An Introduction To Slow Fashion

So what exactly does slow fashion mean?

In a 2021 Forbes article, Christopher Marquis (founder of Encircled) defined slow fashion as “an approach to producing clothing which takes into consideration all aspects of the supply chain and in doing so, aims to respect people, the environment, and animals.”. She then made a point to state that it also involves putting more time and consideration into the designing process to verify that every clothing piece is made with care and is overall good quality. The phrase “slow fashion” was conceived by journalist Kate Fletcher in 2007, featured in an article within the publication The Ecologist and was derived from the slow food movement.

Is sustainable fashion and slow fashion the same?

In general, sustainable fashion and slow fashion are very similar but they don’t share the same objectives. Each of these movements are related to one another and abide by the same guidelines however, however slow fashion specifically focuses on lessening production and consumption.

Some identifiable characteristics of slow fashion brands to look out for

• Clothing styles that mostly follow timeless designs and silhouettes instead of trendy styles

• Garments made from good quality and sustainable materials

• Made-to-order to minimize the chances of producing deadstock (i.e. unsellable inventory), although this may not be a common practice

• New styles are released at least two to three times a year maximum

• Permanent collection that is sold all year around

• Uses locally sourced materials and sells locally produced merchandise

How to get involved

• Build a capsule wardrobe

• Try researching about slow fashion to further educate yourself and to learn more about the fashion industries and your environmental footprint

• Research the brands you buy from so you have a better understand about what your money goes towards

• Reduce your impulse purchases as much as possible and put more thought buying decisions

• If you can try to buy less from fast fashion brands (of course this may not apply to everyone as some people can only afford fast fashion)

• Overall try to consume less fashion

Hi, thanks for reading and feel free to let me know your opinions and ideas. If you wanted to check out where I sourced my information, I’ve included the links below.

Sources

Forbes: What Does Slow Fashion ‘Actually’ Mean? (https://www.forbes.com/sites/christophermarquis/2021/05/14/what-does-slow-fashion-actually-mean/?sh=209102cf73b4)

Good On you: What Is Slow Fashion? (https://goodonyou.eco/what-is-slow-fashion/)

FILOSOFIA: A Little About the Slow Fashion Movement – And Why It Matters (https://filosofiala.com/blogs/journal/a-little-about-the-slow-fashion-movement-and-why-it-matters)

The Good Trade: What Is Slow Fashion? (https://www.thegoodtrade.com/features/what-is-slow-fashion )

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