By Oumye Toure, Guest Columnist
Editor’s Note: The Gettysburgian hosts guest columnists from the Fashion Initiative organization at Gettysburg College. The opinions published in this section are those of the individual writers and are in no way representative of the views of The Gettysburgian staff, The Gettysburgian or Gettysburg College.
It is imperative, for the sake of ethicality and the conservation of the environment, that we make consistent efforts to reduce, reuse and recycle. A large part of this is increasing awareness about the reality of the production of our clothes, which often results in the physical, monetary and mental suffering of others. Child labor, inhumane wages and abhorrent treatment of workers are all very frequent and very real conditions for exploited workers, as mentioned in the preceding article “Fashion Without Ethicality.”
Reducing in this context means limiting over-consumption of clothes; this is done through intentional, purposeful and realistic shopping, such as avoiding buying clothes just because they are trending, especially if you’re purchasing ridiculously cheap one-use items of clothing.
- Find high-quality timeless pieces (from ethical businesses, thrift stores, local boutiques and the like), and use them as foundational pieces in your wardrobe. Pieces like these have longer lifespans, and this limits overspending; timeless pieces are also a must for adaptable closets, meaning sensical shopping can strengthen your ability to dress well.
- Shop sustainably by researching the brands you are consuming; avoid companies that exploit others. Consider vegan brands (leather and wool, especially) to aid in diminishing the inhumane treatment of animals.
REUSE:
- Make efforts to repair your clothes; take them to tailors or do personal repairs for rips & tears. This elongates the lifespan of the clothes!
- If you do not want to do that, then upcycle them: reworking clothing by using the cloth for different items. A standard example is using a pair of old/ripped jeans to make a (jean) tote bag.
- Find new ways to style old clothes! Experiment with your clothes and find interesting ways to rework them so that you can get more use out of them.
To recycle, consider shopping at thrift stores, vintage shops, and participating in community clothing swaps. Reuse this information and apply it to other aspects of your life. Consume sustainably and ethically in any way that you are able.
