Part 1: Conscience Collective’s journey towards detoxifying our wardrobes

Conscience Collective are excited to share how we enact our conscientious consumerism. In this two-part series we will uncover how we see we have a part to play in curating our wardrobes to combat the destructive impact fast fashion has on our ecosystem.

We shouldn’t underestimate our power as consumers to push for changes in the mainstream fashion industry. Women are fashion’s primary consumers, meaning that we have the real buying power. Companies have to respond when we collectively choose to avoid toxic fashion trends that encourage consumers to buy cheap, unethical, and low-quality clothes. Through simple lifestyle shifts, we can effectively demand meaningful corporate and policy action.

The Environmental Audit Committee insists that “ultimate responsibility for stopping this pollution must lie with the companies making the products”. If without our prompts, these companies fail to act, we need to increase the imperative to act through our buying power. Therefore, our mission is to encourage essential individual action and stop buying from fast fashion brands that contribute to the climate disaster and exploit the labour of women in low wage economies.

In this piece the youngest members of the team reflect on how in the past we consumed fast fashion but how we have now undertaken moves to detox our wardrobe and fundamentally transform our consumer behaviour.

Sofia

When I was younger, I was obsessed with shopping the latest trends, walking into Topshop, Zara, H&M and New look with a sense of anticipation whilst pop music blared from every corner of the shop, I soaked in the bright hospital lighting and tried to avoid the glares of the weary-eyed staff.

Looking back at it now the stark consumerism of buying fast fashion is remarkable, the latest trends would always quickly be replaced and what you thought was a stunning investment would become a symbol of your dying taste and lack of style.

Switching to a sustainable wardrobe has made a huge difference.

At the first mention of Nottingham’s White Rose, a second-hand clothes shop which donated to the Aegis Trust, I knew I was in for a treat. Vintage dresses and past fast fashion favourites collided to produce a kaleidoscopic array of affordable and beautiful clothes from across the years. These clothes could find a second home and there was no need to waste raw materials, air miles, and people’s hard labour in the process.

For the first time I could decide my own style without it being dictated by consumer-driven unethical and carbon-fuelled brands.

Five years on charity shops and second-hand vintage shops are more important than ever, as we see the recycling of fashions such as flared trousers and suede jackets, we can learn to treat clothes not as expendable outward-showing items, but important displayers of who we are.

Jess

My intentions towards purchasing garments have changed drastically over the past 2 years, as a youthful teen I adored owning a vast extent of items, procuring costly stylish dresses for celebrations only to never re-wear them, because I had been seen in the ensemble already. This toxic wardrobe mentality is one which touches many fast fashion consumers reflecting the notion of a one wear culture and with 350 tonnes of clothing thrown away in the UK each year it is clear to see I was not alone in my habits.

When I decided to change these habits, I understood that I wanted to be intentional when buying clothing. Before I purchase new items now, I consider the varying functions of a specific piece, the re-wear ability, a possible need for them in my wardrobe and pairings with other items I own. This has greatly aided any impulse purchases that previously I would have immediately made, just because I wanted to buy something new and exciting believing it was on trend thus, essential for my stylish wardrobe.

With these considerations I am on my way to creating a brand conscious, balanced wardrobe containing basic and statement pieces of clothes that I can enjoy wearing to express myself and am proud of re-wearing. Directly contradicting the idea of fast fashion through the creation of a long-term wardrobe I believe it is rewarding. To buy consciously and care for the clothes we have avoids the idea of a short product life cycle which is promoted with the thousands of new items going on sale every week.

Next up: Part 2 of our Conscience Collective’s sustainable wardrobe journey series. In this, you will find out what the other members of the team have to say about their relationship with their clothes and the importance of engaging our consciences when creating, mending and caring for our wardrobes.

Written by Sofia and Jess - Conscience Collective