for "The True Cost" - I came across this movie back when it was on Kickstarter and was looking forward to watch the result. I wasn't impressed. At all. <a href="http://www.villagevoice.com/film/the-true-cost-fumbles-its-attack-on-the-clothing-industry-7122087" rel="nofollow">This review here</a> pretty much sums it up. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/sustainable-fashion---is-it-possible-in-our-current-system#post-1565111 Wed, 30 Sep 2015 09:08:08 +0000 Bijou 1565111@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>This is an issue that I am really concerned about as well. &nbsp;The Australian government issued a report about Australian retailers and the conditions that their workers (and those in the overseas supply chain) were under and I was hugely surprised to see that the Australian Target and KMart rated as providing better conditions for their workers than other more expensive brands. &nbsp;Cost is not necessarily an indication that the workers are treated well.</p> <p>For my clothing, I like to buy less and better quality, but for my 6 year old son, the reality is that his clothes will only fit him for 1 year, 2 years at most. &nbsp;Luckily, I have a 5 year old nephew who happily wears my son's outgrown (but not worn out) clothes. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/sustainable-fashion---is-it-possible-in-our-current-system#post-1565104 Wed, 30 Sep 2015 07:39:32 +0000 plonkee 1565104@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>People work in sweatshops because they believe it to be better than the alternatives open to them. I am hoping that standards of living will rise such that the lowest paid earn more, as happened in western industrialised countries. And I don't only buy 'made in the U.K.' because I don't think doing so helps people in developing world sweatshops. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/sustainable-fashion---is-it-possible-in-our-current-system#post-1565063 Wed, 30 Sep 2015 03:20:44 +0000 Deborah 1565063@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Excellent conversation and it's something I am slowly working through myself and I am not sure where I am at with this. &nbsp;A friend attended some event over the weekend and came back horrified and declaring her buying habits will change but I will wait and see;)</p> <p>I am under the impression that change is slowing happening. Consumers are becoming more aware and business/industry is also more aware. &nbsp;Sustainable clothing in my experience is extremely expensive making it almost a luxury item and only for a certain demographic. &nbsp;My personal response at this time is the following:</p> <ul> <li>Buy less and buy quality items (as dictated by my budget) and hope they will &nbsp;have longevity.</p> </li> <li>Be open to buying quality recycled/preloved items. </li> <li>Donate (or pass on to friends) my old clothing so that someone&nbsp;else may enjoy&nbsp;them and they don't simply become landfill.</li> </ul> I suppose the thing I am most concerned about are the conditions of many of the workers in the clothing industry. &nbsp;One of our very low cost stores sells childrens tshirts for $3.00... how much can one possibly be getting paid to produce a $3.00 tshirt?? &nbsp;I do think these issues are being addressed but change is coming slowly.</p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/sustainable-fashion---is-it-possible-in-our-current-system#post-1565053 Wed, 30 Sep 2015 02:52:28 +0000 Anonymous 1565053@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Such interesting replies. I hope that people will refuse to buy the throwaway clothes and demand better quality, even if we have to pay more. Every time I go to replace something, and not just clothing, the quality is noticably diminished. Reading reviews from people who have bought the same item for years from places like Lands End tell this story. Fabrics are thinner. Workmanship is shoddy. Holes form and fabric falls apart. We need to return the bad and start supporting well made brands. If we have to pay more, we will probably not buy as much. I would also like to see more tailors in the US who will make clothing so that it is possible for everyone of any size to get clothing that fits. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/sustainable-fashion---is-it-possible-in-our-current-system#post-1565045 Wed, 30 Sep 2015 02:24:33 +0000 Echo 1565045@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Unfortunately, I have to side with Thistle in this. I DO care, and I DO want to make a difference. But the focus of my life and work is education, and I do not have enough hours in the day to research where/how every piece in my local stores gets there. That doesn't mean it doesn't matter; it does. It just means that I don't have the time and effort to devote to that at the expense of other things. I have become more self-aware in recent years, and I buy less. But that doesn't mean that what and how I buy is sustainable.</p> <p>Until things are easy and/or required, people will not do them. It will take dedicated people to solve this issue, and sadly, I am not one of them. The focus of my life is elsewhere. I will do everything within my power to help with this issue, but it is not and cannot be the focus of my life right now. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/sustainable-fashion---is-it-possible-in-our-current-system#post-1565031 Wed, 30 Sep 2015 01:53:54 +0000 Thistle 1565031@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I thought about this long and hard once, and frankly, I decided it was not worth the effort to me right now.</p> <p>I am still trying to lose the baby weight, and it has caused me a lot of angst and made finding bottoms, especially difficult, </p> <p>I als buy for two growing girls. I try to get second hand when I can, and and any nice clothes I hand down to my niece when the girls outgrow them.</p> <p>I work full time. I am trying to raise my daughters. I want to have a good marriage and make time to nurture it.</p> <p>Yes, the environment is important to me. Yes, the supply chain of where consumer goods come from should be important to me. If it were even remotely easy to do, I would. If time were an endlessly commodity, maybe.</p> <p>Perhaps it is like recycling was back in the 80s. No one did it because it was hard (you had to hand sort your recyclables and drive them down to a recycling center). Now it's easy with my separate co-mingled recycling bin they pick up along with my garbage. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/sustainable-fashion---is-it-possible-in-our-current-system#post-1565029 Wed, 30 Sep 2015 01:50:39 +0000 Jenn 1565029@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Warning, long ramble ahead.</p> <p>First, this: I added an astonishing number of items to my wardrobe in September. I'm going to post a rundown tomorrow, but it's downright embarrassing, especially from someone who is trying to be a conscious shopper. It makes me a little ill to think about it.&nbsp;</p> <p>That being said, I am really struggling with this issue, for many of the same reasons Laura mentioned. First, we wear about the same size, and I concur, it's not carried by many of the sustainable retailers. </p> <p>Second, it's difficult to tell what IS sustainable. I was reading a blog the other day (Sally's, in fact, since Kari mentioned it above) that linked to sustainable options alongside others in an outfit post. The so-called sustainable options were made in the US, but one of them was a $40 polyester/spandex dress. In my mind, there's no way that can be sustainable. How well-made can an item be with $40 worth of labor and materials? How do the workers who make such a thing survive?&nbsp;I don't know if any of you followed Planet Money's <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.npr.org/series/248799434/planet-moneys-t-shirt-project">t-shirt project</a> a few years ago, but it's absolutely mind-boggling how many steps go into creating a simple garment, and what has to happen to get it to us at the prices we pay. When I think about it, I don't know how I could possibly afford a truly sustainable piece of clothing.&nbsp;</p> <p>And yet, I bought eleven pieces of clothing and accessories in September. ELEVEN. There's no way I'm not part of the problem. It doesn't even matter if that's the bulk of my winter wardrobe. Or if I barely bought anything last year. It's NOT sustainable, and I need to change my behavior.&nbsp;</p> <p>I do think the whole system needs to be changed to make a real difference, but my behavior and my choices are the only things I can really control. And I truly believe that systemic change can start with individual change, with a shift in values and behavior. It can't end there, but it can start. </p> <p>It's harder than it sounds. Did I mention I bought eleven things in September? &nbsp;Ugh.</p> <p>Talking about it is good, too, so thanks for starting this conversation, Laura.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/sustainable-fashion---is-it-possible-in-our-current-system#post-1565022 Wed, 30 Sep 2015 01:29:43 +0000 Kari 1565022@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Sally from<br /> alreadypretty recently posted about this topic as well. Her concerns and questions differ from yours but you may find her thought process and conclusions helpful. </p> <p><a href="http://www.alreadypretty.com/2015/09/doing-better-moving-forward-how-watching-the-true-cost-changed-my-mind-about-everything.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.alreadypretty.com/2.....thing.html</a> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/sustainable-fashion---is-it-possible-in-our-current-system#post-1565018 Wed, 30 Sep 2015 01:20:26 +0000 Tina 1565018@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>You always have such well articulated posts and I thoroughly enjoy reading your thoughts on this.<br /> My thoughts on this are that, as others have said, it is really not that easily laid out in dollars and cents or in environmental impact. I am generally suspicious any time something gets pushed and they have all the 'facts' and statistics to prove their cause. Very often there are missing pieces to the puzzle.<br /> The bottom line is we are a consumer society. I am blown away by the selection of merchandise available in almost every conceivable category of goods. At the same time, the amount of stuff the average household owns is something that gives me pause at times. I think what bothers me most is when we own so much we get careless and no longer take care of what we have. Very often things get wrecked and rendered useless long before their lifespan is up simply because it was not cared for properly.<br /> Well that got long! Thanks for bringing this up. It is something I spend a fair amount of time contemplating. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/sustainable-fashion---is-it-possible-in-our-current-system#post-1564904 Tue, 29 Sep 2015 22:40:48 +0000 Jenny H 1564904@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Thank you for your very thoughtful post! And I know what you mean about sustainable brands and sizing. I'm a size 8 on top and a size 10 with bottoms and I tried a sustainable brand knit blazer. Their largest size was too small on me. That strikes me as ridiculous. I do know that it costs more to manufacture variety of sizes and a lot of sustainable companies seem to start out with one set of sizes and then add other sizes as they gain capital (as I understand it, the wider variety of sizes require a wider variety of equipment and that comes with costs). But to truly have sustainable clothing, then everyone who shops for clothes will need to be able to fit into sustainable clothes!</p> <p>I also don't think organic cotton is the be all/end all. I'm sure there are lots of ways to calculate the environmental footprint of clothing. It's far beyond my abilities to account for everything that would need to go into that calculations-- social costs (living wage, adequate working conditions, etc), transportation costs (pollution, fuel use), life-cycle (what happens after an item is disposed of, how long does it last), energy use during production, etc, etc, etc. I have to imagine when you consider everything together the most sustainable clothing item may be different than we could predict without doing the analysis. But I still think it is worth trying to make our best guess...</p> <p>More to say but I will end here as this is a long comment already. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/sustainable-fashion---is-it-possible-in-our-current-system#post-1564818 Tue, 29 Sep 2015 18:38:26 +0000 Sal 1564818@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>What well written and thoughtful posts. I agree with what you have both said Laura and Stephanie.</p> <p>I have to believe that we can individually make a difference, otherwise I feel defeatist. And I have to live with my ethics and conscience, even if my own consumption is insignificant in the big scheme.</p> <p>To me the biggest and possibly easiest ways to help are:<br /> - not over consuming<br /> - trying not to buy things that you suspect will be short lived either because they will spoil, be faddish, or you only need them once.</p> <p>For me this means:<br /> - always considering the longevity of an additional item, eg how well will it wash, will it look okay when a little tired, how faddish is this.<br /> - trying to repurpose/ re use or recycle when the time to hand on. Some times this is thrifting, sometimes selling, occasionally cutting into rags, and sometimes converting pants into shorts etc..</p> <p>I have a mix of NZ made, Chinese Made, natural and synthetic, new and thrifted items. Budget,, location, sizing and situation means all thrifted, or all locally manufactured is impossible or very very hard for some people.<br /> As to how we can change the system, whilst we could pressure governments for legislation, consumer demand is pretty powerful. Supporting with our dollars the people we wish to and refusing to support others can force change upon organisations. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/sustainable-fashion---is-it-possible-in-our-current-system#post-1564806 Tue, 29 Sep 2015 18:14:32 +0000 Stephanie 1564806@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>This is such a great topic, Laura and one that I think is important to discuss. I recently watched the documentary "The True Cost" which deals with the fast fashion industry, the workers who actually make our clothes, and the conditions they work in. A true eye opener and one to make you think.</p> <p>Like a lot of things in the US, I feel we are really removed from where the things we consume come from. We are removed from who grows and packages our food. We are removed from the real people who construct our clothes. We are removed from pretty much everything, and I think it's a lot easily to mentally dismiss those people simply because we don't know who they are. It's a real problem in my opinion.</p> <p>After watching that documentary and seeing the environmental impact of the clothes we easily dispose of, I wanted immediately to cut ties with waste and shop smarter. But you're right, the demand isn't really there yet in a big way and thus there is a small pool to choose from. We want to do good, but it is WORK to find things. Sustainable brands are often priced higher, too.</p> <p>For me, I am focusing on setting realistic goals for myself. I've given up Forever21 and plan to shop less at H&amp;M as well. When I do buy something, it will be because I love it, it looks/fits great, and will LAST. I also want to shop my closet more. If an item is made in the US, or I can see transparent facts about the factory it was made in, that is icing on the cake to me. </p> <p>Your post and questions reminded me of a post I read on Becoming Minimalist today. It is about the "tipping point" in society and how the influence of ONE person can spark change among a large group over time: <a href="http://www.becomingminimalist.com/tip/" rel="nofollow">http://www.becomingminimalist.com/tip/</a></p> <p>I think this is a good way to approach what you question. What can we all do right now to shop a little more sustainably? Maybe that means shopping less and buying better quality. Maybe it means doing a little research to find sustainable brands. Maybe it means giving clothes to a friend who will truly appreciate them, instead of donating mindlessly to Goodwill only to have those items end up in another country, or in a landfill. </p> <p>Personally, I'm of the opinion that we can each do more to change and influence the system. By buying less of what's unethical, we're already supporting the change we want to see. When the demand is there, more options appear and change starts to happen. I'm not entirely sure I have answered all of your questions...just wanted to share my own thoughts on the matter. Great topic! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/sustainable-fashion---is-it-possible-in-our-current-system#post-1564787 Tue, 29 Sep 2015 17:44:37 +0000 Laura (rhubarbgirl) 1564787@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p><a href="http://grechenscloset.com/better-clothes-what-is-sustainable-fashion-first-fabrics/" rel="nofollow">This post at Grechen's Closet</a> got me thinking, particularly after I listened to a discussion about forced labor in the modern world on the radio yesterday. There's a lot of talk these days about transparency about where things come from, and improving labor practices in countries where factories are located, whether you're talking about clothes for Walmart or phones for Apple. But I keep wondering whether it's possible to reform the system we have without completely changing it (which might be better in the long run, admittedly). Is the new 'hipster' call for less consumption really enough to reform the clothing industry? Or would we have to completely rethink our relationship to consumer goods, the industrial supply chain, and how millions of people run their lives?</p> <p>In the post Grechen makes several points that I, at least initially, disagree with. (And to be clear, this is not a 'slog on Grechen' post; I read her blog and she seems like a nice, earnest person.) </p> <p>First off, I'm a size 14/16, which means that I'm sized out of almost all of the sustainable brands she often mentions. If these were the only options to choose from, I literally could not find clothes to fit me. And I am not the biggest person on the planet; in fact, I'm perfectly average if you believe that oft-quoted stat about size 14 being the most common size of American women. Likewise, my DH is 6'6" and a large guy; I'm glad that there are brands that make clothes that fit us, at a pretty reasonable price. I remember how hard it was for my grandmother to find plus-sized clothes when I was a kid, and they were more expensive, too. If you add the 'must be organic cotton, designed in the US and sustainable' you make things almost impossible to find. (And yes, at some point, time spent searching for/choosing the items that you wear is a resource, and most people only have so much time to dedicate to these issues.)</p> <p>On the topic of fabrics, I find that synthetics last a lot longer than natural fibers. I'm not saying that they always feel the nicest on the skin, but that's the whole reason they were invented, after all, to perform better than natural fibers. The 100% cotton t-shirts of my childhood weren't the most comfortable things either. As far as environmental impact goes, how do we tell which is worse - polyester recycled from another plastic which already exists? Bamboo rayon made from bamboo fibers that grow fast and fix carbon dioxide? Cotton that uses tons of water that could be used to grow food crops but is recyclable? </p> <p>Buying less: if we all stopped shopping and wore what we have, would that work? What happens when things wear out? I find that items last in my closet 3-5 years. If I kept things longer that were strictly wearable but looking pretty worn, I might make it 5-7 years. But I'm not going to make it decades and decades with most items. So people are going to need clothes, and they have to come from somewhere. In addition, the clothing industry, and the associated marketing, sales, stores, etc. are big employers of people. If we cut back, which might be wisest long-term, what effects would that have? </p> <p>OK, that is long and I am probably rambling and cranky, but I'd be interested in what other people think. Can we reform the system with individual choices, or do we need to completely remake the system? </p>