r/ethicalfashion

I used to buy a lot from Zara, H&M, Gap, etc. but recently stopped and started buying fewer, slightly better pieces instead. My goal is for my wardrobe to age with me in a way where I don't have to start from scratch like every decade. I'm in my late 20s and still want to look youthful, but I want to be intentional with the quality and quantity of what I add into my wardrobe, because I want to have a smallish collection of clothes that I love and want to rewear, instead of wanting to shop.

How have you all gone about phasing out fast fashion, picking pieces intentionally, and actually finding good quality clothes that still look youthful and fun?

I’ve started noticing that some of the clothes I feel best about buying upfront are not always the ones that work best once they are actually in my wardrobe.

A good example for me is anything that looks great on the hanger but comes with a care routine that immediately makes me hesitate. If a garment needs handwashing, cannot be tumble dried, wrinkles badly after one wear, or feels like it has to be kept away from normal laundry, I already know I am going to reach for it less. The same goes for knits that pill too easily, delicate fabrics that snag quickly, and the pieces that need steaming every time before they leave the house.

That is the part I think gets glossed over. A garment can be made from better fibers, come from a more responsible brand, and still end up being a weak purchase if the upkeep pushes it out of regular rotation. Once I start thinking not today, too annoying to deal with, that piece is already losing ground to the simpler items I can wash, dry, and wear without much thought.

I’ve become more cautious because of that. I still care about materials and brand practices, but I pay much more attention now to whether the item can survive ordinary life. Can it handle frequent wear? Can it be washed without stress? Will I still want to deal with it on a busy week, not just in theory when I’m shopping?

That has changed what I count as a good buy. At this point, ease of care feels less like a side detail and more like part of whether the purchase was responsible in the first place.

Has anyone else had a piece that seemed like the right ethical choice at the time, but turned into something you kept avoiding because it asked too much from you?

Yikes. I‘ve been bummed about Everlane going so downhill, seems they have finally sold out

Looking to hear people’s thoughts the various ways brands are approaching their garment labels? Most specifically, I’m especially gobsmacked by the brands indicating you cut the entire garment tag(s) out after purchasing. If the goal is garments with longer lifespans, that can be resold multiple times, why would you removed the size, content, country of origin, and the garment care information!?!? These brands sit in industry meetings about sustainability and then do this kind of stuff and it’s so frustrating to me. And we don’t even need to talk about the side-seam multi-lingual booklets, do we? 🤦🏻‍♀️

I’m not looking to only grump, I wonder if anyone has thoughts on what would be a good approach to comfortable, durable garment labeling?

Please know while I have work within the fashion industry, I do not work for any brands, this is genuine curiosity. I work as a trade analyst for a broker doing imports, so I just know a lot of weird stuff 😆 The useful thing for this topic is to know that for the US, the FTC requires garment labels to be “conspicuously placed”, thus the itchy tags in the collar of your shirt and/or the tag(s) in the wearer’s inside left seam.

So, TiL, what would an ideal garment tag look like with an eye towards a long living garment that is passed from person to person over the years?

Sustainable fashion and labels are the most over used terms. Every brand has their own terminology and certificate process and I am getting a bit cynical the more i read about it.

I used to just grab stuff from the H&M Conscious line or Zara’s Join Life, all claimed to be sustainable. Obviously I start second guessing them. These are all massive corps that produces huge volume and produce lots of waste. It feels like just they stick these green stickers on to fulfill their ESG requirements. Even with brands like Pact or Uniqlo, I find myself wondering if Organic material is enough.

Recently picked some basics from another brand. They’re a B Corp and have the Oeko-Tex Standard 100 tag. From what I learned online, Oeko-Tex means the fabric was tested for harmful chemicals, and B Corp is a holistic audit of the company? They also mention a "closed-loop" system for their fabrics, which I think means they recycle the water and solvents during production? I guess that also means that they produce less waste.

It feels like a step up from the mall brands, but I also want to kinda crowd source this learning. I like the OGL clothes, they feel way higher quality than what I’m used to, but I’m never quite sure if these certifications are the new gold standard or if I’m just falling for something that is hiding behind jargons.

How much weight do you guys actually put into B Corp? And is Oeko-Tex enough to trust that a fabric is actually free of toxins? How about what other certificates that you guys trust.

I am looking for everyday women’s shirts that have a pattern/all over print, made with quality, comfortable materials. I love patterns and prints, (not a fan of leopard print/zebra print though), but I haven’t had luck finding nearly any! All I can find are boring, plain shirts, or graphic tees. I am not looking for anything super fancy, I value comfort more than anything.

Preferences but not necessities:

-Not long sleeves or sleeveless

-Not crewneck

Necessities:

Any ethical brands or small business recommendations?