Slow Fashion: The Differences Between Ethical And Organic

Let us leave fast fashion behind and choose slow fashion instead. But what are the differences between ethical fashion and organic fashion? The two are not synonymous.

What is the difference between ethical fashion and organic fashion? Is there one?

Ethical fashion

Ethical fashion can be organic and organic fashion can be ethical, however, the two are not synonymous. Organic fashion simply means that the material of which the garments consist of is organic. And organic is not organic. It has become such a pretty word to throw around, such a popular tag that it is difficult to know just how organic things truly are.

Mass-produced brands are very rarely ethical. There are often child workers and underpaid workers involved, who work for way less than they need to get by. The products are priced lower than they should be for a reason; they’ve cut corners somewhere, be it in quality, sustainability or in caring for their workers. There are often unsustainable materials used and to top it all off, they are shipped with trucks, ships and planes, making the whole process anything but environment friendly. Not to mention the great amount of plastic that is used for packaging and will later end up in our oceans.

One type of ethical fashion is fashion that is handmade by small brands, preferably local. The garments you yourself can make would also be considered ethical. Designers working with upcycling and recycling, who reuse the materials that are otherwise going to be thrown away and turn them into new garments – that’s also an ethical option and in some ways better than organic.

Organic fashion

The organic materials are made from organic flax – linen, organic cotton, organic plant-based silk and more. Ethical, however, is about how the garments were created, by whom, how those people were treated and how the garments made it from the makers to the buyers.

Organic fashion can be ethical, but it is highly possible to mass-produce organic fashion, mistreat the workers and create a bad environmental footprint all at the same time.

Organic still sounds good, but it just doesn’t stand for as much anymore, whether it comes to food or clothes. GOTS-approved fabrics, however, are worth keeping an eye out for. It stands for The Global Textile Standard and if they approve of the fabric, you can trust it.

Do make a note that many of the large online fashion stores rarely produce GOTS-approved products, despite claiming to be oh-so sustainable. Sneaky, I know. You need to be a detective to find a brand or shop that is actually as good as it claims to be. They are out there, but there are so many that claim to be all the amazing things we want in a brand, without any truth in the claim, so at times you do lose faith that the real honest brands actually exist. They are the minority.

Buy mindfully

When you buy something, it is incredibly important that you think not only of the money you spend but what it is you’re spending it on. By making a purchase you support that business and all that it stands for: you even fund it. Make sure that you only support what you can wholeheartedly get behind.

Read up on their view on sustainability, who makes the garments, where they are made and how they are made, and how they are shipped. If they are hesitant to say much about it, or won’t even acknowledge your questions, take a step back. Silence says a whole lot. If there are plot holes in their self-proclaimed sustainability story, chances are, they are lying through their teeth.

If they don’t want to let you know how, where and by whom their designs are made, or how they treat those individuals, the truth is anything but a feel-good story.

People need to get their priorities straight

The world is full of individuals, brands and companies who worry over nothing more than how to earn the most money. Consequences be damned. They will stop at nothing to earn what they want and the environment and the little person means nothing to them. It is useless reasoning with them, but we can choose not to support them or their businesses. Even by buying from them once, we are lending them a hand in ruining the environment and people’s lives.

What can we do as consumers?

The easiest way to stop supporting unethical brands is to create a capsule wardrobe and stick to it.

Take a good look at your wardrobe. What do you have in it? Does the content of your wardrobe reflect your soul and your lifestyle? Does the content make you happy?

Create a capsule wardrobe of necessities and each time something needs replacing, replace it with a sustainable and ethical alternative. But don’t replace it if it can be mended and can still be used. If something doesn’t fit, however, do mend it and donate it instead, so that someone else may have use for it. Or even better, adjust the fit yourself.

Whenever you let go of something, remember to thank that item for the use it has given you. Show your gratitude to the garment, and it’ll be full of high vibrational energy for the next user. Perhaps there is a shelter you know? They’ll gladly take whatever you and your family decide to declutter, I am sure.

By using this method, in time, your entire capsule wardrobe will be sustainable.

Declutter your home

Do the same cleanse with all of your possessions. Figure out what sparks joy and what is simply collecting dust. Find new homes for everything you decide to let go of. Express gratitude and let it go. What you do keep, make sure you use it for as long as possible. When it absolutely cannot be used anymore, recycle it and replace it with a sustainable option.

Here’s a list of things you can do to support slow fashion:

• Quit plastic. Quit polyester unless it is rescued and recycled.

• Slow down your fashion experience and your consumerism in general and make sure you make the right decisions for yourself and the future of this planet.

• Learn how to knit or crochet.

• Learn how to sew.

• Learn how to mend your clothes.

• Learn how to adjust the size of your clothes.

• Make your own clothes.

• Go thrift shopping. Second-hand shops and vintage fashion shops can hold rare gems that you’ll come to love.

• Get sewing materials free by accepting clothes that others have let go of. You can take them apart and turn them into the clothes you want.

• Set up swap meets with friends or friends of friends. You can all trade the clothes you no longer want, use or can wear for something someone else wants to let go of. That way you all get new (to you) clothes and no one has to spend a penny.

Make conscious decisions and think before you buy!