What Is Slow Fashion
Slow fashion and sustainability have been quite a hot topic lately. With hashtags like #sustainablefashion reaching 1.3 billion TikTok views, and #sustainablefashionbrand with almost 2 billion! You likely have seen it on social media. Even if you haven't, I am here to explain what slow fashion is, and why it is important to us at Pretty Plum Boutique. What is slow fashion? How is slow fashion any different than sustainable fashion? Understanding what slow fashion is so important for the present and for future generations. By knowing a little more about the fashion industry you can make your purchases count!
Let’s start with some terminology
Sustainable Fashion
Green Dreamer says “Sustainable fashion refers to clothing that is designed, manufactured, distributed, and used in ways that are environmentally friendly.” Think fibres like modal, hemp, linen, organic, lyocell, and recycled polyester to name a few.
Slow Fashion
Kate Fletcher was the first to bring the term slow fashion into play. Slow fashion is all about designing, producing, consuming and living more mindfully. Slow fashion is quality over quantity. Slow fashion is not just about producing garments at a slower place, it is the way the designers, buyers, retailers and consumers are more aware of how their products are made. How making those garments impacts the lives of workers, communities and the earth.
Slow fashion is very similar to sustainable fashion. Slow fashion is a full circle of awareness and approach to fashion, as well as the processes and resources required to make clothing. When you buy slow fashion you are investing into garments that are better quality (no the cheap flimsy fabric you get when you purchase a big box store garment that lacks softness, and durability) Slow fashion allows for better treatment of workers, animals and the planet! Sustainable fashion is not just what materials are used but is also what goes into making the the textiles and garments.
Why is slow fashion important to future generations? Fast fashion usually involves production in huge warehouses, with poor working conditions, and usually an excessive amount of resources used to produce the garments. Fast fashion usually involves fabrics that are not environmentally friendly, and don't break down when they return the ecosystem. Low prices are very tempting, but when those excessive garments aren't sold, they end up on a textile mountain. Slow fashion is needed to give workers fair working conditions, produce less textile waste, and produce higher quality garments.
Textile Mountain is a really eye opening video that I think everyone should watch. It gives you a real look into what happens to fashion waste and why slow fashion should always been on the top of your mind when you need to purchase clothing.
What to look for in a slow fashion brand
- Made from high quality, and sustainable fabrics (modal is our favourite)
- Clothing isn’t made for a trend, it is made to look fashionable for years and year from now
- Look for a brand that is sold in smaller, local stores
- Look for a brand that locally sourced and produces their garments
- Look for brands who make to order
Here are Pretty Plum Boutique, our fabrics are high quality, durable and made to last. It's one of our major things that we pride our business on. You also get garments that you will love for years to come! We support the slow fashion movement. I have been looking into manufacturing as I get busier, and producing in Canada is very important to me. I want fair wages for workers, and to still be able to produce in small batch. My excess textile waste is donated to Blenderz Garment Recyclers where they give textile waste a second life. Most of my clothing is made to order, and made to fit your size! While we are expanding our line of sustainable fabrics, I invite you to look at our items made with modal. Explaining what modal is would be for another post, but I can tell you it is SO much better and SO much softer than bamboo! I also invite you to really take a mindful look into your garment purchases and how you can make a difference in the slow fashion movement!