Can we realistically shop more sustainably?

Since starting to think about writing my dissertation I've thought about a variety of topics and one that I have passion and interest for is sustainability in fashion. I've started my research - this has involved lots of library books and making notes on my phone whilst reading sed library books.

 Many of these books have gone way off topic and I would be honest by saying I've lost interest. But one that really had an impact was 'To Die For - Is fashion wearing out the world' by Lucy Siegel. 

This book covered so many interesting and thought provoking topics -  child labour and cotton picking in Kazakhstan, the hidden cost of cashmere and the impact faux fur is having on the globe. Some of these topics I'd touched on in the past but others were surprising and others rather upsetting. This got me thinking - if I didn't know about these issues (someone working and studying in the industry) then the consumer is even less aware. I began to research more by watching the powerful documentary film 'The True Cost' this and the book brought to my attention - can we as consumers realistically shop sustainably? Are there brands out there that offer ethical and stylish clothing at a good price? 

My Research found that even in 2016 there's still only a very small selection of ethical brands selling clothing both on line and on the high street (the high street offering even less options.)

Yes a small selection of high street brands offer some organic cotton pieces, Zara for instance (I own three t-shirts in various colours) and H&M offer the Conscious collection - but what do we really know about the methods of production these brands use. Yes I'm sure these brands work very hard to ensure code of conduct procedures are in place throughout the supply chain and encourage transparency, but could more be done? 

 Such little Ethical Clothing on the high street means it's very difficult to actually source sustainable clothing, especially at a reasonable price -  price is a definite factor when purchasing clothing along side style and fit. 

The why of the buy (2015) states 'In a buyers market, a market place situation in which there are more sellers than buyers, an excess of supply over demand results in lower prices for consumers. This means that buyers can be more selective of their purchases because there are many choices available to them'. 

Since watching 'The True cost' I have become aware of an ethical/fair trade brand that previously I had little or no knowledge of and that's People Tree. The documentary film followed their founder Safia Minney around many of their factories in the Far East.

People tree (2016) state 'The people we work with have some of the smallest environmental footprints in the world'.

Products are mostly made by hand and they promote organic cotton farming and avoid using harmful chemicals during production. This overall has less impact on the globe and also offers those working in the garment manufacturing industry less chance of developing unhealthy side effects caused by poisonous dyes. The People Tree website states which factories and individuals they work with which gives the consumer the opportunity to find out who is making the clothes they are wearing. 

This does have some side effects, not necessarily negative. For instance production is slower so less goods are made but the goods are better quality which does increases price points - Safia Minney calls this the slow fashion movement something People Tree support.

The customer is always looking for good quality at a good price so can sustainable fashion ever have a huge impact on the fashion industry? Is creating clothing in a sustainable way doable for the rest of the industry?  Or is slow fashion the way forward? 

Lucy Siegel author of To die For teaches us to purchase less clothing at a higher cost. This clothing will be of better quality and therefore last much longer. This would mean buying classic pieces that we will love forever instead of fashion fad pieces we may discard next season. I do love this idea of buying less as it would have less impact on the environment - but Fast fashion is loved by many and changing shopping habits could be difficult. I also worry about the consequences it could have on the economy. 

The fashion industry currently has a domestic market value of 66 billion and according to fashion United (2016) '555,000 people are employed in the fashion, textile and fashion retail industry in the United Kingdom'. This doesn't include fashion production workers in countries all around the world. 

I do however feel that things can and will change, but very slowly. This will hopefully impact those working in garment factories and have a positive lasting impact on the globe. Studying in the industry has given me an insight into what retailers want and that's requiring more information on where their products are being made, which I think can only be a positive. This will hopefully lead to more ethical fashion on the high street, therefore making it easier for us as customers to purchase sustainably. 

Photo source - studiokalumi.com via pinterest