All in all, vintage is a pretty ethical business. The very essence of what we do at Judy’s is providing an alternative to the high street both in style and substance, allowing our customers to celebrate the past and give life to new clothes rather than feeding into the ‘fast fashion’ (and ultimately faster landfill) mentality that plagues so many modern retailers.
That said, we do love a bit of modern too – when it’s done right. On 24 April 2013, 1,134 people were killed and over 2,500 were injured when the Rana Plaza factory complex collapsed in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The poor conditions that these people were working in in order to produce cut-price clothing for the western world ultimately cost them their lives, something we rarely think about when we pop into our local chainstore and pick up a disposable outfit for a tenner.
While there’s nothing wrong with a bargain (our kilo sale as a great example!), it is important that we consider who is paying the price for our budget items, and that we do what we can to encourage businesses to be more transparent about the conditions in which their workers are producing this clothing. With that in mind, we are huge fans of Fashion Revolution Week – an initiative launched in response to that terrible incident in Bangladesh. On 24th April each year, Fashion Revolution brings everyone in the fashion value chain together and help to raise awareness of the true cost of fashion, show the world that change is possible, and celebrate all those involved in creating a more sustainable future.
So now you’re all clued up, how can you get involved? Luckily for you, you’re already doing a great deal – shopping vintage and second-hand with brands like ourselves helps lessen the pressure even just a little on the manufacture of new items, And why keep pumping out new items when there is so many old ones to love?
Next, take to Twitter (like you need an excuse) and ask your favourite brand – #whomademyclothes? If you’ve snapped something up from one of our fairs, check out the label and contact that company – let them know that you’ve done your part by buying second-hand but want to know that they’re doing theirs too.
Lastly, let’s all hail the #haulternative – step away from the consumerist values of the traditional youtube ‘haul’ and celebrate items you already own. Whether it’s a guide to some of your favourite event charity buys or maybe even some handmade items, a haulternative is a great way to break the cycle of purchasing things we don’t really love or need and actually stopping to appreciate our already bursting wardrobes.
By thinking that little bit harder about what we buy and holding those at the top accountable for their actions, we can all contribute to making sure that the fashion industry is a safer place for those who work in it. Tag us in your posts too – we’d love to see the great finds you’ve bought from us over the years!
Learn more about Fashion Revolution Week here
