Great read! Thanks for all the insight and tips. I do my best to research before buying and almost always decide that making a garment myself is easier than knowing for sure. My sister is in the apparel industry so she is a good resource for me, but it’s a tough thing for people outside the industry to understand.
Thank you, Elaina! Thats amazing that you can make your own clothes. A lost skill set and art for many of us! There is so much misinformation out there, it’s almost impossible to figure it all out!
Brilliant read! The more I dive into sustainability the more murky it gets…I agree on the whole with buy Scandi but there are a lot of Scandi brands with terrible fabrication (polyester/viscose/plastic) and I don’t know that we can fully say to buy or not buy from a whole country! Toteme also produces most of their garments in China so it can be misleading.
Shopping small is key and also not buying more than you need. Buying with an expectation that you will own it for 10+ years - that’s a very Scandinavian mindset.
Great points! H&M after all is a Swedish company :) There are exceptions to every rule, for sure, but I think having the right mindset as a starting point is immensely helpful, and that’s where American companies (and Americans TBH) often differ hugely from their Scandi/Euro counterparts. I didn’t include this in the piece but according to Google Trends, the US ranks 62/62 of countries for frequency of the search term “sustainable fashion.” Thanks for reading and for your note!!
One more thought! (And thank you for spurring the conversation on, Camilla!) I think another great non-rule rule would be 5. Wear Natural Fabrics! Anything synthetic is really just a part of the petrochemical industry and natural wools, cotton, even leather (although that’s another loaded topic) have longer lifespans, can be better mended, and are a part of the ecosystem. Again, it’s not a perfect rule - maybe suggestion is a better word - and one I may explore further in a future newsletter.
Love that added rule! Natural fibres all the way. Can’t believe the US ranks 62/62 that’s quite eye opening. Great article and love the facts you focused on too, really well written.
I was flying back from LA and the person a row across from me was watching a documentary all about this- I didn’t catch the title. The images of the landfills and the clothes rolling into the ocean, oh it made me think again about buying new things! Maybe it’s about restyling things I have. Thanks for writing this!
It’s really wild how much clothing production and consumption has increased over the last couple of decades. Even when I was younger, we shopped maybe twice a year! And of course when you had to drive to the mall (or get someone to drive you) your purchasing opportunities were a lot more limited! Now everything is at our fingertips and so easy! Thanks for kicking off this conversation! 🥰
Another Tomorrow is another brand I love that is leading the way in sustainability — the prices reflect this (they are high), but they are doing more than anyone I know; from materials through supply chain to sales, their values and approach is pushing boundaries and showcasing how it can be done.
Also! A colleague of mine from THE BOARD, Tiffany Darke, just wrote a fabulous book on this very topic: What to Wear and Why: Your Guilt-Free Guide to Sustainable Fashion.
Thank you so much for sharing! I think I know Another Tomorrow, but I’m going to do a deeper dive on them, and I will absolutely check out Tiffany’s book!
Such a great read 🧡 interested that you didn’t talk about rental? The market has a looong way to come for day to day wear (mostly cost efficiency!) but baby-Kidswear seem to be nailing this with a subscription model www.orcollective.co.uk
Huge belief in supporting small brands over here … with some thorough research into how things are made. X
Thank you so much! Rental is such an interesting model! I’ve tried and like it, but the environmental footprint of operations and logistics is hefty. I also wonder if it perpetuates this idea of an endless wardrobe or constant newness? I’m not sure! I’ve had good experiences when I’ve tried it though, and I do think it is perfect for a baby/kids model where they grow out of items so fast!! Thanks again for your thoughtful comment!
Thank you so much! There really is, I hope there is a whole range from hi to low of second-hand and circular merch stores someday, the sky is the limit really!
These are all great callouts, especially shopping secondhand. I appreciate Ganni's transparency on @ganni.lab - you can see the consistent changes they're making to become more responsible. Vogue Business wrote an in-depth article about the business case for sustainability that speaks to smaller brands like Ganni leading industry changes.
So interesting, I think it will have to come from the smaller brands and the consumers supporting them! I thought it was so interesting that the founder of Ganni is now specifically leading the charge on their corporate responsibility efforts. Thank you for reading!
The statement from Boden is so interesting- I have a lot of Boden clothes for my children and they hold up SO well and I always have been able to give them to another family once my kids have grown out of them. I have never bought their clothes for myself, but imagine it’s the same quality.
Their children’s clothing is so adorable, and that’s so great that you pass it on! I have clothes that have come down through multiple friends and not only is it environmentally and cost effective, it’s so sweet to know that my children are wearing the clothes that my friends’ children wore and loved, too!
Great read! Thanks for all the insight and tips. I do my best to research before buying and almost always decide that making a garment myself is easier than knowing for sure. My sister is in the apparel industry so she is a good resource for me, but it’s a tough thing for people outside the industry to understand.
Thank you, Elaina! Thats amazing that you can make your own clothes. A lost skill set and art for many of us! There is so much misinformation out there, it’s almost impossible to figure it all out!
I love the scandi rec!!! Did not know that about their policies. Also yikes missed that Italy sweatshop story 🤯
Would happily move to Denmark or Sweden!! Yea, not good. Dior (and others) are in big trouble!
Brilliant read! The more I dive into sustainability the more murky it gets…I agree on the whole with buy Scandi but there are a lot of Scandi brands with terrible fabrication (polyester/viscose/plastic) and I don’t know that we can fully say to buy or not buy from a whole country! Toteme also produces most of their garments in China so it can be misleading.
Shopping small is key and also not buying more than you need. Buying with an expectation that you will own it for 10+ years - that’s a very Scandinavian mindset.
Great points! H&M after all is a Swedish company :) There are exceptions to every rule, for sure, but I think having the right mindset as a starting point is immensely helpful, and that’s where American companies (and Americans TBH) often differ hugely from their Scandi/Euro counterparts. I didn’t include this in the piece but according to Google Trends, the US ranks 62/62 of countries for frequency of the search term “sustainable fashion.” Thanks for reading and for your note!!
One more thought! (And thank you for spurring the conversation on, Camilla!) I think another great non-rule rule would be 5. Wear Natural Fabrics! Anything synthetic is really just a part of the petrochemical industry and natural wools, cotton, even leather (although that’s another loaded topic) have longer lifespans, can be better mended, and are a part of the ecosystem. Again, it’s not a perfect rule - maybe suggestion is a better word - and one I may explore further in a future newsletter.
Love that added rule! Natural fibres all the way. Can’t believe the US ranks 62/62 that’s quite eye opening. Great article and love the facts you focused on too, really well written.
Thank you!!
I use this pt to defend why I still prefer real fur to faux… though I know both technically have negative impact…
There’s definitely no easy answer, but I don’t disagree…especially if it’s vintage or reclaimed!
I was flying back from LA and the person a row across from me was watching a documentary all about this- I didn’t catch the title. The images of the landfills and the clothes rolling into the ocean, oh it made me think again about buying new things! Maybe it’s about restyling things I have. Thanks for writing this!
It’s really wild how much clothing production and consumption has increased over the last couple of decades. Even when I was younger, we shopped maybe twice a year! And of course when you had to drive to the mall (or get someone to drive you) your purchasing opportunities were a lot more limited! Now everything is at our fingertips and so easy! Thanks for kicking off this conversation! 🥰
Back to school shopping once for spring and once for fall was all I remember 🤣
Another Tomorrow is another brand I love that is leading the way in sustainability — the prices reflect this (they are high), but they are doing more than anyone I know; from materials through supply chain to sales, their values and approach is pushing boundaries and showcasing how it can be done.
Also! A colleague of mine from THE BOARD, Tiffany Darke, just wrote a fabulous book on this very topic: What to Wear and Why: Your Guilt-Free Guide to Sustainable Fashion.
Thank you so much for sharing! I think I know Another Tomorrow, but I’m going to do a deeper dive on them, and I will absolutely check out Tiffany’s book!
Such a great read 🧡 interested that you didn’t talk about rental? The market has a looong way to come for day to day wear (mostly cost efficiency!) but baby-Kidswear seem to be nailing this with a subscription model www.orcollective.co.uk
Huge belief in supporting small brands over here … with some thorough research into how things are made. X
Thank you so much! Rental is such an interesting model! I’ve tried and like it, but the environmental footprint of operations and logistics is hefty. I also wonder if it perpetuates this idea of an endless wardrobe or constant newness? I’m not sure! I’ve had good experiences when I’ve tried it though, and I do think it is perfect for a baby/kids model where they grow out of items so fast!! Thanks again for your thoughtful comment!
“Prized possessions should fill our closet” - YES! Great article , Lindsay.💕 There is so much clothing in the world already-why buy new?
Thank you so much! There really is, I hope there is a whole range from hi to low of second-hand and circular merch stores someday, the sky is the limit really!
I so agree!💕
These are all great callouts, especially shopping secondhand. I appreciate Ganni's transparency on @ganni.lab - you can see the consistent changes they're making to become more responsible. Vogue Business wrote an in-depth article about the business case for sustainability that speaks to smaller brands like Ganni leading industry changes.
So interesting, I think it will have to come from the smaller brands and the consumers supporting them! I thought it was so interesting that the founder of Ganni is now specifically leading the charge on their corporate responsibility efforts. Thank you for reading!
The statement from Boden is so interesting- I have a lot of Boden clothes for my children and they hold up SO well and I always have been able to give them to another family once my kids have grown out of them. I have never bought their clothes for myself, but imagine it’s the same quality.
Their children’s clothing is so adorable, and that’s so great that you pass it on! I have clothes that have come down through multiple friends and not only is it environmentally and cost effective, it’s so sweet to know that my children are wearing the clothes that my friends’ children wore and loved, too!