How I decided to say goodbye to fast fashion

Bye bye fast fashion - Say goodbye to the high street!

New year, new you! What are your resolutions this year? I have one big one: Saying bye bye fast fashion. A new year often means cleaning up and letting go of old stuff. When it comes to our wardrobe, we are all craving simplicity and less stuff around, right? ‘Capsule’ or ‘five-item’ wardrobe are phrases that were everywhere in the blog world in the last year. I must admit though: The thought of spending hours and hours thinking about which 10 items I would like to wear for the next couple of months has always put me off the idea a bit.

Saying bye bye fast fashion this year

I’m trying a different approach on cutting back this year: I want to say bye bye fast fashion and stop shopping at regular stores this year. No more H&M, Zara, Topshop, you name it. We all kind of know about the horrors of the clothing industry, burning sweat shops, exploitation, but we still (or I at least) close our eyes, maybe just ban Primark from our shopping list and continue going to brands that are just as bad as Primark. I’m reading a really good and informative book at the moment about the fashion world. It’s been really eye opening so far and I definitely recommend it to everyone interested in the topic.

So in the New Year, I’m excited to go down a different route, say bye bye fast fashion and find new fair trade labels. Since both options are either pricey or time-consuming, I will have to cut back on buying new stuff as well. My overflowing closet will be happy as well ;)

I can’t wait to share the labels I find and new shopping tactics or facts with you guys. Is there anything you’d be interested in? Any features you’d like to read? And do you know of any great ethical labels you’d like to share? I’m all ears.

 

MerkenMerken

14 Comments

  • Catherine Sprunt
    January 13, 2015

     

    Great idea! Do you read the Delightfully Tacky blog? I think you would like her approach to ethical shopping.

    • Hanna
      January 13, 2015

       

      I don’t – yet. Thanks for the tip! :)

  • Beanie @ B.O.B
    January 14, 2015

     

    The one that comes to mind is People Tree, but H&M have their conscience range perhaps for when money is tight?…

    Etsy has got to be a great resource for ethical clothing too!

    Really good resolution and I’m looking forward to hearing about the brands you find.
    Doing a reading challenge this year and added the book to my list!

    Beanie @ Blog of Beanie
    X

    • Hanna
      January 14, 2015

       

      Yes, People Tree have really nice ethical clothing – I didn’t think of Etsy yet although there must be lots of great stuff, thanks for the tip! And let me know what you think of the book if you get around to reading it :)

  • Matthew Pike
    January 14, 2015

     

    you buy cheap you buy twice. i’ve been off the high street regularly for a couple of years now and it’s made things so much easier. less about trends and more about what suits.

    • Hanna
      January 14, 2015

       

      That’s so right! If you have something that suits you, you will keep it until it falls apart and not till it’s out of trend.

  • Nina
    January 15, 2015

     

    I have taken the exact same resolution! I am not ready for the “capsule” wardrobe with basics only but I decided to sort my closet and stop buying fast fashion items, at least most times. I’ll probably still buy one or two from time to time if I want to follow a specific trend that I know won’t last, but I’m tired of this non-ethical/environmental fast fasion, plus the quality is sh*t most times.

    However, more expensive brands are not always better in terms of ethics (and sometimes quality as well…) so I’m a bit confused about where to shop. It seems that H&M, though producing its clothes in countries like India and such, is concernd about their impact on the environment. They have a sustainable coolection and encourage their customers to recycle their old clothes. Also, it is true that the working conditions of the people who make our clothes in Asia are often inhumane, and that shopping for clothes made in the EU ensures that the people who made them aren’t exploited (plus it reduces your carbon footprint), but it still brings employement in very poor countries. It’s our responsibilities, as customers, to ask for more decent working conditions.

    As for ethical/green brands, it seems that Bonobo Jeans is quite concerned about the environmental impact of their products (I couldn’t find many informations about the working conditions of their clothes manufacturers though) , and I am interested in Ekyog and Sseko, though I never bought anything from these last two. Also, I like Sezane but it is quite expensive and everything is quickly sold out, so I never bought anything from that brand either.

    • Hanna
      January 15, 2015

       

      Great that you set the same resolution! You’re quite right, more expensive brands produce under exactly the same conditions, they just keep even more of the profits. I’m still undecided about ethical lines of normal retailers, I’d really like to talk to someone who knows more about this about those!
      As for the brands you mentioned – I haven’t heard of any of them! I will check them out now, thank you :)

  • Sophie
    January 16, 2015

     

    I did the same last year; I now mostly shop second hand. I started “the minimal wardrobe” project where I only buy a set number of high quality pieces per seasons, it’s completely changed the way I shop. I wish you all the best :))

    • Hanna
      January 16, 2015

       

      I’ve seen that project on your blog and it’s actually one of the things that inspired my decision – thanks for the motivation! :)

  • Ashumi
    January 20, 2015

     

    I love the idea of this, especially as if everyone goes to the same shops, we all come out with the same stuff. I love discovering different smaller brands and even clothes in charity shops, I just need to make a point not to be lazy and go back to H&M etc when I can’t find what I’m looking for. Lovely post Hanna! x

    • Hanna
      January 20, 2015

       

      That’s what I struggle with the most as well – it’s all good to go to vintage shops if you are just browsing, but going there and FINDING something when you acutally need something is the real challenge! x

  • Bettina
    March 13, 2015

     

    Hey Hanna! Great resolution, great project. I’m also looking forward to what you will discover. I also started buying less since I’m also tired of following trends and thus buying more and more clothes that don’t suit me or aren’t trendy any more after one season.
    I just discovered a project called “Dailyrewind”. She tries to only wear secondhand this year.
    Another fun way for secondhand shopping is the “Leckerer Laufsteg” which some of my friends and I already tried. Susanne Kunold buys clothes from moderators or clothes that were used for TV series and you can buy them. It’s a fun evening with yummy food and lots of clothes that are really nice and cheap. Susanne Kunold can also be invited for birthday parties.
    Keep on blogging on your life! I love how you share what’s going on in your life and your heart!


Meet Hanna
Hanna's Places - a green lifestyle blog

Hanna’s Places is a green lifestyle magazine written by Hanna Ulatowski. It’s all about slowing down in a fast-paced society and finding ways to live a more sustainable, simple lifestyle.

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