STARTING YOUR SUSTAINABLE FASHION JOURNEY?

Our first tip: go easy on yourself.

fashion facts

100 billion

items of clothing are produced globally each year.
(McKinsey, 2016)

60% more

more garments were purchased in 2014 than in 2000, but kept the clothes for half as long. (World Economic Forum, 2020)

 

1.2 billion

tonnes of global carbon emissions are caused
by global textile production (more than all international
flights and maritime shipping combined).
(Ellen MacArthur Foundation, 2017)

 

3 out of 5

fast fashion garments end up in a landfill within a year of purchase.
(Business of Fashion, 2019)

20-30%

of microplastics in the ocean comes from the fashion industry.
Every time we wash clothing made of these fibres, they shred.
(McKinsey, 2020)

93%

of brands surveyed aren’t paying garment workers a living wage.
(Fashion Checker, 2020)

1/5th

of industrial water pollution is caused by washing, solvents, and dyes used in textile manufacturing.
(McKinsey, 2020)

Our Learning Tips

  • Tip #1

    We said it up there, and we’re saying it again: be gentle with yourself (and others)! The fashion industry is designed to make us feel as if we need new/more stuff all the time. Its messaging is constant and ubiquitous and it takes a long time to unlearn and a lot of work to avoid. And then when you do try to shop mindfully there’s all the greenwashing! Not to mention the fact that non-fast fashion isn’t always accessible to everyone. It’s hard. Everyone is on their own journey. Try to make the most informed decision you can with the resources available to you and be nice to yourself and others.

  • Tip #2

    Listen to the first few episodes of the Conscious Style podcast to get a good introduction to the world of sustainable fashion.

  • Tip #3

    Follow the @clotheshorsepodcast on Instagram for bite-sized (and adorable) updates on the fashion industry.

  • Tip #4

    Find out how ethical and sustainable your favourite clothing companies are. Check out the Good on You directory to search for ratings on thousands of fashion brands.

  • Tip #5

    Get your friends and family involved! Watch a doc together, listen to a podcast, start a book club, have a conversation! It will make it easier to integrate what you’re learning in your day-to-day. 

    (But remember Tip #1: they may not be able, ready, or even willing to investigate the reality behind how their clothes are made. Be gentle and avoid shaming, it won’t help.)

resources

Want to be added to one of these lists or have additions? Let us know! We’re also curating a list of vintage sellers in Toronto so if you do that sort of thing, or have a favourite shop, tell us!

done with your clothes?

  • Repair

    Holes? Lost buttons? Lil’ stains? Humans are, at times, quite ingenious and have learned to fix most of these problems! Check out Youtube for DIYs, learn the art of visible mending, check out one of the City of Toronto’s Sewing Repair Hubs, ask a pal with sewing skills, or find a local seamster to fix up your items. That way you’re supporting someone local without buying something new!

  • Repurpose

    Get creative! Could those jeans be jorts? Could that cozy crewneck be a cozy pillowcase? Could those gloves be… fingerless gloves? Sure! Whatever! We’ve seen some pretty cool DIY clothing transformations floating around world wide web.

  • Swap

    We aren’t the only game in town! Check out your local BuyNothing group, Bunz, NextDoor, FreeCycle, or host your own event! Swapping is a great way to ensure your items will be used while updating your own wardrobe! One in, one out!

    (Swap Society and Nuw are super cool too, but aren’t available in Canada yet.)

  • Sell

    Make some money off your items. There are so many online market places out there! Ebay, Kijiji, Craigslist, Poshmark, The Real Real, Tradsey, threadUP, Vinted, Depop, Mecari, the list is endless (though not all available in Canada). But don’t forget about good ol’ consignment stores! Toronto’s Common Sort is one of our favourites. It’s almost like we never need to buy anything new ever again…

  • Give Back

    Lots of brands are now doing take-back great programs like Patagonia’s WornWear. We’re a bit wary of fast fashion brands using this for greenwashing but it’s worth looking into. Other examples include Nike’s Reuse-A-Shoe, The North Face’s Clothes the Loop, and AE’s Jean Recycling program.

  • Share

    Okay, this doesn’t seem like an option in Canada yet, but we can dream of something like ByRotation, Hurr, or Tulerie coming our way… and you can always share with buds until they do.

A WORD ON DONATIONS

You might THINK donating your clothes would be first on our list, but the truth is only 10 to 20% of items donated to charity shops end up on the store floor. Much of the clothing donated in North America ends up in the global south, where it can have a devastating effect on local economies and environments. Canada is the seventh largest exporter of used clothing in the world, with exports topping $185 million annually to places like Kenya, Angola, Tanzania and India. If you need to donate, skip the for-profit thrift stores like Value Village and Talize and seek out an organization that can make use of your specific pieces like Dress Your Best, Dress for Success, New Mom Project, The Brides Project, and Free the Girls.

You can also contact local homeless shelters such as Covenant House, women’s centres like Jessie’s or Sistering, and refugee agencies like New Circles to find out if they can use your items!

Oh, and make sure your pieces are in wearable condition or else they’ll just end up in landfill.

ANOTHER WORD, THIS TIME ON RECYCLING

In Canada, the average person throws out 81 pounds of textiles annually, while North Americans send 10 million tonnes of clothing to the landfill every year. That is very gross of us.* Please don’t throw your clothing in the trash.

If you’ve exhausted all your other options donate to a reseller like Value Village, despite everything we said up there, they’re still better than the garbage!. You can learn more about responsible textile recycling and if you want to go really deep you can read Fashion Takes Action’s Feasibility Study of Textile Recycling in Canada.

*We know, we said not to use shaming as a tactic. But this one is bad, like, really, really bad. So this is as shame-y as we’ll get, we promise.

Remember, it’s not just up to individuals to fix this broken system. companies and regulating bodies must ensure global sustainable and ethical fashion practices.

Many of the organizations listed above run advocacy campaigns all year round. Get involved!