HOW TO QUIT FAST FASHION

If you’re on this page right now, you’ve made the wise decision to leave low-quality, cheap, and quickly disposable clothes behind and enter the more ethical, and sustainable world of slow fashion.

We, at Goshopia, are huge enthusiasts of slow and sustainable fashion and believe that you can be ethical and look fantastic doing it! That is why we are excited to be sharing with you some tips on how to quit fast fashion and start your curated conscious closet.

Of course, quitting anything that you’re used to and is easily accessible is really difficult. Slip-ups are natural. Emergencies happen. But what we’re aiming to do at first is to minimize the purchasing of clothes from fast fashion brands. What’s so alluring about these brands is never the quality, it’s how much you can buy with their low prices.

People often do not realize that these low prices come at a high cost. Normally the livelihoods of the workers who make the clothes on the racks. The prices are largely a result of manufacturers using cheap labor in countries where workers are paid little to nothing sometimes while working in harsh or even dangerous conditions. Environmentally, it doesn’t look much better. For example, the New York Times reported that H&M had $4.3 billion worth of surplus inventory in 2018. They produce so many items that don’t get sold in the right trend cycle that they get burned and used as fuel or just end up part of landfills.

Keeping that in mind, let’s get into the steps you can take to slowly change our mindsets and only buy what we need. Welcome to the first steps towards your conscious closet!

QUITTING FAST FASHION

CHANGE THE CHIP

The first change is within us. We are in the habit to consume carelessly, not only fashion but almost everything. A trick to help you buy only what you need is to question yourself every time you are tempted to buy. Ask yourself if you are really needing that piece or you just want it. Think how many times will you be wearing it, if it will be easy to match the rest of your clothes, if it is easy to care for, if it will last, if it has a pattern that will look “sooo last season” in no time… These basic questions will shed some light and give you some thought. This will lead you to wiser decisions when completing your conscious closet.

If you are going to use it for one event only maybe you can rent it or ask a friend if she has something similar. If you don’t know how to care for it, maybe you need to consider that before buying it. You can join Swap groups or see if you can find something in a thrift store. There, they give a second life to clothes. If you don’t like second-hand clothes, it is fine. There are other options too. Keep on reading to find out more.

LESS IS MORE

Everyone says it, but in the case of slow fashion, it’s actually true! Slow fashion aims to bring to you the highest quality pieces that last a long time. This means there will be less of a need to repurchase the same things over and over again. It’s always quality over quantity when creating your conscious closet.

On top of that, designers following slow fashion produce in small batches. So you can rest assured you will not find someone else wearing the same dress as you. They bring exclusivity to a new level.

I don´t know about you, but I love the fact that the garments have a happy and unique story and somehow it shows. I love when I get compliments on my sartorial choices and when I tell them the story of the designer or how the items are handmade this or that way. It is a more meaningful way to dress. This is a benefit of quitting fast fashion.

THINK LONG TERM WHEN BUDGETING

With slow fashion brands, the biggest complaint is that everything is so expensive when actually, the trick lies in budgeting. You’re probably used to spend money on things you don’t need or things you will wear a few times before discarding them. When you start buying consciously, you will buy less but better items, and actually, it normally translates into savings.

As I mentioned before, the point of slow fashion really is that you buy excellent pieces that will last you much longer than fast fashion brands. Goshopia has an array of fantastic pieces of clothing and accessories such as bags from designers such as Marie de la Roche, MyKaftan, and Sheen (here’s the full list!). We always recommend planning your shopping instead of impulsively buying items that catch your eye momentarily. That planning will take you closer to your conscious wardrobe and quit the dangerous fast fashion addiction.

PRIORITISE YOUR BASICS

The clothes you get regular use out of are your basics, which means they need to be of high quality and don’t need to be replaced constantly. A good all-purpose handbag, a solid pair of jeans that go with everything, perhaps a jacket. Whatever basic means to you, keep in mind and shop for your needs specifically and you have the foundation of your new ethical and sustainable wardrobe ready!

Once you have those, you can invest in statement pieces that resonate with your personality and your style. Forget trends that won’t last and will be back in the closet waiting for the next revival. Find your style and follow it!

THE GOOD FASHION

The way you can be a more ethical shopper is by doing simple things. Things such as checking the tags of clothes, checking how they are produced or if they are treating their workers well. When you are quitting fast fashion, it will come very natural. At the end of the day, you want to know more about the garment, the story behind it… and also how to take care of it.

We will always have an impact, but let’s try to minimize it as much as we can. That is why Goshopia only selects designers that follow at least one of our 3 S´s. Slow, Sustainable, and Socially Responsible are our 3 S´s. The reality is that we noticed already a shift with the designers we speak to. Maybe they are only doing Slow fashion initially, but they want to implement Sustainability for following collections or be part of a social project. And you know what? That makes us sooo happy!

We hope these 5 Tips will help you start curating your conscious closet and start quitting fast fashion. Let us be clear about something. We are not in a crusade against fast fashion or anything similar. But this is the way we can voice our concerns as customers and create change in society. If you are buying from fast fashion brands, it is ok, just take care of those clothes and make them last. Don´t use them as disposables. Be the change you want to see in the World.

If you want to read more, check this article from our friends at Porch about How to Avoid Fast Fashion and create a sustainable wardrobe.