What is slow fashion?
And why you as a consumer should be supporting slow fashion brands
The past decade or so has seen a wave of change sweep through the fashion industry. An increasing number of brands are rejecting the principles of fast fashion and opting for a more sustainable approach to making clothes and fabrics known as slow fashion. But just what is slow fashion and how can we ensure we as consumers make better buying decisions? Let’s explore.
An introduction slow fashion
Slow fashion is an approach to fashion that considers the processes and resources across the entire supply chain. It advocates for buying higher-quality garments that will last longer, and values fair treatment of people, animals, and the planet.
In short, slow fashion is about considered practices throughout the entire lifecycle of a garment.
The benefits of slow fashion
Why should you consider supporting slow fashion? Here are reasons why embracing the slow fashion movement is the better choice.
- Better quality items will last longer
- You save money by buying less
- You help support local suppliers rather than big corporations
- It will reduce pollution and human exploitation
Slow fashion vs fast fashion
In essence, slow fashion is the opposite of fast fashion. Below, we highlight the differences between slow and fast fashion behaviours:
- Fast fashion brands produce huge numbers of cheaply made garments, often with high waste. Meanwhile, slow fashion brands release just a few collections each year.
- While fast fashion can have a huge environmental footprint, slow fashion brands actively work to reduce their impact.
- While fast fashion has been linked to less than favourable working conditions, slow fashion is made in smaller workshops or facilities in transparent supply chains.
At its core, slow fashion is about slowing down consumption and buying less.
Slow fashion vs sustainable fashion
Slow fashion and sustainable or ethical fashion are very similar. However, not all slow fashion is sustainable or ethical.
Just because a garment was made slowly doesn’t mean that the fabrics were sourced responsibly or that the creators behind that piece were paid fairly.
Similarly, slow fashion doesn’t guarantee environmental sustainability. We still must consider the fibers and dyes used to make that handmade piece.
The main difference between sustainable and slow fashion is that slow focuses on reducing consumption and production across its entire supply chain.
Examples of slow fashion practices
If you do want to invest in slow fashion, here’s what to look for:
- Quality clothes made from sustainable materials
- Small-batch collections
- Transparent supply chains
- Production methods that reduce textile waste
- Ethical working conditions
- Transparent pricing
There’s also some certifications you can look for:
- OEKO-TEX is an environmental certification system relating to the entire textile production process. If a product carries the STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX certification, you can be certain that every component of the product has been tested for harmful levels of more than 100 substances known to be harmful to human health, and that the product is completely free from chemicals or toxic dyes. It also ensures that when certified fabrics are washed, they do not release any harmful residues.
- Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) is recognised worldwide as the leading standard in organic textiles. The GOTS process doesn’t just check the fabric, the certification also guarantees that the entire supply chain bringing you those textiles uphold the highest ethical and sustainability standards, including treating workers ethically and ensuring staff across the entire supply chain are experiencing safe and fair working practices.
It goes without saying that Bed Bliss’ entire range of linen bedding is both OEKO-TEX & GOTS certified.
Conclusion
Slow fashion is a movement shunning the often unethical practises of fast fashion brands for a more sustainable approach to making clothes and fabrics. Valuing fair treatment of people, animals, and the planet, slow fashion is an important step towards a better fashion industry. Bed Bliss is proudly a slow fashion brand who prides itself on its transparent and sustainable approach to manufacturing.
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