WHAT IS SLOW FASHION?

Slow fashion or lowsumerism is a movement that emerges in reaction to fast fashion which has many negative aspects as it is considered unethical because the manufactures of fast fashion make replicas of the trendy clothes showcased on the ramp at the fashion shows thieving at the innovations conceived by the designers. Moreover, fast fashion has many environmental issues because the fast fashion products are manufactured in hasty manner and have very short shelve life and have to be disposed of in very unhealthy way. Fast fashion causes many health issues and is also an exploitative sector for the workers. In view of all these factors, slow fashion with all ethical and moral values, care for environment, human health and concern for workers came on the forefront.

WHAT IS PURPOSE OF SLOW FASHION?

Slow fashion is a movement that supports and propagates environment and social justice in the fashion industry. The main focus of the movement is to advocate less production so that the problems associated with blind production of the fast fashion could be addressed at the root level. The term slow fashion was first used along with the ‘slow food’ by fashion journalist Kate Fletcher in a 2007 article ‘The Ecologist’. She termed the fast fashion as being greed not speed and it is all about selling more and earning more.

HOW TO DEFINE SLOW FASHION?

Slow fashion is not merely an opposite to the fast fashion rather it is a completely distinct approach and new philosophy. It is all about changing the habit of buying, wearing and keeping the clothes. It is based on the slogan ‘Prefer quality over quantity’ as British designer Vivienne Westwood says, “buy less, choose well, make it last.” The slow fashion is about the sustainability with regard to the wearables. Many terms appear with the emergence of new approach to the fashion industry like circular fashion, eco-fashion or sustainable fashion but all are the same with a little difference as all of these have the same purpose i.e. try to bring down the environmental presence of the fashion industry.

WHAT IS 4-STEP STRATEGY OF SLOW FASHION?

The protagonists, propagandists and propellers of the slow fashion have devised a comprehensive strategy of the slow fashion to save the humanity and the earth from the hazardous effects of the fast fashion.

STEP 1 (CONVINCING DESIGNERS, MANUFACTURERS)

As journalist Kate Fletcher describes that ‘slow’ is not the opposite of ‘fast’ in so far as fashion industry is concerned and there is no dualism but it involves a different approach that requires to make the designers and manufacturers aware of the effects of the products on the workers, communities and ecosystem. It is the most practical approach if the problem is resolved at the manufacturing stage, many of the issues would not occur and it is as nip the evil in the bud.

• STEP 2 (BUY LESS)

It is to convince the buyers that there should be no blind rush for buying the fashion products rather it is to put restraint on oneself to remain limited what is already there in the wardrobe. New purchases should be done only in extreme necessity.  Again, it is to quote British designer Vivienne Westwood as saying, “buy less, choose well, make it last.” Capsule wardrobe can also be a good approach with regard to ethical buying of the fashion products.

• STEP 3 (CHOOSE WELL)  

The expensive clothing with valuable material and well-cut and well-sewn tailoring should be preferred as these clothes remain in wardrobe for a longer time and new buying is kept on hold. On contrary, the people have the casual approach as easy come and easy go. The casual buying of the fashion products cannot develop a long association as the people have the casual behavior while discarding them.

• STEP 4 (MAKE IT LAST)

Whatever fashion products are there in the closet should be allows to long last and should be used as long as they are not worn out. This old-time approach reminds us the time when clothes were less and environment was pure and clean. The golden era approach should be followed in the modern world to save the people from environment hazards and exploitative manufacturing and marketing practices.

• CONCLUSION

Fashion, clothing, and other accessories of fashion were not as they are nowadays. Before the 19^th century, people had to go about the tailoring shops to get their dresses prepared and the process took time to get the choice thing to wear and that remained in use for a longer time. The industrial revolution prompted large scale cloth production and then standard size issue was resolved in the US during World War II as the uniforms were prepared on standard sizes. This standardization of the sizes gave a boost to garment industry that nestled the fast fashion. The people tended to the trendy wears with rise of visual technology such as photos, films, movies, dramas, sliver screen and television and the high demand required mass production of the clothes and accessories. However, the people are getting aware of the hazards of mass production of the clothes and soon the things well get better.  

FAQs (Frequent Asked Questions)