Fast fashion has dominated the high streets and is now
online. With more small bedroom brands popping up every day, it can be hard to
sift through all the rubbish for quality items of clothing that aren't harmful
to the environment. As an ethical and sustainable man, it can be tough to find the right pieces at the best
times, but finding less damaging items can be extremely rewarding once you have
found the right brand. There are many benefits including the fact that they
last longer, the manufacturers and sources are all paid fair wages and the
production methods are done in a way that doesn't pollute the earth or their
environment.
Aligning your beliefs and views with a brand is what it's
all about, so it definitely pays to do your research for brands that resonate
with you. Sustainable brands have peaked in popularity in recent years, and
with the innovation of production methods and materials, it is becoming harder
and harder to say no to these brands.
Since the shift with veganism and vegetarianism becoming
more popular, there has been an influx in demand for these products. As such,
even luxury brands are starting to adopt these methods such as Stella
Mccartney. Other brands however are definitely jumping on the bandwagon, but
they are simply whitewashing their brand to look good. In this article, we will
go through tips for ethical shopping for men and how to determine what is
legit, and what is a whitewash brand.
Buy Secondhand or Vintage
This won't be for everyone, but it is by far one of the best
methods for sustainable fashion for men. Not only is it one of the most
sustainable methods of shopping for new clothes, but it also saves you a lot of
money. Obviously, money may not be an option for some, but for most of us,
spending less on something that would otherwise cost a lot more is always nice.
There are numerous apps out there now including Depop and Vinted, but if you
prefer to scout out new items in person, the charity and vintage shops are a
great place to start.
If you are one who enjoys wearing luxury designer brands,
then buying second-hand is a great way to go about it. It allows you to feel
less precious about the items and also allows you to get them at a fraction of
the original cost.
Embrace slow fashion
Slow fashion is what we need to strive for. This means
timeless styles that won't go out of fashion whilst also being great quality.
The issue with fast fashion is that these brands often create pieces that tie
in with current trends which often don't last long. This resorts to many
bulk-made items being thrown away due to people not wanting to buy them
anymore.
Instead, by opting for items that are a timeless style, it
results in you not having to throw anything away or recycled or even give to
charity as they last a long time as well as always being on trend. It is not so
bad following the odd trend here and there, but if you constantly chase after trends,
your wardrobe will quickly fill up with items you won't wear again.
Always aim for organic cotton where possible
Most fast fashion clothes are made up of mostly microfibres
which in turn pollute the oceans. The main issue with microfibres is that the
fibres are so small that they are near impossible to clean up. For this reason,
it is always best to choose organic cotton certified by GOTS.
GOTS-certified cotton is ethical and sustainable, it is
constantly monitored from growth to how farmers are treated, to how much water
and pesticides are regulated. GOTS also monitors the whole supply chain which
in turn helps to keep everything running smoothly and as ethical as possible.
It can be hard finding brands that use this, so it's beneficial to do your
research.
Check the quality before you buy anything
As we said earlier, there ate many brands out there that are
happy to whitewash their brand and say they are œorganic or œsustainable, but
more often than not, they are lying. A telltale sign of this is by looking at
their website, if it isn't plastered everywhere that they are sustainable,
chances are that the brand is just saying that a select few pieces are sustainable,
this doesn't mean the overall brand is though. Just like this, it is often the
case that their pieces are not of good quality.
If you are in a brick-and-mortar store, then it is much
easier to check the quality of items as well as check to see if the items are
sustainable before you buy. If this is not the case and you are shopping
online, you should look at reviews of the brand or company to see what
customers say about the quality. It is always best to look at recent reviews
instead of old ones as they may have new suppliers etc.
Go for quality over quantity
One of the best ways to be sustainable is to not just buy
anything you think looks good, because chances are that the piece won't last as
long as you like it. Instead, opting for premium items that will last is a
better choice. Yes, better quality items that are more sustainable cost you a
little extra, but it's all about changing your mindset.
Although it does cost more, it will almost certainly last
you much longer and it will definitely not pollute the environment as much as
fast fashion items. By purchasing higher-quality items, it will allow you to
invest properly. Instead of buying just quality items you would wear on special
occasions, opt for buying quality items you wear all the time such as jeans or
a staple mens designer overshirt.
Final Thoughts
When we strive to do better with our shopping habits and we
know we have made conscious efforts to reduce our carbon footprint, we
inevitably feel better. Whether that's by exclusively buying second-hand,
buying better quality, or only buying from sustainable brands, they all help to
reduce carbon footprint in their own unique way.
