Clothing is an investment, so what is more important than caring for the garments you buy & adore!
Here's how you can take care of your favourite clothing items for longevity.
We all know and have heard many things about capsule wardrobes, but have you really tried building one for yourself.
First up let's see what a capsule wardrobe really means. Shall we?
A capsule wardrobe is a collection of selected essential items that are timeless and don’t go out of fashion.
Now that we all know it means let's build a capsule wardrobe that you'll love?
Step No 01: DO AN AUDIT
Go through every piece you own and see what you wear regularly and what you never touch. Ask yourself: When was the last time I wore this? If you haven’t worn it for a few months, it won’t be a great piece to add to your wardrobe.
Step No 02: PLAN YOUR CAPSULE WARDROBE
Now that you understand what you love the most, you can start planning your capsule wardrobe! Decide on a number you’d like to experiment with & choose a color scheme. You do not have to follow any rules, do what works best for you!
Step No 03: IT'S TIME TO GET TO WORK
Now that you’ve planned your capsule wardrobe, go through all the clothes you have & the one's you don’t want to include. Declutter everything that you do not love, that does not fit properly, that isn’t in your colour pallet or that isn’t your style.
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Fact - Not at all. Not only are you not supposed to get rid of your clothes, you need to make sure all outfits in your wardrobe last a lot longer.
You might have just discovered slow fashion and how important it is however, this certainly does not require you to discard the sustainably unfriendly clothing you may have in your wardrobe. The very purpose of the slow fashion movement is to slow it down by making the most of what you have at hand. So, you may have enjoyed going crazy at certain discount shops which now you realise have been incorporating fast fashion techniques, yet, discarding wearable clothing will be doing the complete opposite of what slow fashion hopes to achieve. Since you have already purchased them you bear the responsibility of ensuring the long use of the particular outfit. That`s right, the maximum use you are able to get out of an outfit, regardless of what type of clothing it is, will help the environment. Maximising an outfit will not only prevent the need to purchase more clothing, you will also be sending a message to all in the fast fashion world as to how serious you are regarding sustainability as a consumer which will inevitably slow down the whole system which is exactly what the slow fashion movement is about.
How do I ensure the longevity of my clothing you may ask, the answer may be much simpler than you would think. Making a conscious effort to care for your clothing is all it takes. By switching your detergent for eco-friendly products will prevent the damages that may occur when using harsh chemicals. Furthermore, by separating your clothing according to the material when washing them can help you to use cleaning agents that a particular material will require. A tip that I was given and which I swear by, is to use baby shampoo when washing delicate, soft materials as it has proven to help maintain the texture of the fabric.
Another simple method to maintain your clothes is to repair them yourself. We need to cultivate the habit of choosing not to get rid of an item of clothing due to a simple tear. In our fast paced world we are so used to discarding rather than mending. This in fact ends up encouraging fast fashion more than anything else. Take the chance to experiment with lace and other fabric when mending as it will give your clothes new life.
So, if you are someone new to slow fashion and is interested in being eco-friendly and sustainable, all I would tell you is to slow it down, enjoy and embrace what you have in your wardrobe.
With Love,
Talia Weerakkody for Absolute
]]>So, you might be innocently shopping at your favourite store and you come across amazing discounts attempting to get rid of its existing stock in order to prepare for a new clothing line, you may not realise the corporate greed behind it. I too was one of them who felt such fast production aids many countries including ours. Yet at what cost are we willing to get a good bargain? Fast fashion has not only harmed our environment but it has harmed innocent workers trying to make a decent living. One should always remember every time you purchase an item of clothing which is sold in bulk at an unbelievably low rate, you should know that a heavy price has been paid to ensure such low margins.
Apart from the economical aspects, the fashion industry itself is a form of art which kills talent by its fast fashion frenzy. When a highly qualified designer is forced to create a clothing line every month or even every week this definitely has a heavy toll not only on the employees but on the designers themselves. Any artist requires time to create a master piece giving attention to detail from its fabric to the cut of the garment with focus on intricate patterns. Certain designers incorporate ancient weaving techniques which tend to continue the design artform itself. A designer is not just taught to make cloths, a fashion designer continues the craft which has been around for centuries. Such an art form cannot be maintained by meeting unreasonable deadlines and by over working human resources. Fast fashion is not only about destroying talent but leading to inhuman working conditions resulting in mental and physical ailments. Having multiple clothing lines being released every year can have a heavy emotional toll. We have heard of many well-known designers committing suicide due to the stress involved in producing a fashion line for every season. One could ask, am I contributing to this emotional torture by patronizing these fashions labels.
That is where slow fashion plays a vital role. Slow fashion promotes the art form itself. The talent and the quality of the production will only be visible by slowing down an industry that has grown too rapidly and has gone out of control. There is more at stake than an industry providing jobs. We as consumers can slow down the demand which will lead to better jobs and humane working conditions. Even though the corporate sector may not care too much about their human resources but they certainly will pay attention to how the consumer is standing up and insisting on a change. So, the next time you decide to go on an impulsive shopping spree pay attention to the detail and the quality of the garment keeping in mind the hardworking talent that has gone in to it.
With love,
Talia Weerakkody for Absolute
This year has been reflective- focusing on what’s truly important to your personal life and planet, questioning everything, and seeking alignment and apply knowledge was something not to be missed.
Fashion too reinvents itself every day. The industry itself has undergone several changes: from fast fashion to the concept of conscious consumption.
But After All- Why Slow Fashion and for What Purpose?
“Slow Fashion is a commitment to reparative work and regenerative practice, that works to heal the destruction and imbalance caused by capitalism and racism. Actions that promote cooperative, interdependent, and symbiotic relationships with the living communities in the social and biospheres, to safeguard the fragile connection between them and respect their needs and limitations.”
- Georgina Johnson, THE SLOW GRIND
Source: maggiemarilyn
We are at a truly pivotal moment- as we step into 2021, it is time to reflect and ponder, to grasp what we can do better in 2021, for the love of ourselves and the planet.
If you have already decided to take a step ahead to live a consciously driven life, here are 07 reasons to support ‘SLOW FASHION’ as a part of it.
Bye-bye, impulsive purchases! We tend to follow trends and belittling wearing the same dress more than once- what happens to these clothes when we no longer wear?
“Seventy-five percent of the fashion supply chain material ends up in landfills. This amounts to ‘the equivalent of one garbage truck of textiles per second.”
— Pulse of the Fashion Industry 2018 Report
Buying lasting and timeless clothes consciously, you will help to solve one of the biggest issues in the plant- waste reduction, as well as will bring more clarity, peace and will obtain a better state of mental wellbeing.
Studies say that approximately 4000 million metric tons of Carbon Dioxide being released into the atmosphere, every-single-year! According to the Fashion Revolution, 3781 liters of water are used to make a pair of jeans. If you minimize your consumerism on trending clothes, you will eventually lower your carbon footprint and water wastage, and other consequences of climate change come along in the long and short term.
We have heard and witnessed the low wages beyond the average of the workers in the past couple of years. Why would we feed into a system which lacks empathy towards its employees?
Moreover, It is the responsibility of these fast fashion chains to go ahead with transparency- to take accountability for the wellbeing, safety, and compensation of all the workers in its supply chain.
While you adapting to the slow fashion movement, you are demanding fair wages, safety, and compassion for the workers – which will lead to an irresistible change in the coming years within the fast fashion industry!
Animal cruelty in the fashion industry is nothing new to our ears. To make use of animal parts such as skin, fur, and usage of toxic chemicals on the animals or the environment- and the list goes on. Slow fashion brands that make sustainable clothing supports animal welfare directly, and indirectly. It’s another good reason to support a worthy cause!
There is far more to fashion than chasing trends. Once you slow down, you will wear your inner self outwardly. You will start to think who you are and will want to portray that person, outwardly.
This will be a different and independent journey for each one of us- may be a process of healing, building awareness of your pattern and thoughts. Eventually, you will come across an authentic you, with a better sense, who will lead a meaningful lifestyle. What is more better and exciting than that, isn't it?
If you look around, you will see how everyone is dictating what to choose, what to buy, and the pressure of pleasing is sometimes exhausting and unattainable!
Slow fashion is a great escape yet a good escape to de-clutter yourself and space, which will lead to better mental health, to save more time and money, to be quality conscious, focus on the interests and hobbies better, and getting to know yourself better. Slow fashion will eventually give meaning to every action you take, every purchase you make, which will lead you to a more meaningful minimalistic, and sustainable lifestyle.
One of the great aspects of eco, sustainable, slow-fashion is that you as a pioneer will be setting an example to generations to come. So, let’s be that change that you want to be in the world! This will definitely will make you feel good about yourself, bring you joy and gratitude within you.
Source: maggiemarilyn
the land sprawled its limbs
and said put your feet up
the trees said we will give you life
the air said breathe me in
the earth said
take care of what takes care of you
And we turned our backs on all of them.
- rupi kapur
Let’s take small steps on our way to the year 2021; to make a little difference, an impactful one.
With love,
Amanda Guyes for Absolute
Realization
So tell me, when was the last time you ventured in to the dark depths of your wardrobe?
Seriously you couldn’t have missed the cries of the ten thousand black t-shirts- still with price tags- stuffed back in there, because you thought it might be a good deal at the time (I’m talking about 5 for the price of 3 ladies).
About up to two years back, every day had been an “add to cart” kinda day for me but also “nothing good to wear” kinda day as well.
At the same time before I graduated even, I landed my first real job! And that was as a project manager. So one of the first things that came to my mind was “you work with people now, you need to make a good impression, and what better point to start than the wardrobe”
So I took the brave decision of venturing inside my cupboard, pushed away the all-time comfort pieces and took a sneak peek inside and started pulling things out.
I wasn’t expecting what hit me, although there were a lot to discover, it definitely wasn’t Aladdin’s treasure trove.
First came the too tight/ too baggy/ too luminous/ not my color, wth was I thinking t-shirts. Then all the “smart” decisions I took for the past few years stared right at me. The time I thought I could carry off printed material,s band logo t-shirt phase, this will take away all my problems clothes, walking towards my crush clothes, the jeans I decided to buy cause Taylor swift wore something similar, the ones for my imaginary, some day parties. and oh I could go on.
Monster of bad, impulsive decisions was what lurked there!
Acceptance
God I’m an addict, with a stash! that is what first came in to my mind.
Fixing it
First I took out everything that was in the wardrobe and sorted them to three categories.
1. Clothes I wear frequently
2. Clothes I have worn on certain occasions
3. Clothes still with tags on
The clothes that still had the tags on were removed then and there — except for couple of party wear items- for donations and also gifting purposes (shuuush). If I haven’t worn them by now, there was a very low chance of that tags ever seen a recycling bin, so I decided to not take that chance.
Then the clothes I wear religiously, I checked them for any wears and tares, and boy there were plenty! If you ever decide to do this make sure, to go to a place with plenty of sunlight (strictly not for any vampys), kind of like how you would do your makeup. That is how you best spot all the cat hair, missing buttons, faded spots and pulled threads. Anything you can’t recover get rid of it.
Now I do realize, you could be really emotionally attached to some of these clothes (happens to the best of us), so allow your-self to keep around 2–3 articles of that sort and put a brave face on and bid adieu to the rest.
From the clothes I have worn on certain occasions, I filtered out basic pieces, the articles that you can pair with many types of tops or bottoms and came up with around 32 outfits together with the salvaged comfort pieces.
The whole process took around 3 days in total, after starting with a several items without a purpose or a previous use, I was able to be the proud owner of 30+ “new” outfits, that actually looked good on me and each one I have worn at least thrice by now.
So ladies and gentlemen of course, let’s venture in to the depths of our closest and re-discover ourselves!! (no pun intended :D)
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You might have just discovered slow fashion and how important it is. Did you know however, this certainly does not require you to discard the sustainably unfriendly clothing you may currently have in your wardrobe?
The very purpose of the slow fashion movement is to slow it down by making the most of what you have at hand. So, you may have enjoyed going crazy at certain discount shops which now you realize have been incorporating fast fashion techniques, yet, discarding wearable clothing will be doing the complete opposite of what slow fashion hopes to achieve.
Since you have already purchased them you bear the responsibility of ensuring the long use of the particular outfit. That`s right, the maximum use you are able to get out of an outfit, regardless of what type of clothing it is, will help the environment. Maximizing an outfit will not only prevent the need to purchase more clothing, you will also be sending a message to all in the fast fashion world as to how serious you are regarding sustainability as a consumer which will inevitably slow down the whole system which is exactly what the slow fashion movement is about.
How do I ensure the longevity of my clothing you may ask, the answer may be much simpler than you would think. Making a conscious effort to care for your clothing is all it takes. By switching your detergent for eco-friendly products will prevent the damages that may occur when using harsh chemicals. Furthermore, by separating your clothing according to the material when washing them can help you to use cleaning agents that a particular material will require. A tip that I was given and which I swear by, is to use baby shampoo when washing delicate, soft materials as it has proven to help maintain the texture of the fabric. Slow fashion, slow living or conscious living is literally about being a bit more conscious. Pausing to do a task differently than how you would normally and by habit do.
Another simple method to maintain your clothes is to repair them yourself. We need to cultivate the habit of choosing not to get rid of an item of clothing due to a simple tear. In our fast paced world we are so used to discarding rather than mending. This in fact ends up encouraging fast fashion more than anything else. Take the chance to experiment with lace and other fabric when mending as it will give your clothes new life.
If you are someone new to slow fashion and is interested in being eco-friendly and sustainable, all I would tell you is to slow it down, enjoy and embrace what you have in your wardrobe.
]]>
What have you done lately to reconnect with yourself? We are literally prone to take good care of ourselves, don’t we! But do we do the same to the things we associate ourselves with the most?
Here’s some justifications for, ‘Why Slow Fashion is For You and Me’ and not some unachievable ethos. Let’s find out!
]]>How can We Make Fashion as a Form to Reconnect with Ourselves? Yes, You and Me. What have you done lately to reconnect with yourself? We are literally prone to take good care of ourselves, don’t we! But do we do the same to the things we associate ourselves with the most?
Yes. We choose who are in our close circles. We choose who we listen to, whom to get inspired from, what to eat, which type of food, and the list goes on …
We are born to seek quality in ourselves and our surroundings and materials we use, but what’s the deal with fashion?
Confession: I used to be a ‘Shopaholic’
Spending every penny, on clothes : just like everyone else out there. I used to be extremely selective on ‘quality’ where I only seek in the outer appearance.
I was a Shopaholic- every week or the other until I realized- how my clothes are made, what materials are they made from, who makes my clothes, whether it is environmental friendly etc.
Then comes ‘Slow Fashion’ & ‘Sustainability’ miming in my ears . . .
In late 2015’s I came across this term heavily on sustainability in fashion and very recently- the slow fashion movement. It was pretty challenging to learn and hear what’s exactly going on in the industry, long story short- I started unraveling it.
Question for myself: What I initially thought ‘Sustainability’ and ‘Slow Fashion’ was, and How I see the bigger picture now?
There were, and are some myths revolved around these terms which scare most of us out of the way such as ‘ohh, that’s not something for me’, ‘sustainable fashion is high-end’, ‘not affordable’, ‘ made for elites only’ etc. But the truth is, ‘Not At All!’.
“Now, Slow fashion for me is the clothes that are thoughtfully and consciously made, higher quality and lasts for generations to come. It is timeless- and classic, you can wear any time of your life - A piece that : Time Travels!”
Slow fashion is not a garment but a movement. Here are some characteristics I found of slow fashion endorsed brands have:
Here’s some justifications for, ‘Why Slow Fashion is For You and Me’ and not some unachievable ethos. Let’s find out!
Myth #1: Ethical & Sustainable Tags are Expensive
Affordability varies. However, when it comes to ethical sourcing and fair wages for makers, the time duration spent on that craft- yes it can sometimes be expensive. But not all-the-time. It’s a choice you have to make. Do I buy one quality product which can be expensive yet lasts long and cherish, or do I bunk it in lots of fast fashion products which serve no purpose at all. Time to ponder..
Having said that- you still can find timeless pieces of clothing with much affordable price tags, locally. I bet It’s time to do some research.
Myth #2: Luxury brands are sustainable
Quality does not always equate to sustainability, period. Not even the big price tags. As a conscious consumer, you need to dig deep into how these clothes are made, are they harming animals, and use synthetic materials damaging the planet. How about the wages and lifestyle of the workers? Is it fair and healthy?
All these directly affects a sustainable journey of a product. So, any brand can be sustainable, as long as they care about you, and the planet.
Myth #3: Sustainable brands are hard to find
It could be true a decade ago, but many brands have started the big move to make themselves sustainable. As mentioned in the characteristics, check if the boxes are ticked. You may notice most of our local designers are sustainable too.
Fact: If you shop from a fast-fashion retailer, it doesn’t mean you are not contributing to slow fashion. You cannot simply dump everything you bought already, isn’t it? It’s how you make the best use of it. Can you recycle or upcycle it? Swap it, thrift it, or give it to charity? Like said earlier- it’s how you make the best use of it to last longer, and you shop next time, see how conscious you become on your expected sustainable standards.
Let’s not make it hard, but simple and caringly effective.
Sustainable Fashion and Slow Fashion is NOT mere an END PRODUCT. But a worthy JOURNEY and How you start making a small difference from the next purchase you are going to make.
With the small steps I have taken, it has slowly and clearly opened my eyes, to be more conscious in little details of the products.
I also have felt noticed in my wellbeing- life has been made easier for me as I know what exactly I want, having few quality and timeless items in my wardrobe. By decluttering I have gained space in my mind too- which is clear and crisp when taking the rest of the decisions daily. I have a better self-esteem by being part of a change maker, and the list goes on.
I’d love it if you too, could think a minute on everything mentioned above. And see yourself the impact and difference, making a little move.
More on my journey will be unfolded and unraveled as time goes by - in the meantime let’s give each other a chance.
With love,
Amanda Guyes for Absolute
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In a world where words such as “sustainability” & “eco-friendly,” are being tossed around as often as day light, for those of us wanting to learn & switch over towards more conscious fashion choices, concepts & their meanings can become super blurry and intertwined among truths & nots real fast, real soon.
So what does slow fashion really mean to your wallet/purse? Is the true cost of being a conscious consumer going to break your bank? Let’s talk about that:
First off, if you look at the mere price tag only, yes slow fashion purchases can be expensive. But you have to think about what we are using as an arbitrary to measure this so called expense against. This myth basically exists only because we: the customers have tuned our brains into thinking that anything that costs more than the parallel fast fashion option is expensive. So our arbitrary is in fact the very concept we want to eliminate by embracing slow fashion.
We must realize that fast fashion by inherent is meant to be well, just as the name suggests: “fast”. How this speed is achieved is by cost cutting on quality and making things in massive quantities but at cheaper pricing. So it’s always important to understand that the fast fashion prices are abnormally cheap because of these compromises on quality for the purpose of quantity.
Apart from personal savings, in social context; slow fashion brands have a much higher ethical stand points, making fair pays for the people who make their clothes, which truly means you are paying forward.
Lastly, because investing in slow fashion is a conscious choice: you are almost most certain to never impulse buy items you are not really sure about: this in turn leaves needing to be disposed & creating waste to a minimum. Buying expensive also means having a few high quality pieces; which makes one automatically want to take good care for it & handed down to good hands when not worn one day. Which results in less number of discarded garments ending up in landfills.