So What’s Next?
First, you need to watch The True Cost movie with your family. Don’t just take my word for what’s going on- see for yourself, first-hand, the massive effect the fashion supply chain really has.
If you’re not already convinced it’s high time to slow fashion down, then this will certainly drive the point home (pun intended). It’s also a great way to start the conversation on how to begin buying more consciously so that you can have peace of mind and ultimately save you money.
In my own family it’s made a huge impact! My teenage daughter has already started sharing about it with her friends, teachers, and youth group leaders. I have no doubt you will get that same fire.
Raising awareness about the dangerous effects of fast fashion is an awesome first step to making meaningful and lasting change.
I’m guessing you’re probably wondering now where you should shop. I know that was my first question. The answer is to simply do a little research and you’ll come to find that there are retailers that are making efforts to support a fairer future for workers in the garment industry and care about it’s affect on our planet.
I’ve already found some great options that I hope will help you shop with a greater peace of mind that the things you buy from now on are made ethically and of good quality that should last you many years.
REDUCE, REDUCE, REDUCE!
The first and most important thing you need to do is stop accepting the lie that you need more. You are enough. Let me repeat that; YOU ARE ENOUGH. Clothes should simply compliment who you are. So, take an afternoon and go through your closet and decide what you really love and set aside what you don’t. These are a few good questions to ask yourself when going through your items:
- How do I spend the majority of my time and do my clothes reflect that?
- What parts of my body do I love and want to accentuate?
- What do I prefer to not accentuate?
- Have I worn this more than once in the last 3 months?
- Do I feel great wearing this?
When you ask yourself these questions there’s a good chance you’ll realize you can get rid of quite a few things. Going through my own closet I quickly realized it was time to let go of those “I’ll fit into this one day” pieces and the “but they’re brand new” ones too. It’s okay to let them go because you won’t be just tossing them in the trash- I’ve got other options for you.
Part three is next! You don’t want to miss the rest of this important information!
Sources: EPA, UNICEF , The True Cost Movie, GreenPeace, Fair Trade San Diego, The Balance, Gizmodo, Yelp San Diego
I actually had “The True Cost” on my Netflix watch list for almost 6 months! I finally watched it about a week ago and it has changed my entire perspective on fast fashion. I seriously looked at the labels in all my children’s clothing and my heart sank with how many items were made in Bangladesh and India, some of countries that were featured on the documentary. We have a lot of hand-me-downs from neighbors and friends, but as my oldest outgrows his clothes, I am sewing his clothes myself or buying from eco-friendly brands.
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