DAY 7: CLOTHING
You may have read it in the intro, but my journey with clothes really started over 2 years ago after watching a documentary called ‘The Trust Cost’. It made me re-question a lot of the things I was buying; who had made my clothes? Was I buying on impulse? What effects were my purchases causing to people and the planet? I’d already bought a lot of second hand clothes at that time, but the 20% of clothes I did buy new were from Zara mainly, and though hard, I decided the night of watching that movie that I would never shop there again. Dramatic I know.
As well as the lives impacted through making our clothes, the documentary touched on organic clothing, as well as another documentary I watched called ‘Stink Movie’ - well worth a watch. It alerted me of some SHOCKING statistics about the chemicals found on clothes and so again, I started changing my practices to find those places that not only made clothes ethically but with organically farmed cotton too.
Now trust me, these labels and tags don’t solve the issue- just like greenwashing (as I have mentioned previously). It’s easy for brands to make claims and unless we’re growing and farming our own cotton and sewing our own clothes I guess we will perhaps never know as transparently as we wish to! Everlane is an example of that, a company I trusted and we had bought from multiple times has just been flagged up for a lack of transparency as to the conditions of their workers. You can find more details over here and sign a petition.
I would say 80% of my wardrobe is second hand (and a handful of items I had before I became a conscious consumer) and 20% is new, for those pieces I have searched out, saved for and loved and we mainly give each other clothes and asks for clothes for our birthdays. Joseph’s wardrobe is more like 50% new, 50% second hand. When we are buying second hand we’re mainly buying from ebay, facebook marketplace, charity shops, or vintage stores. We both have VERY small wardrobes, and have a select few items of clothing (mainly black if you hadn’t noticed) that we love.
Buying majority second hand does take time, and it does take patience- it takes a lot longer to find the thing you need rather than walking into a store and seeing it in front of you. Someone once said ‘What called you there will keep you there.’ There are many times when I know that it would be SO much easier and cheaper to walk into a place and buy something off the shelf , but for my ease it would be at the cost for someone else along that supply chain and so I am reminded of watching that documentary each time and thinking how much I wanted to change and become more responsible. There is also the question of cost. Again, I will point you to the True Cost movie, I think these things seem ‘expensive’ because we are just not used to what we should be paying for clothes, in the face of places like primark and h&m where the cost of clothes has been so diluted. It breaks my heart to see people doing clothing hauls mainly because if you’re buying a £5 t-shirt and seeing it as a bargain, it’s not hard to imagine just how little the person who has made that garment, and put the majority of the effort in has been paid by the time it has reached your hands.
You will invest where your heart is, and that’s what I feel I’m doing in purchasing clothes that are good for this earth. The truth is too that clothes that are made well, will last longer. The hope is that there will be a time when it will be abnormal to buy clothes that aren’t fairly made- I read a quote recently that really impacted me.
“it really unsettles me that something being “ethically made” is a bonus or optional extra. Should it not be the bare minimum that those who make the items that sustain and/or shape us as humans are respected and safe?”
Mikaela Loach
Here are a few things that can help when you are looking to purchase clothes. The truth is this can be SO overwhelming, there is often so much terminology and sometimes it’s hard to decipher a brand from their website but, any start on this journey is a good start!
GOTS (Global Organic Textiles Standard) approved.
According to the soil association website, GOTS is the leading textile processing standard for organic fibres. They say: when we certify to the GOTS standard, we check every step of the supply chain, from harvesting through production, processing, manufacturing and labelling. We also consider the environmental management and social responsibility of producers. GOTS is the gold standard for sustainable processing of textiles made from organically grown fibres (such as cotton or wool).
Below lists a few of the things GOTS approved products are known for, you can read more on the soil association website.
GOTS approved products must contain at least 70% organic fibre content
GOTS approved products never contain potentially harmful chemicals which can be found in conventional textile production
GOTS means safe working conditions, no discrimination and no child labour
GOTS approved products have the entire supply chain verified, even the farms must have certification to a legally recognised standard.
The details matter - buttons, threads, zips have to meet strict residue criteria of GOTS
Standard 100 Oeko-Tex®’ Certified
According to the Oeko- Tex website: This certification ensures you can be certain that every component of this article, i.e. every thread, button and other accessories, has been tested for harmful substances and that the article therefore is harmless in human ecological terms.
Fair Wear Foundation:
According to the fair wear foundation: The Fair Wear Foundation (FWF) is an international verification initiative dedicated to enhancing workers’ lives all over the world. They work closely with a growing number of companies that produce clothing and other sewn products and that take responsibility for their supply chain.
For other certifications take a look here.
BRANDS WE LOVE and buy either new or second hand.
Stripe and Stare- I have just recently tried these guys for underwear and am loving them. I believe they only sell briefs, but there is a wide choice of options colour wise. They only use sustainably sourced Beechwood modal and strive to ensure they use the most environmentally sound materials in their products and packaging and work with the most ethical factories. You can use the code MEGAN10 for 10% off.
Nudie- All the jeans we currently own are from nudie. Some I bought second hand and the others were directly from their store. We love their ethos, the fit and that they do free repairs. This is one of the go-to shops for Joseph’s clothing and he has jumpers, underwear and socks from here. Nudie uses GOTS certified cotton, and have a commitment to making high quality and long lasting products. They have also adopted the Fair Wear foundation code of conduct, meaning that their suppliers are paid a living wage and their suppliers are traceable. Its use of eco-friendly materials limits the amount of chemicals, water and wastewater used in production.
Patagonia - I personally don’t own anything from Patagonia, but Joseph does. I love this brand for a few reasons: one being that heir mission statement reads: ‘“Patagonia is in business to save our home planet”. Patagonia ask you to resend their items back to them if you think it’s had it’s life span and they will revive it into something else and since1985, Patagonia has pledged 1% of sales to the preservation and restoration of the natural environment. There is a high level of transparency on their website and you can learn more about the factories, farms, and mills of those they partner with. One of our favourite products from Patagonia is the Synchilla fleece…<<
Thought clothing- I personally have only purchased jogging bottoms from these guys, but am a big fan! They support the mantra-
Wear me, love me, mend me, pass me on
and have a great level of transparency on their website in regards to sustainability and ethics. You can read more here. You can also receive a 10% discount code when you sign up to their website. They have great markdowns in their sales and offer a wide range of clothes for men and women!
Noctu organic- These guys are a new firm favourite I discovered through instagram and I have recently purchased a jumpsuit that I can live in during pregnancy. If you sign up to their newsletter I believe you can receive 10% off. Websites and branding like theirs bring me a lot of joy. They’ve also currently got a great sale going on! Everything in the jersey nightwear collection is made using GOTS certified organic cotton, and the cotton they use is also ‘Standard 100 Oeko-Tex®’. They also are supporters of the World Land trust and a portion of profits donates money to save endangered wildlife. I mean…what aren’t these guys doing. > this is the jumpsuit here.
Rapauni- these guys use a high proportion of eco-friendly materials including Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) cotton. Rapauni reduces its climate impact by consuming 100% renewable energy in the final stage of production and they use low impact non-toxic dyes in all of its products as well as ensuring payment of a living wage across its supply chain amongst other things. All of its supply chain is independently audited or internally visited. A lot of the clothing is not to our taste but the t-shirts are staples in Joseph’s wardrobe and our one of the most affordable companies we have found for basics.
Ragtrade Clothing co.- Ragtrade is run by my friend Sammi, who I didn’t actually know until I was asked to be in a photoshoot modelling some of her clothes! My reply?: Erm, yes! There’s nothing i’d love more than to showcase some absolutely beautiful garments around Brighton! Everything she makes is made from100% linen. She is currently taking a break for maternity and so her shop is on pause but it’s still 100% worth a browse and a note to drop back in future.
Fjällräven - Another incredible company, committed to sustainable production at every stage. You can see their code of conduct here which is the basis for how they do business. They’re part of the Sustainable Apparel Coalition and Fair Labor Association as well as many more, and this just shows that these guys are really playing their part to do business well. They’re probably best known for their backpacks and that’s what we have purchased from them in the past.
Organic basics- We have mainly used this company for pants and socks and basic tees for Joseph which are really great quality! Look out for their free delivery that they offer every now and then otherwise I think it’s £9. OB has a Code of Conduct that covers all of the ILO Four Fundamental Freedoms principles. They ensure living wage across their supply chain and it traces all of its supply chain and most of its supply chain is either independently audited or visited by the brand including all of the final stage of production. Every 3 months for example, they visit their GOTS certified organic cotton farms, and factories in Izmir and Istanbul to make sure they are sustaining fair and safe industry practices. They sit with their garment makers, eat lunch in their canteen, and ensure the factories are socially sustainable. WIN WIN.
Sancho’s- another of my favourite new discoveries actually since black led brands began to be highlighted more. The owner is not only a badass but has such an incredible and carefully curated selection of clothes on the website. I recently purchased a t-shirt dress which I will be wearing everyday for the foreseeable future. I absolutely LOVE their new ‘transparant pricing’ and to me makes me want to put trust in a company like this and buy again and again…if I had the cash hah! This is the dress on the left with one of my favourite ever ebay finds- a pair of lotta from stockholm clogs for £9.
Veja: Labeling their company philosophy as a “project,” Veja is serious about knowing who grew the cotton, tapped the rubber, and stitched your shoes together. They work with organic cotton and food farmers whose crops are cultivated without chemicals or pesticides, use wild rubber from the Amazonian Rainforest, fight deforestation, and tan their leather using natural acacia extracts rather than heavy metals which in turn decreases pollution. Although Veja is doing their part to take care of the environment, they also make sure that the people they work with and do business with are getting paid well. Veja even sacrifices their marketing budget (instead of makers’ wages) to keep their shoes affordable. (info taken from remake.world)
Other places worth checking out but that we have yet to shop from:
Mud Jeans, Lara Intimates, Beaumont Organic, Know The Origin, Beyond Nine.
Great resources:
Good on you app- Thousands of brand ratings, articles and expertise on ethical and sustainable fashion. Know the impact of brands on people and planet. You can basically type in any brand and find out how they are rated on a number of things.
What are some of your favourite clothing brands, have you purchased from any of these companies?
That’s the end of the series! Thank you so much for tuning in! If there’s anything else you’d like to see please let me know or let me know any questions you’ve got!