The Business of Ethical Fashion
Part 4: Things We Wish People Knew About Ethical Fashion
There’s so much to dig into when you talk about ethical fashion; we could go on forever. But to stay within the constraints of this 4 part series, we won’t go there.
As a final question, and an all-encompassing ending statement, I asked each of the brands to impart a message to our readers about ethical fashion.
Part 4: What is one thing you wish more people knew?
Sarah Judd - Buy Good. Feel Good.
“I want people to know that ethical fashion is accessible. When we first started the show, I know a lot of people were like, “oh it’s like hippie style clothing." And although we did have a few vendors like that, there was so much more. In fact, now more than ever, there are so many brands out there doing fashion ethically and helping the rest of us understand why. We all have have a lot more options now and I think that you can probably find anything you’d need that’s made better than what’s currently out there.”
Farrukh Lalani - Daria Day
“I wish more people knew about us! [laughs] That would be really good. But one thing I wish more people realized is that there is an alternative to the fast brands. What the fast brands produce, we produce as well. Also, I think there needs to be a realization from people that we don’t need to buy just for the sake of buying. We buy a lot, we don’t use that much. There needs to be a realization to buy what you need and what will matter to you in the future.”
Adila Cokar - The Good Tee
"I wish people knew that it’s really all about the people. That when they see a piece of clothing, they know it’s not machines making it, but that this is all made by REAL people. There are so many people involved in the supply chain, so many involved in creating a garment. I just want people to value their clothes more. Everything that you have is so special, you know?”
Christal Earle - Brave Soles
“We really believe that everybody deserves and has a right to participate in the circular economy and that’s the way forward for us as humans.
A wish I have is that someday the word “ethical” doesn’t need to be defined anymore. That’s just how people would see themselves participating in the economy. It wouldn’t be a modified alternative.“
Dana Kandalaft - Tight Knit Syria
“I think people feel like they don’t have agency in the world - that it’s the corporations that make the decisions, and have the final say. But actually, what makes the world go around is money, and money is spent by consumers. A company can only survive if they have a consumer base and if their consumers are making a conscious decision to spend that money on that corporation. You are a powerful change-maker. Wherever you are spending money, you are making the decision of how you want your society to progress or stay the same.”
What do you wish people knew? Is there some other way you wish people approached ethical fashion?
On my part, I wish more people talked about ethical fashion.
Perhaps it’s because we all feel slightly guilty about shopping fast fashion that we sort of sweep the conversations under the rug. Or maybe we just don’t know anything about it and never really take the time to look into it. Regardless, I wish people knew you didn’t have to choose between being the overlord of fast fashion or the die-hard ethical enthusiast.
You can just be what everybody else is: on average, a slightly lost and confused but curious and well-intending individual on this big big rock. You don’t have to jump in, but you might discover some neat things if you took a look down the rabbit hole.
Yona Lo - Your Guest Blogger
To give you some context, this series was born from a personal curiosity over the seemingly elusive nature of ethical fashion creators.
A quick Google Search will give you a multitude of general definitions, of “Top 10’s,” and reasons to why everyone needs to shop ethical. But it didn’t prove to me how things were decidedly ethical, how these brands managed their supply chains differently, and the very real struggle of doing things with the less conventional approach. Where were all the makers in this conversation?
Some one-on-one phone calls later, here is what we have to share: some behind-the-scene looks into ethical fashion from the people who live, breathe, and dream the words. There is so much to be said about this diverse community of entrepreneurs. However, there's one definite thing that has captured my imagination and attention: the genuine and infallible drive that is shared amongst every person in this community to create more good than what they arrived to see.
So we try to talk more, buy less. Ask the questions that excite, and start the conversations that not only inspire, but empower.
I hope this series has been able to do at least one of those things for you.
Thanks for following.
-Yona