Chicago Textile Recycling promotes the recycling and education around recycling of textiles. We care where your textiles end up when you no longer need or want them. We care about slowing the amount sent to landfills and the quality of items you choose to buy because eventually those items will leave your closet and higher quality items will last longer and have a better end in the secondhand and recycling market. We care that textiles are created with the environment and workers’ quality of life of high importance. And because we believe that fast fashion works against many of these things we care about and place importance on, we encourage our readers and recyclers to choose a lifestyle of “slow fashion”.

What is Slow Fashion?

So what is slow fashion and why is it important? 

Put simply, slow fashion is the opposite of fast fashion. It encompasses an awareness and approach to fashion that considers the processes and resources required to make clothing. It advocates for buying better-quality garments that will last longer, and values fair treatment of people, animals, and the planet along the way. (Read more here) 

These are all important pieces to the slow fashion movement…caring for our planet, our animals and our people in the decision on how our clothing is made. Where did this term ‘slow fashion’ come from? “The term ‘slow fashion’ came about quite organically. It was coined by Kate Fletcher of the Centre for Sustainable Fashion, following the phenomena of the slow food movement.” (Found here)

We have highlighted before in our blog the importance of Choosing Consciously and 5 Ways to Fight Fast Fashion, and the Slow Fashion movement is one big way we can do both. The slow fashion movement is a purposeful response to fast fashion and about choosing consciously what we wear and buy based on how the item is made and the morals of the company behind it.

Differences Between Fast Fashion and Slow Fashion

Most people have heard the term ‘fast fashion’ and know what it entails, a fashion industry pushing for ever increasing sales of many times cheaply made items with no regard for the environment or the people making the clothing. In fast fashion, there is a push for numerous seasons of new styles every year.

Big brands used to release 2 main collections every year: Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter. These days, the fashion industry is at an all time crazy peak. The facts: the big names are releasing a whopping 52 “micro-seasons” per year. In other words, we’re looking at one collection / week. Fact is, the fast fashion industry is designed to make you think you are out of style after just one week. (Found here)

In stark contrast, slow fashion

…flips this model on its head with slower production schedules, slow-batch collections, and zero waste designs. Instead of chasing trends (and clogging our landfills), these brands utilize enduring styles with layering options and create classic and versatile pieces. This encourages customers to build minimalist wardrobes and invest in garments that they keep for a lifetime. (Read more here)

What are some characteristics of a slow fashion brand?

• “Made from high quality, sustainable materials like linen”
• “Garments are more timeless than trendy”
• “Often sold in smaller (local) stores rather than huge chain enterprises”
• “Locally sourced, produced and sold garments”
• “Few, specific styles per collection, which are released twice or maximum three times per year, or a permanent seasonless collection”
• “Often made-to-order to reduce unnecessary production”

(List found here)

Why Choose Slow Fashion?

After reading the description and characteristics of slow fashion, what is holding us back from choosing this new way of looking at and purchasing clothing? With constant pressure and advertising from the fast fashion industry, it can be hard to resist the temptation to constantly buy new pieces for our wardrobe. However, keeping in mind the principles of slow fashion, which “include: sustainable materials, fewer collections, fair trade, minimizing waste, making great use of resources and transparency,” (found here) can help each of us remember those things which are more important than donning the latest style. What helps you choose slow fashion? Share on our social media pages or contact us here to tell us why you choose slow fashion.