Tolly Dolly Posh

If you follow my Instagram stories then you’ll alway be up-to-date with my outfit obsessions, so it won’t be a surprise to some of you that today’s outfit post is styling up a combination I’ve shared a lot recently. You may even notice two of the pieces from my post about how we can make everyone understand fast-fashion, if you’ve been paying attention, lately…

WHAT I WORE: Embroidered Top €5.00 (Second-hand Shop) // Floral Trousers (ASOS Africa) // Clarabella Bag £33.00 (What Daisy Did)* // Dr Martens (Mastershoe-MyShu)* // Denim Choker (Yours Again)* // Necklaces (People Tree & Accessorize) // Sunglasses (Rayban) // Rings (Various) 

It seems as if everytime I’m unsure about an item which I’ve picked up second-hand, as of late, I’ve ended up feeling quite the opposite once I’ve washed it and hung it up in my wardrobe. Not only did this happen with my golf print blouse, it’s also happened with my new embroidered long-sleeve top, originally from the brand Oilily.

And yes, the way I’ve styled it may come across slightly bizarrely and perhaps a little youthful but personally it makes me feel as if I’ve stepped out of an ASOS magazine with that free, edgy and mix-matched vibe. It’s one of those outfits that clearly shows how certain elements of my personal style have stuck with me from when I was younger and still work with my aesthetic now.

I’m happy to say that about 60% of this outfit is somewhat ethical and sustainable too. The top is second-hand, the trousers are from ASOS’s Made in Kenya range (formerly known as ASOS Africa), my handbag is by What Daisy Did who use recycled leather, and my denim choker is by Yours Again who also use recycled materials for their handmade pieces.

It’s always satisfying when you can trace back the majority of what you’re wearing and prove those who believe ethical fashion is dull and boring, that it doesn’t always have to be. Even pushing yourself to mix-up different combinations of pieces is being sustainable. I haven’t worn these trousers in quite some time so it’s nice to bring new life to them!

Speaking of those ethical pieces, it’s rare to see me without my Yours Again choker these days. It’s such a simple accessory but it works so well. I’ve found it’s especially worth wearing if you’re a fan of collars like myself but don’t want to restrain yourself in the summer heat. I’ve also worked out it looks great with dresses which are rather open across the collarbone area. I’m not particularly keen on anything too revealing so it makes up for it.

My handbag is still holding up and the more I wear it the more I want to add What Daisy Did’s Blue Jay backpack to my collection. The differing colours and panels mean you can match up different elements of your outfit which is always fun.

Lastly, I need to dedicate a whole segment of this post to my Fox socks. No, they’re not covered in cutesy little fox faces but they’re actually by the mountain biking brand, Fox. My brother gave me a pair many moons ago and I ended up working out that they are the best socks for wearing with Dr Martens. Boot socks are all well and good for the colder months but once you’ve worn in your boots, the thickness and style of them makes for a dreamy combination (can I say that about socks?). I also like how the white and black always pops out, even if I am repping a logo that doesn’t exactly scream fashion. So there’s a little pro tip for all you Dr Marten wearers out there; find some socks meant for biking. 

How would you have styled this outfit? What ethical pieces have you purchased recently? Let me know in the comments!

I’ve had this thought in my mind for a while now but I’ve never really known how to make the little seed in my mind into something helpful and useful for the rest of you but after a recent conversation with the wonderful and talented Lauren McCrostie, I finally realised my thought’s potential and it all starts with four very simple words – we all wear clothes.

FEATURED: Floral Trousers (ASOS Africa) // All others (Second-hand/Vintage) 

The reason for highlighting this simple phrase and statement is because I believe it is one idea that we can all understand and learn from especially when it comes to ethical education and conscious consumerism. There are a lot of terminologies thrown around when it comes to the issue of fast-fashion and ethics, so much so that the ethical platform, Project JUST, has a full page dedicated to slang terms you might not know the definition of.

In fact, it starts just there, with the phrase ‘fast-fashion’. It’s the most commonly used term when it comes to trying to explain why the shops we find on the high-street aren’t all as pretty as they seem and why the earth is being damaged by an industry which is supposed to be full of glamour and beauty. Although the term is relatively easy to understand – it’s the system in which provides fast and cheap fashion, producing large amounts of stock and creating large amounts of profit – if you were to use the phrase in everyday conversation, understandably, not everyone will understand you straight off the bat.

As someone who is expanding their knowledge of ethics and sustainability daily, I can admit that life was a lot easier to take for granted before it all started to click for me. Although I was aware of certain issues like waste and global warming, I now take it into consideration in my daily life, even if it’s in a context which isn’t remotely related to fashion or my clothes. It’s just within me now, to try and do better.

But with these phrases and words and all of the nitty gritty information, can we get just about anybody to understand the negative impacts of what we wear, by only focusing on ‘fast-fashion’ and ‘the industry’? And no, I’m not going back on what I said in my piece about second-hand shopping – the industry is important to understand but perhaps it’s not vital when trying to get people to start questioning their choices.

A great way to explain this more simply is looking at our food. Just like the statement ‘we all wear clothes’, the majority of us fortunate to be even having this discussion, are all able to say ‘we all eat food’. The food industry is often used as a way to explain what we mean by ‘transparency’, as, in recent years, it has become a lot more open to sharing where produce comes from, leading consumers to become more aware of what they’re actually consuming. It’s all essential to our lives and we all care in some respect or another because every day we aim to eat three healthy meals.

So, why don’t we all care about where our clothes come from if we’re putting them on our bodies just as frequently? Even beauty and make-up can inspire us – we care about what we put on our skin with what chemicals are being used or whether an animal has been used to test a product prior to being sold.

This is a reason why Fashion Revolution’s #WhoMadeMyClothes campaign should be so easy to get people behind. The term ‘clothes’ strips things down to the basics of what we all wear. Asking where our clothes come from is a lot easier to do than asking why H&M is producing 52 micro-collections a year; that’s fashion (fast-fashion, specfically). If we start to separate the two terms, clothes and fashion into two separate entities, then we’re more likely to get just about anybody on board in some shape or form.

Returning to food, there are a lot of questions we can adapt to our clothes. Questions like – What are you eating? How do you store your food? What do you do with old food? – can all be changed to revolve around clothing and get people thinking in that same way about something which is essentially, affecting us all in the same way. As a whole, we try to eat healthy food and we store it in the fridge or in a cool dry place. We recycle food and put scraps on the compost. If the fashion industry is supposedly the 2nd most polluting industry on the planet, why are we not all taking on this same mindset? It’s seems simple, really.

For those of you who are already starting to become more conscious consumers or are wondering how to go about spreading the message, here are some questions which can get people thinking in very simple terms:

~ QUESTIONS ~

Don’t stop there though, if you’re interested in learning even more or want to start asking some more in-depth questions, then make sure to take a look at my educational resources from the past year. They should be helpful for you, your friends and family and anyone else you want to pass on knowledge too. Oh and don’t forget, ethical fashion shouldn’t make you feel bad, either.

How do you think we can get people on board with ethical fashion? Let me know in the comments!

If you missed my latest post then you won’t have seen that I recently attended Pitti Uomo 92, in Florence this past week. The event is dedicated to menswear and is an opportunity for buyers and press to scope out what is coming up for the next season. Today I wanted to focus on one of my Pitti highlights, the Save The Duck x Christopher Raeburn collection…

LOCATION: Pitti Uomo 92
Villa Vittoria, Florence, Italy 🇮🇹

Both Save the Duck and Christopher Raeburn have very similar messages within their two brands, so, of course, this and their previous collaboration are a perfect fit. With outerwear being Save the Duck’s main focus, the collection is a range of lightweight jackets and coats made with recycled fabrics and animal-free innovations like Save the Duck’s ‘Plumtech’ material that lines and pads.

The theme is clear, of course, with camouflage prints in different colours (blue and orange), in an almost patchwork like style. Paired with Bruno Bordese shoes and Entre Amis trousers, the scenery matched the whole look of the presentation – a garden in the city. Natural prints with a more modern and urban twist.

For those of you who don’t know, Christopher Raeburn focuses on sustainability within his luxury design and following the brand on social media makes it extra clear that supporting them isn’t something to question if we want to see more consciously created collections on the catwalk.

Save the Duck are also a brand that heavily focuses on sustainability being their message with a more prominent interest in being animal-free. Their products don’t use ordinary duck feathers for lining and their upcoming summer collection is made of all recycled materials, just like this collaboration. You can probably tell how excited I was to see the two brands come together, up close and personal.

FOLLOW SAVE THE DUCK // FOLLOW CHRISTOPHER RAEBURN

And although this post may be dedicated to the clothes themselves, I have to say that meeting and talking to Christopher briefly made me feel even more inspired by his work. He’s genuinely down to earth and I felt a swell of British pride to experience some of his work, even if it was all the way out in Italy.

The new Christopher Raeburn for Save The Duck collection will be available in select luxury stores in collaboration with the showroom Tomorrow. And, if I am correct, with this being the final collection between the two brands for the near future, I wish them all the success. They’re both sustainable brands we should be championing…

What do you think of the collection? Let me know in the comments…

If you haven’t heard already, this week I attended my very first Pitti Immagine event, Pitti Uomo 92. Pitti is one of the largest fashion events in Europe, bringing together brands and designers to showcase their work not only to buyers but also to the press. Not only was I there for my own personal blog, I was also writing a short piece for The Florentine magazine, which you can read here.

LOCATION: Pitti Uomo 92
Fortezza da Basso, Florence, Italy 🇮🇹

Pitti Uomo is the menswear event under the Pitti name (uomo is ‘man’ in Italian) and this year, the theme for the events is ‘Boom Pitti Blooms‘, focusing on flowers with colour, patterns and textures, with the art direction by Sergio Colantuoni who says, “The theme is also a metaphor for our fairs, of what fertile ground they are for new and often unusual creative expressions.”

I didn’t know exactly what to expect from the event but as I soon realised, one of the major purposes of Pitti is for brands to reach out to new buyers and distributors, so it was interesting coming in from a blogger angle. Of course, on my blog, I focus mainly on womenswear and in particular, ethical and sustainable womenswear, so I planned to go in learning more about how ethics fit into menswear. As already mentioned, I was also there to write for The Florentine and you can read my 5 point sustainable round-up if that takes your fancy.

It was hard to resist following the crowd and not taking some time to grab some street-style photos. It was 33°C on the day I attended, so I have to applaud the attendees dressed to the nines. In true fashionable style, I overheard one person say, “Even if I faint, it’s worth it.”.

If you’re in need of some sartorial style inspiration then Pitti Uomo is the place to be. It most definitely reinstated my love for tailoring and sleek suits. Those Pitti Peacocks are well dressed, albeit extremely hot and sticky.

SAVE THE DUCK

I discovered Save The Duck a while before Pitti, knowing of their collaborations between Christopher Raeburn who is one of my favourite designers due to how he repurposes materials and is committed to that way of thinking across his whole brand. Actually talking to their team and understanding how they too, are extremely focused on being as sustainable as they can be, was rather inspiring.

Their latest collection for summer is their Recycled range, which is made of recycled materials from the lining to the zipper, and even uses recycled ‘Plumtech‘, which is their innovative material to replace feathers used in outerwear, making their brand vegan and sustainable. And although they manufacture their pieces in China, I was reassured that factories have to be certified in order to work with Save The Duck. Visiting their booth was most definitely my Pitti highlight, on par with meeting Christopher himself and attending their last collaborative presentation. I’ll be posting a piece dedicated to the collection, shortly.

PRESIDENT’S

Although Pitti Uomo and the other Pitti fairs are open to worldwide exhibitors, of course being in Italy allowed for there to be plenty of brands Made In Italy. President’s use organic cotton in their shirts and tops and dye their leathers with vegetable tanning, so they’re on the right track.

Their brand, although sticking to traditional Tuscan craft, is modern and fresh and is a brand I will be keeping a close eye on whilst I travel the area. You can read more about President’s here.

STUTTERHEIM

And last, but most definitely not least, is Stutterheim, a Swedish raincoat brand who surprised me with their upfront honesty on where they stand on sustainability. John Laster, one of the directors of the company was very open when talking to me, sharing the fact that their materials are most certainly not of a sustainable nature with PVC coming from oil, of course. This doesn’t however, mean they’re entirely going down the wrong path. I and John both agreed that mindset can often be more important than fabrics…

“I think the biggest strain on the environment today is the buying and throwing away of things. It doesn’t matter if it’s made organic or not; use it five times and throw it away, use it for one season and it’s not sustainable.”

As I said, I will have another post up soon about the Christopher Raeburn presentation but for now, that is all from me at Pitti Uomo this season. You may just see me at the knitwear event, Pitti Filati, sometime soon…

What do you think of Italian menswear? Have you heard of any of these brands? Let me know in the comments!

Changing your shopping habits can often feel daunting and intimidating and you might be left not knowing where to start. Or you’ll most probably be told that second-hand shopping is the route to take. During a read of Clothing Poverty by Andrew Brooks, I conjured up a lot of thoughts and feelings surrounding the topic and why second-hand shopping isn’t the best answer to sustainable fashion.

Outfit from: Sustainable Alternatives to Leather

If you’re a long-time reader of my blog or even just a recent reader of my blogger, you’ll know I’m a dedicated advocate to second-hand, pre-loved, used or vintage clothing. There are so many benefits to buying and wearing clothes and fashionable items that have been worn before and that are in close-to-perfect condition to be used again, so I don’t want anybody to jump to the conclusion I am now against the idea.

For background knowledge; I’ve grown up with accepting and appreciating second-hand fashion. I’ve never found a problem with it. I’ve never been put off or disturbed by the idea of wearing something that isn’t “NWT” (new with tags). Especially since becoming more independent of my own budget and even my own style, second-hand clothing has given me the opportunity to refresh and add to my wardrobe whilst it not being out of my reach.

Over the years, I’ve spent more money at charity shops and at jumble sales, than I have with a brand like Topshop (in fact, I can list everything I own from Topshop straight off the top of my head; a single pair of socks and sunglasses).

Outfits from: Why It’s Okay to Feel Okay // Recycled & DIY Denim

Not only has second-hand shopping benefited my small teenage budget, I also know it has benefitted the environment. What I’ve saved from being taken to a landfill or donated elsewhere, has been added to my wardrobe to be worn even more times than it already had been by its previous owner. If 84% of unwanted clothes in America went into a landfill or an incinerator in 2012, then I’ve participated in playing my part in lowering that number (the number is still obscene in Europe and elsewhere).

I’m also by no means saying second-hand shopping isn’t sustainable. Purchasing second-hand is sustainable, so long as you care for the items as much as you would something new, continue prolonging its life length and that you’re not disposing of them shortly after purchasing just because they’ve had a previous life. My reasoning for suggesting that it isn’t the best answer to sustainable fashion comes from the industry rather than second-hand shopping alone.

Not only have I always appreciated second-hand shopping, I have also always known I’ve wanted to work in fashion (design, specifically). I adore clothes and the ability that comes with them to express ourselves and I don’t want to see that fade. Fashion is a separate entity to ‘clothing’ as such, in the sense that fashion is what changes.

Fashion doesn’t just affect our clothes, it affects other industries like beauty, TV and film, and even sports and lifestyle. The way that fashion works, is what we want to change and understanding that makes it clear how second-hand shopping isn’t the answer.

Outfit from: How to Grow up as a Teen Blogger

Second-hand shopping is an alternative way to start on your journey of becoming more ethically and sustainably conscious as a consumer, it’s not the way to change the fashion industry, and in particular, fast-fashion as a whole. Second-hand shopping is also a way that not all can necessarily partake in.

I understand that curating most of your wardrobe out of previously used garments is in some way, a privilege, especially with sizing. It can also be an unrealistic option if a lot of your purchases of clothing are based on workwear and a specific style – shopping for a strict dress code is most probably going to be easier when buying new (although not impossible to do second-hand, of course).

If we want to change the industry and how it works, whether that be with mindset or manufacturing, we need to focus on the repeat offenders – the big name brands which hold the majority of the power. This doesn’t mean boycotting. Another topic which I would like to research in more detail before discussing it on my blog is the idea of abandoning high-street and fast-fashion brands altogether.

In Fashion Revolution’s fanzine, the Agony Aunt section focused on this. The quick and simple answer? Boycotting only works in large numbers and when it does, it can negatively impact garment workers.

Hauls from: Autumn Shopping // Second-hand Shopping

(I currently don’t shop from any fast-fashion brands, the reason of which is a combination of my ethical beliefs and stance on the issues I discuss on my blog, but also because I have a teen budget and simply don’t want to support the way fast-fashion brands work with the very little disposable income I have.)

Shopping ethically is what we want to do in the meantime, just like second-hand shopping, but it’s all with the end goal of ethics and sustainability being the norm. It’s why raising up those who are doing it right is vital. We need to show those who are lacking in certain areas but holding all the power, that we want them to be doing better. We need them to be doing better. We want fast-fashion brands to just be fashion brands, and for ‘fashion’ to have a whole new meaning.

What are your thoughts on second-hand shopping? Let’s start a discussion in the comments!

I’m sorry for being slightly MIA recently but if you’d like to stay up-to-date with me then make sure you’re following me on Twitter or that you’re subscribed to my monthly newsletter!

‘Pen to Paper’ is a feature on TDP which involves an informal handwritten form of interview between myself and creatives –  from fashion designers, photographers, journalists, artists and musicians, to people who generally inspire me from day-to-day. 

~ READ THE FULL TRANSCRIPT ~

I believe I discovered Project JUST last year when researching ethical directories. It was when I’d just started to really delve into the world of brands dedicated to ethics and sustainability. There are a handful of excellent resources out there, it just takes a bit of digging but none of them were quite what I was looking for, especially as somebody who is attracted to simple, eye-catching websites and easy to browse platforms. I was rather relieved when Project JUST came up on my browser because it ticks all of those boxes and isn’t just a directory. It really is a resource.

As with many recent ethical fashion related initiatives, Project JUST started after the Rana Plaza collapse of spring 2013 and has now grown into a well-respected platform which connects consumers with stories behind the brands they shop from, and not just ones which are typically known to be ethical. If you want to learn more about the Primark’s and ASOS’s of the world, Project JUST is a great place to start for clear and concise information.

Listening to Natalie and other co-founder, Shahd AlShehail, discuss Project JUST on Kestrel Jenkin’s Conscious Chatter podcast was rather insightful and as I’ve said before, I would highly recommend giving Kestrel’s podcast a listen and not just for that episode alone.

Not only does Project JUST list out pros and cons for different brands, it also has a great “slang” dictionary for those of you wanting to scrap up on your ethical and sustainable lingo.

As I often tend to reiterate around here, small steps lead to greater things which I believe comes through in Natalie’s answers. Being conscious and educating yourself is putting yourself on the right path to learning more about the stories behind your clothes. We wear them every day, don’t we?

As the site is also a bit of a community, I recently took part in the #IAMJUST interview series which is a bit like Pen to Paper. Head over to read through my own handwritten answers and discover Project JUST for yourself!

(I was kindly gifted a free annual membership to Project JUST’s directory, however, this interview had been set-up in advance and all opinions are my own!) 

It’s tradition on my blog to do a little celebratory post when the number in all of my social media bios changes so here we are again; another year! This time around I’m turning seventeen, making me a whole six years older than I was when I started writing. I wanted to shoot a more creative set of photos in honour of my birthday (I quite like them, if I do say so myself) and catch-up with you all…

WHAT I WORE: Dress (Jumble Sale) // Tattoos (DIY) // Rings (Unknown & Gemporia*) // Glitter (Claire’s)*

Being my age is rather odd, I’ve realised. I think growing up with older siblings confused my young mind because what I saw in them at my age, isn’t what I see in myself. My family will probably read this and be shouting ‘obviously’ at the screen because I’m my own individual but I suppose what I mean is, I don’t feel how seventeen seemed to me then. I used to think being in your late teens made you a super mature young adult who worked hard and played hard but upon turning seventeen myself, I’ve realised that perhaps comes down to how little I could do, being so much younger.

Being seventeen means you can do an awful lot but it also means you can do an awful little. Or maybe that’s just me. I’m pretty sure I’m actually seventeen going on seventy in my head. I like eating cheese and honey on its own and drinking cups of tea at all times of the day and I have a jacket that reminds everyone of my grandma. I’m excited by the idea of getting older. I think I was listening to a podcast recently that really struck a chord with me and has made me relax over how much I’ve achieved. Unfortunately, I can’t remember the exact source of this inspiration but it roughly went through the idea of peaking at a later age. And I suppose; I don’t want to peak now! I want to peak when I’m older so that I’m not sat around thinking; now what?

For someone growing up online and being filled with different ideas and ways to compare myself, this realisation has definitely helped me. As much as achieving a lot while you’re young is an outstanding, I don’t think any young people should be pressurised into feeling like they have to.

It’s helped me more specifically with my future career aspirations too; I went through a phase of feeling really bogged down and worthless. I’ve cried over not feeling like I’m doing enough for my age but now I know that I want to continue learning before really going for it. Which I suppose, is exactly what my blog is for! I am achieving some great things – in fact, that’s part of the reason I’ve been quiet online recently – but I’m also gearing up for when I can achieve even more at a later stage. That’s what it’s like to be seventeen… it’s gearing up for everything.

BIRTHDAY PLAYLIST:
Would You Be So Kind? Live (Dodie)  
Hard Times (Paramore)
Shut Up Kiss Me (Angel Olsen)
Total Entertainment Forever (Father John Misty) 
Five Years (David Bowie) 

For my seventeenth birthday, I’ll be wondering around Florence in Italy and dining at a Greek restaurant for dinner. Hopefully, I’ll be able to share some of the exciting things I’m currently gearing up to, but for now, thank you so much for celebrating with me and for following along for as long as you have been. I think eleven-year-old Tolly would be quite proud of what this place has become!

An area of ethics and sustainability that I haven’t quite cracked on my personal journey, is where to stand with leather. If you’ve already made the choice with your food to become a vegetarian or a vegan with your diet, then it’s likely that your opinions with leather will line up with what you eat. But for those of us who haven’t made that choice (for whatever reason that may be – we all have our reasons), I believe leather in fashion is quite a confusing subject.

WHAT I WORE: Floral Denim Jacket (Jumble Sale) // Silver Blouse (Charity Shop) // Floral Pleated Skirt (Charity Shop) // Reina Dual Purpose Vegan Handbag (Paguro)* // Sunglasses (Unknown) // Wanderlust 101 Boots (Dr Martens)*

I believe for most when we think about leather, we think about quality. Words like ‘long-lasting’ are associated with our impression of leather and what it brings to the table. However, unfortunately, with recent times and the speed of the industry, fast-fashion has given us the ability to consume and own leather without there being a lot of quality to it or without it really being long-lasting. To Die For by Lucy Siegle is a book which has a fascinating focus and chapter about leather in it – page 201 states that around 14.8 billion pairs of shoes were manufactured globally, eleven years ago in 2006, with nearly 5 billion of them being designed and produced with leather uppers.

As we’ve started to become accustomed to easily accessible leather, we’ve started to forget leather’s impact on the world. Cattle farming is responsible for 18% of the world’s greenhouse gases (another quote from To Die For) which is a staggering number to take into account when the majority of leather produced for the fashion industry is taken from cows. Not only that, in India, which is responsible for 8% of the world’s leather production, the country is struggling with the side effects of pollution. A report by National Geographic shows that samples of water from the Ganges are high in Chromium, which can cause lung cancer, kidney and liver damage and other concerning health conditions, not only for leather tannery workers themselves but also for the communities in surrounding areas.

The bag that I’m wearing (and quite in love with) is made from 75% recycled materials, or, recycled rubber inner-tubes to be precise. It’s vegan and has been produced with ethics in mind by Paguro’s partner, Sapu. And if it looks a little different to the modelled version on Paguro’s site – it’s because no inner-tube is the same which makes every piece a little bit more unique.

~ WHO MADE MY BAG? ~
Sapu – a group of artists based in the Indonesian town of Salatiga. They are made up of a collective of creative people: designers, artists, craftsmen and recyclists. Moreover, the members are united by a respect for their natural environment. They use unwanted man-made materials, transforming these into jewellery and accessories.

Of course, there are some sustainable values to leather. The leather products that I own – shoes, a jacket and two handbags – will stay in my wardrobes for years to come. If I maintain their longevity and care for them like prize possessions then the sustainability factor will most definitely be put to use over shoes and bags which will most likely become damaged and worse for wear over time due to their less robust materials. Overall, I’m personally more comfortable in buying second-hand leather; I’m not directly contributing to the current leather industry and I’m being even more sustainable by reusing something that is already there.

If the working conditions, ethics of animals and polluting processes of leather aren’t all that attractive to you then luckily, there are alternatives and if you haven’t got the hint from the images within this post, then I’m here to tell you about one of them. I discovered Paguro on Twitter and was instantly intrigued. They use man-made materials but they’re recycled and/or off-cuts, so once again; there’s no direct impact being made.

All of the information I received from Paguro was clear, thorough and concise which excites me because it shows how dedicated they are to their work both in ethics and in sustainability. Their rubber designs will end up lasting far longer than leather too and if you want to keep it in top condition, very little work goes into the process. I can also assure you that the lining is just as cool; mine is striped.

Although recycled rubber isn’t the only alternative, my eyes have been opened to a similar feeling, similarly long-lasting option over leather. Pinatex is next on my list to inspect – a leather made from pineapple. See? The possibilities are pretty endless if you really want to try something new.

What leather alternatives do you know of? What are your thoughts on leather? Let me know in the comments!

(This is a sponsored post in collaboration with Paguro. Read my full disclaimer here.)

Fashion Revolution Week was created after the Rana Plaza factory disaster in 2013. The factory home to many big name fast-fashion brands collapsed, killing over 1,100 people and injuring thousands more. In order to create change within the fashion industry, transparency is needed across the board as well as commitment to ethics and sustainability. Fashion Revolution asks you to get involved by sharing a photo/selfie of your favourite clothes asking the brand, #WhoMadeMyClothes?

With my penultimate Fashion Revolution post being quite a heavy piece, I thought I would tie this week up along the simpler route by listing out a few of ways that you can make your clothes last longer. Although I talk an awful lot about shopping with more ethically focused brands, the way you care and dispose of your clothes is equally as important as what you buy.

One of Fashion Revolution’s campaigns for 2017 included the #LovedClothesLast short film which focuses on exactly that; how loved clothes will last a lot longer than those which aren’t, whether that means how we care for them or how they were produced. You can watch the full short film here. On top of that, Fashion Revolution are also trying to encourage people to start “fashion fixing”; making your clothes last longer by fixing them rather than throwing them away. Scroll down for some easy ideas that I can guarantee all of you can do from home…

~ DIY PATCH JACKET ~
Read the full tutorial here.

This is the jacket that some of you long time TDP readers may recognise. I also featured it in my recent blog post of my trip to Lottozero’s Fashion Revolution event in Prato, Italy. I originally bought the jacket from a jumble sale with the intention of adding more to it; it was a blank white canvas which meant there was an awful lot of room to play with. If you click through to the tutorial you’ll see that not only did I dye the jacket but I also added some patches. 

Iron-on patches are extremely easy to use (all you need is a tea-towel and iron) and are what I used for all of the patches upon it. However, some of the original patches did peal off in the wash, so if you access to a needle and thread, sewing the patches on will make them last even longer. I simply re-ironed them on this time, adding my Fashion Revolution patches along with them. It is possible to find more sustainable patches; Avery Dennis (who produced the exclusive patches) use 90% recycled yarns. 

~ DIY SLEEVELESS JACKET ~
All you need is scissors!

This might not seem like much of a DIY but it saved this jacket from being taken to a local charity shop. I was wearing this denim jacket “cropped” for a few years, styling it so it looked purposefully fit to be smaller but unfortunately it had reached the stage where it simply just looked too small. I took to it with some sharp scissors though and I have a whole new item in my wardrobe; a sleeveless denim jacket (or waistcoat).

I’m also planning on adding some white pleated ruffles around the armholes using an old white dress. I’ll be getting out my sewing machine soon and will most definitely report back on my progress in the future.

~ MORE IDEAS ~
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Ripped & Dip-dyed Jeans…

To go alongside my dip-dyed jacket, I ripped up some of my white jeans and dyed them in a similar style. They’re still going strong and you can see them styled up in a recent outfit post. Quick, easy, and once again doesn’t require much skill if you haven’t necessarily got the time to learn a new craft.

Crop It…

Take the same principle as I did with my old denim jacket and cut off the length of a t-shirt. It might not seem like you’re doing much but you might just end up falling back in love with its new style. If you want to neaten it up and save it from fraying, find a sewing machine and create a simple hem line, or ask someone who knows how to do it for you.

Add Pom-Poms…

I love this idea from Fashion Revolution themselves; pom-poms are really simple to make once you learn and can definitely add something more interesting to an item you’re getting a little bored of. It also saves you from going out and buying a new pom-pom trend led piece which often aren’t much more than just a sweatshirt and the pom-poms themselves. Being in charge of the process will guarantee that it will last for longer and you can make it look exactly as you like it. 

Use Off-Cuts…

With DIYs, especially those involving cutting and slicing off arms, you’ll often have off-cut pieces of fabric lying about. Don’t throw these out! You can make accessories or use the old buckles and buttons for future projects. Try and reduce your waste as much as possible. 

How will you make your clothes last longer? Have you got any quick DIY ideas? Let me know in the comments!

Thank you so much for joining me this Fashion Revolution Week! Be sure to subscribe to my newsletter as I’ll be sending out a round-up shortly.

Fashion Revolution Week was created after the Rana Plaza factory disaster in 2013. The factory home to many big name fast-fashion brands collapsed, killing over 1,100 people and injuring thousands more. In order to create change within the fashion industry, transparency is needed across the board as well as commitment to ethics and sustainability. Fashion Revolution asks you to get involved by sharing a photo/selfie of your favourite clothes asking the brand, #WhoMadeMyClothes?

Fantastically, Fashion Revolution and a new surge of conscious consumerism have brought to the attention of many brands that their customers want more answers about where their clothing comes from. We’ve seen them respond positively and it has inspired us all to keep going on our mission for greater transparency, however, with this comes the idea of ‘greenwashing’ and being all talk and no action.

~ READ THE FASHION REVOLUTION FANZINE ~

The Greenwashing Index defines greenwashing as “when a company or organisation spends more time and money claiming to be “green” through advertising and marketing than actually implementing business practices that minimise environmental impact“. With the rise of consumers demanding to know more about how a brand is run and how it’s supply chain is managed, more and more brands and designers have started to step forward to show in whatever way they can, that they are part of the positive change and movement.

I will start off by saying that it’s important to recognise that something is being done, no matter how small that is. We have to start from somewhere even as individuals so I’m glad that the industry is becoming more aware. My concern is that for less informed consumers, small steps will end up looking a lot larger than they are on the surface and those who are doing an outstanding job across the board, will be left at the wayside due to the fact that they are lesser known.

One of the major examples that some of you may already be aware of, is H&M. H&M have two “sustainable” lines under their belt; H&M Conscious and Conscious Exclusive. The aim of the Exclusive collection is to showcase more sustainable production techniques whether that means using organic cotton or recycled materials. It’s a capsule collection, far smaller than the rest of their range which is more heavily marketed on their website and far easier to find in store. The main Conscious collection seems to be based around what fabrics are used within each garment.

If you visit the H&M homepage, you’ll find that the Conscious Exclusive collection has to be found by scrolling down and that there is no main header link for either Conscious collection; they’re tucked away under the Campaigns on the Women’s tab.

Secondly, their recycling initiatives have also been catching the attention of the media and its customers. In January 2017, H&M launched a campaign video called “Bring It On” to ask their customers to donate their used garments into store. Interestingly enough, this video is still up and running on H&M’s US website, but on the UK one, you can only discover it via Google.

You’re probably wondering why I’m focusing on how accessible these pieces of information are. It’s all part of what greenwashing technically is, and is a good indicator of whether you should be supporting a brand or not. If the sustainable or ethical information isn’t as equally as accessible as the main collection of a brand as a whole then they are being the opposite of transparent. Information is being spread around that sustainability is a focus when in actual fact, it’s still something which is being tucked away and concealed.

And as much as I appreciate the H&M Foundation for funding some innovative and sustainable ideas at the recent Global Change Awards, I highly doubt the average high-street customer is aware of this.

I found this a similar case with ASOS; their ASOS Eco Edit is tucked away under a menu tab with just a single link. They have two separate social media accounts for promoting their more sustainable and ethical items of stock, their Instagram following being a mere 12k compared to an over 5 million account reach on their main. That’s a whole lot of influence being put to waste. It would be an interesting question to have answered; why wouldn’t they want to share the more positive of brands on their site, with the majority of their following? To me, it’s baffling.

With H&M especially though, they aren’t just tucking away what they so say want to change within the industry, they’re almost disguising the fact that they’re one of the biggest reasons behind why it needs to change. On the UK site, out of the main collection there are 4,874 items for Women, of which only 209 are consciously focused. This is a reasonably high number; in fact, perhaps a little too high with prices a little too low. How can a pair of skinny jeans be be £19.99 and be labelled as “conscious”? And in terms of the actual production and ethics of it all, it was only in February 2016 when an H&M factory in Bangladesh caught fire killing four of its workers. It’s due to the immense pressure of a brand of such size, that these sorts of incidents occur.

As I mentioned previously, I’m concerned that the positive actions that are being put into place aren’t being compared to what is really going on. It’s not just fast-fashion brands either. I’ve had concerns over supposedly, “non” fast-fashion brands like Nobody’s Child, for example. They claim to be to serve “fast fashion with a conscious” which is rather peculiar. Fast-fashion is unsustainable; mixing those two terms is something already rather questionable.

An article by Project JUST, which reviews several bigger name sustainable brands like Everlane and Warby Parker, shows that phrases like “radical transparency” don’t always live up to their definitions. Of course, I would much rather suggest people start lifting up brands such as Everlane, but if you really want to be the best consumer as possible (which trust me, is often difficult), learning more about all kinds of brands is just as important.

But, there are ways to avoid the wool being pulled over your eyes. These are some questions which are good to ask yourself before supporting a brand…

Are they shouting about it?

Something which concerns me with brands who label themselves as “ethical and sustainable” yet come across as fast-fashion, is whether they’re really shouting about it. Simply labelling yourself as such doesn’t necessarily guarantee that these practices are being put into place. Take a look and see how accessible their information regarding ethics and sustainability is, and whether they’re proud to fly that flag. Do they join in with #WhoMadeMyClothes, and the like? Ask yourself if you truly trust what they’re claiming to support.

What information can you find?

Alongside whether they’re shouting about it, you need to know what it is they’re shouting about. If this information is easy to find, you might want to think about what sort of issues are important to you. A great way to decipher this is by taking a look at the Policy & Commitment categories within Fashion Revolution’s Transparency Index, which is a review of 100 major brands and how they’re tackling transparency. Some of these commitments include…

Some of Fashion Revolution’s findings include the fact that only 20 out of the 100 brands disclose procedures that address maternity rights; only 43 brands publish an assessment for high-risk supply chain issues and only 40 brands disclose how child labour policies are put into practice.  That’s less than half.

Ask yourself what issues matter to you and find out whether the brand has open information readily available for you to read and learn from.

What information will they give you?

A brilliant point brought up in Project JUST’s article on the same issue of greenwashing was what information will brands give you if they ask. Especially when it comes to campaigns like #WhoMadeMyClothes, the stand out brands will be those of which reply with the most transparent and specific answer possible. It’s not just what they tweet you either, it’s what you can get through contact forms, emailing and even writing letters in some cases. If they don’t give you enough information; ask yourself if you truly want to support their level of transparency.

Are they making progress?

As aforementioned, I want to reiterate that progress is important. It’s exactly what we want to see more of. So yes, do praise and award brands which are doing so but also ask yourself how much are they really doing? Another part of Fashion Revolution’s Transparency Index includes the Know, Show & Fix category which is about analysing which brands are assessing their policies, disclosing these assessments and are fixing what needs to be fixed.

The highest scoring brands in this include (thankfully) H&M, alongside Marks & Spencer, GAP, Adidas, Reebok and Puma – but none of these brands score higher than a 40% score. You can learn more about the scoring by, of course, taking a look at the index for yourself, which I highly recommend if you are interested in learning more.

Will you actually end up wearing what you buy?

I think it’s not only important to understand who you’re buying from, but also what you’re buying. Take a read of my post on working out whether you’ll actually end up wearing what you buy. An important part of creating a more sustainable industry is creating sustainable shoppers. We need to start becoming more conscious of our decisions and impact as that all leads back to what brands decide to change. Every penny is a vote, remember!

Shop from brands that are built on ethics and sustainability.

Finally, I want to point you in the direction of my ethical directory. Although I will admit I can’t answer all questions to do with every brand within it, I can say that I am in full support of everything these brands stand for. The list is growing and I’m updating it every month so hopefully, some of you will find it helpful. I also, recommend taking a look at Project JUST who I have already mentioned within this post. Not only was I recently interviewed for their #IAMJUST series, I also admire what they are doing. Their directory is a lot more in-depth and offers you a platform to learn more about brands you might already shop with.

Have you ever encountered any greenwashing? What are your thoughts on the progress within the industry? Let me know in the comments!