IS ETHICAL FASHION FOR RICH PEOPLE?
I recently read an article on ethical fashion, and as usual, I also got sucked into reading the comments section. Most commenters were praising the article and sharing their own stories of starting to shop more ethically. But there were several commenters who felt personally attacked by the article. “Not everyone can afford to shop ethically. I have to focus on my family,” one commenter wrote. Another commenter found it “laughable” she should be expected to pay more for ethical clothing when she’s trying to save up for her wedding.
Its funny, because the article was about exactly this attitude–how people automatically assume ethical fashion is too expensive and only for elitist snobs. But, I mean, I definitely used to be one of those people.
It’s clear that we are all at different stages of a journey of becoming more ethically-minded and more conscious consumers, and that’s okay. The important thing to keep in mind is that we should all be on the same side, and encouraging each other to just do our best to shop ethically. The thought can be overwhelming at first, I know. And its easy to see why a lot of people throw their hands up right away and assume they will always be stuck buying clothes from Target and Walmart.
I too used to assume all sustainable clothing was expensive and therefore forever out of my stratosphere. Why even bother to seek out something “more eco-friendly” when I couldn’t afford it anyway, and something cheap and easy was right in front of me? But as I learned more, I realized that there are some brands out there that are not using sweatshops, using organic cotton or recycled fabrics, that are smaller start-ups on a mission etc, that are actually very affordable. I also got good at searching for and finding things secondhand, which I’ll share in another post. But most of all, I realized that what I buy matters, and if I can take a bit of a leap…if I can maybe explore a little bit out of my comfort zone, well, it makes a difference.
So today I wanted to share a few of my favorite very affordable brands out there, as well as some tips on putting together a basic starter capsule that is affordable, yet looks great and can be built up over time.
American Apparel organic deep v-neck tee (made in LA) / Alternative Apparel tee (ethically made from eco/organic fabrics) / Everlane Tee (transparent) / Ilia lipstick (cruelty-free) / Matt and Nat tote (vegan) / TOMS desert wedges in metallic linen (vegan) / Thrifted Levi 501′s / Eileen Fisher organic cotton blazer (vegan, ethically made)
I know so many people are just starting to learn about how much their purchases matter and are wondering How do I start building a more eco-friendly wardrobe when I don’t have a lot to spend on clothes?? Here are my 4 major tips:
PAIR HIGH AND LOW. My advice is to start with some ethical basics (t-shirts and jeans are my faves) and rotate in more expensive pieces over time that are either an investment piece purchased new, or an Ebay or thrift store find. Vintage Levi 501′s are all the rage right now, and the good news is you can find some at almost every thrift store in America. Which is why I’ve somehow accumulated about 10 pairs. I just can’t pass them up when I see them! (Pro tip–shop for these in the mens’ aisle!)
ETHICAL BASICS ARE A GOOD PLACE TO START. Next time you need to purchase some basic shirts, grab a few organic, ethically made tops in various colors (can’t go wrong with black and white v-necks!). Some affordable brands to check out are listed below.
ADD AN INVESTMENT PIECE. With these basics, now you can add a nice jacket, booties or flats, a bag, sunglasses, or other higher price point accessories. You don’t need many of these in your closet to make an impact and make your outfit look expensive. Plus a good quality item will last years before needing to be replaced. Again, look on Ebay for a better price!
ELEVATE THE LOOK. Elevate the whole look with a great haircut and a bold lip. Done.
Here are some of my favorite places to look for eco-friendly basic tees. Hopefully this helps you get started!
American Apparel – Made in LA. Offers some organic options. (An organic tee typically costs around $21. If you live in NYC check out their warehouse for even cheaper prices!)
Alternative Apparel – A great selection of basics (including dresses and pants) all made ethically from innovative eco-friendly fabrics. (Their tees cost around $30-38. If that sounds like too much, sign up for their emails–they often have great sales!)
Be Good Clothing – A SF based line featuring organic tees in basic colors as well as some slogan tees.
Everlane – Hip, minimalist basics, also based in SF. Everlane prides itself on being transparent and claims to pay its workers a higher wage than their peers, though they still do produce in China, etc. The jury is still out for me with Everlane. Read Project JUST’s summary and tell me what you think!
Vaute – A wide variety of cute slogan tees printed on organic fabrics.
Beet x Beet – Cute and hip pro-vegan slogan tees made ethically.
Herbivore – Cute and hip slogan tees made ethically.
So, if you’re on this journey of choosing ethically made clothing over fast fashion, how did you transition? Are there any favorite basics brands of yours that I left out? Tell me in the comments!
(P.S. – I know they don’t make it very obvious how to comment. Click on the date of the post down here at the bottom and it should open up the comments)
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