Do you travel a lot? Do you love to get free stuff?
Do you think if something isn’t free it should at least be inexpensive? We all
have said this at least 100 times in our lives “You have to visit XY, it is
so cheap”.
When hunting for these super cheap things, we
should not forget at what price that comes. Just think of all these markets
with rows and rows of stalls selling t-shirts for 1 Dollar. Have you ever asked
yourself what it might cost to produce a t-shirt? There are designers,
producers, vendors, and what about the cost for cotton, thread, and dye? Do you
value people, the environment, and creativity? I do. What do you think? Next
time when you are about to buy a cheap t-shirt, will you walk on and not buy it
for 1 Dollar? We might not change the world today, but she might become a
better place in the future. We all can act responsibly when travelling, one
tiny little step at a time.
Join the Fashion Revolution when travelling
Let us talk about the Fashion Revolution. Way back
in 2015, I wrote a piece about this to show my commitment. I took a (headless)
selfie, wearing my jumper inside out to make a bigger statement. I buy a lot
of, clothes when travelling. Like souvenirs, they remind me of a country, of a
culture, or of a special moment. When I was in Copenhagen, I bought this Malene
Birger jumper. Yes, it had a nice price tag attached, but it was so pretty and
soft, I could not resist. I am only human after all. I will wear this for a
long time to come. Fast forward to 2020 and I still wear it.
Are you going to join the Fashion Revolution and try
to find out who made your clothes from now on? Please, before you buy new
stuff, ask yourself whether you would need it that badly. Always research who
made your clothes. When in doubt, contact the producer or designer directly. If
they are interested in a fair world, they are surely going to answer your
quest. Fast fashion producers bring out new stuff almost every week. The more
fashion they offer, the more we believe we would need it. We need to change our
attitude.
A dull world - the end of fast fashion
It was easy to stop buying fast fashion. Towards
the end of 2018, I had the for me wild idea, to not buy clothes for a whole
year. By now, we are almost in the middle of 2020. I can look back and say that
I did not buy a single item of fast fashion in 2019. By now, my whole outlook
on how to treat shopping and clothes changed drastically. In the past, I
treated shopping as if it was a hobby. Wherever I went to, I only considered
the trip as good, if I got back with a new piece of fashion. Regarding
shopping. Over the years it became sadly clear that wherever I go to did not
matter that much anymore. I am offered the same wares from the same fashion
chain stores in Melbourne, London, Barcelona, Paris, or Cape Town or wherever.
Every time I saw an outlet of a fashion chain open somewhere; my heart broke a
little.
Who wants to live in such a dull world? I love
variety (not in the sense of new styles every two weeks). I want to experience
that place I travel to. With buying a piece of fashion on location, I would
want to have a memory from the place I travelled to. I will not buy fast
fashion any longer. With that decision, I am going to support local designers
and economies. We can all do our bit, it is easy. Just say no to fast fashion.
People say, 'support local.' It is still a hot trend. It sounds amazing -
support local - like being one of the cool kids. If I watch the world around
me, people say it but why on earth do they not act coherently? That 'support
local' is pretty much everywhere and all over the world. Every day, I wonder
how come I see people carrying large shopping bags out of fashion chain stores?
Enjoy more – buy less
Then there are the chain stores telling us to buy
more. They pretend otherwise we destroy jobs and income for individuals and
families. Do not buy into this sentiment (and don't buy their clothes). They
can work out new strategies and come up with new concepts. Look at Madonna, she
reinvents herself all the time and that successfully.
By now information is widely available about how
much landfill fast fashion creates. We all know how harmful it is for the
environment. Everyone could read about under what conditions seamstresses and
all labourers involved in producing fast fashion are working. The argument that
we do not know about it does not work any longer.
Every time you are about to buy a new item of fast
fashion ask yourself a few questions and answer them honestly. Do I need this
piece, and if I do not buy it to what extent will my life be horrible because
of it? Do I want to deny workers who make my clothes the chance to receive a
decent payment? Do I want to create more landfill? Why is this piece special to
me and will I love it in years to come?
Opportunity for tourism - locally designed and crafted garments
Same, same but different? Communities and tourism
offices all over the world should see the chance in it too. Everyone should ask
themself whether they really want to be the same as all the others? With simply
supporting local designers and craftsmanship. Countries have this massive
opportunity to stand out from the crowd. They should simply dare to be
themselves. That is why everyone loves travelling so much. There is a whole
world out there. Shopping and design are an integral part of travelling. With
buying in far-flung countries, we create memories that will last a lifetime.
Maybe (almost certainly) locally designed garments and their story will inspire
others to visit that place too.
I would love to paint two different scenarios. You
decide which one you love more. Let’s say you just got back from a trip to
South Africa.
Scenario A: One day on vacation you saw this locally
designed dress. You saw it in that little corner shop in the centre of Cape
Town. You had that nice long chat with the salesperson when you bought it. You
bought a little piece of South Africa to take home with you. None of your
friends or peers back home wears the same dress. Every time you wear it, it
puts a smile on your face. You are reminded of the day and the location when
you bought it. That moment feels like a little holiday.
Scenario B: You bought a dress at that popular
chain store XY in South Africa. You are delighted, due to the exchange rate, it
was even cheaper than what you would have paid at home. A few days after your
trip, you meet a friend for coffee, who by accident wears the exact same dress.
She bought it on her last trip to Barcelona, and you on your last trip to Cape
Town. You share a good laugh about the dress. Secretly you decide to hide it in
your closet for a few years till the rest of the world forgets about it. Only
to later realize it looks totally out of fashion.
What brings you more joy? Scenario A or Scenario B?
I believe: Loved Clothes Last.
From Berlin with love