Stitch UpAn inside look at what’s going wrong with fast fashion
Despite hundreds of seemingly distinct brands on our high streets, many clothing shops are actually owned by the same companies. While some brands have sustainable ranges and environmental promises, others under the same parent organisation are facing scandals about working conditions. Karen Millen’s new ‘ready for the future’ campaign, with recycled packaging? Owned by the same people who founded Boohoo – one of the worst offenders for fast fashion waste.
So who really owns who?
Almost every day, it seems another big fast fashion brand like H&M, Zara or ASOS launches a ‘green’ collection. Often what sets these clothes apart is the materials used in their production: whether natural fibres like cotton or linen, or recycled textiles. But behind the stylish branding and feel-good vibes, many of these materials are not as eco-friendly as they appear. We’ve rounded up some of the most common offenders to look out for next time you shop new.
Shopping addictions are often portrayed by media as harmless and fun, but can seriously impact your finances and personal relationships – not to mention the planet. We spoke to recovering addicts and a treatment expert to find out why it’s time to take shopping addiction more seriously.
Ever put on an item of clothing and felt better? Clothes can have an instant effect on our mood. For an extreme example, look no further than the transgender person finally dressing in accordance with how they feel inside. But even everyday dressing-up has the power to make us feel important, included and interesting – or the opposite.
Almost half of women’s clothing for sale on UK fast fashion sites is made entirely from new plastics like polyester, nylon, elastane and acrylic, according to a new study.
Researchers from the RSA looked at over 10,000 “new in” items for sale on ASOS, Boohoo, Missguided and PrettyLittleThing in May, finding 49% were made completely from synthetic fibres derived from fossil fuels.
When was the last time you ordered something online in multiple sizes, or extra items to get free delivery, knowing full well you’d return at least some of it?
It’s something many of us are guilty of. With free returns, QR codes and drop-off points, it’s easier than ever to return unwanted items and many of us will deliberately overorder as a result. Because of this, online returns are due to rise to £5.6bn by 2023, with fashion and footwear as the main drivers, a 2018 study by GlobalData has found.
Do you remember a few years ago we saw the rebirth of 90s plastic chokers, chunky platform trainers and pastel crop tops?
The 90s-00s trend came back from a 20-year hibernation to cycle once more into our fashion aesthetic. Just before it, came the 80s’ puffed-up shoulders and the psychedelic tie-dye and XXL collars from the post-Woodstock era.
When I was young, my mum dressed me and my sister in the same outfits. You can only imagine how excited I was when I reached the glorious age of 12, being old enough to head into the city with my friends and actually pick out clothes I liked and wanted to wear. This excitement for developing my own style and finding the perfect items to match has never faded, but when online shopping became the norm there was one issue. The models wearing the clothes never even remotely resembled what my body looked like, but still, they were modelling my size.
Tune into the first ever episode of our sustainable fashion podcast, Common Thread. This week, we hear from leading environmental journalist Lucy Siegle and the founders of sustainable activewear brand KitChange on the pros and cons of wearing plastic.