The Movie Never Ends...
Last year, I decided I would try to be more sustainable throughout the rest of the year by buying products (especially clothes) that were either thrifted or locally made. I left a few exceptions such as when I went to Amsterdam or if they were things like shirts I couldn't help but buy online. Over a year later and I'm happy to say I'm still doing this. It basically breaks down like this:
- How much do I really want or need this product? This alone has helped curb a lot of impulse buying.
- Look at thrift stores first (or secondhand equivalent). With this, I have more flexibility. For example, maybe I need to get a pair of black dress pants. Going this route, I have limited options, but I'm also leaving myself open to getting something that maybe I wouldn't have found otherwise. A friend of mine was hosting a clothing swap party in winter. I dropped off clothes with the intention of not getting anything else, but when I saw she had a HoodLamb hemp coat that she was giving away, I snatched it up. That's a coat I've wanted for years! Sure, it's a bit rough looking because it's been worn and loved, but I paid nothing for it and I love it. This is what I mean by being open to other possibilities.
- Can I get it locally made or custom made by someone (preferably in Canada)? This is generally the more expensive approach. However, this goes back to step one about how much do I really want/need the product in question. When I take this step, I'm more likely to get a quality made product that's going to last a long time. When it's custom made, it's designed to fit me and not some cookie cutter idea of what sizes and shapes the human body should be. Thanks to Etsy (and use of its filters), I'm getting a custom made gold and black bikini made by a designer in BC. I ordered bamboo underwear from her and they are lovely! I like her ethics around material she chooses and that she supports the LGBTQ community. I feel a lot better giving money to her and getting something made that we both collaborated on versus buying something from a big store that several thousand other people will also be wearing. Even better? The price is similar to buying from swimsuit and sports stores. I've been wanting to get a new summer dress, but I've been unhappy with everything I've found at thrift stores. I found a woman in the States who makes dresses using vintage and reclaimed fabrics. I've ordered a custom dress from her which will be made out of vintage fabric which, again, we collaborated on and she offered dozens of fabrics to choose from. The cost is similar to buying a shoddily made dress from ModCloth (which I used to buy from quite a bit) and yet will be more vintage than the stuff MC sells, cut to fit my body, and supports a stay at home mom. The use of sustainable materials, such as bamboo or reclaimed fabric, has importance to me even though this is something I wouldn't have previously put much thought into. I've always had a hard time finding pants that fit me right. I've decided that I'll most likely be buying custom made pants and jeans from now on as I've spent far too much money on pants over the years that have never fit me right.
I'm happy to report that my compulsive clothing shopping has halted because of this. I've become more concerned about the ethics around how clothing is made - why do you think those clothes at Walmart are so cheap? - and I put more thought into having clothes I really love. I cut my wardrobe down significantly at the beginning of the year and even now I pick through here and there to get rid of things that I don't adore. This has even started to trickle beyond clothes and into other things I have, too. If I have a movie in mind I want to buy, I now check Movie Village first to see if I can buy it secondhand.
I struggle to not judge people who don't share the same ethics on this. I'm all too aware of the allure to buy new, cheaply made products because I shared that same point of view for a long time. The fashion industry thrives on consumerism and churning out more and more stuff that people don't need. I'm hopeful that people will start to realize that and say, "No more." Have a cardigan or a pair of pants with a tear in them? Fix 'em instead of tossing them. Tear too big? Okay, get rid of it, but consider if you really need to replace it. Take a look to see what sort of local makers are in your community. You'll be supporting your local economy and it will be a lot better quality than something from a big box store that was made in China, India, whatever.
- How much do I really want or need this product? This alone has helped curb a lot of impulse buying.
- Look at thrift stores first (or secondhand equivalent). With this, I have more flexibility. For example, maybe I need to get a pair of black dress pants. Going this route, I have limited options, but I'm also leaving myself open to getting something that maybe I wouldn't have found otherwise. A friend of mine was hosting a clothing swap party in winter. I dropped off clothes with the intention of not getting anything else, but when I saw she had a HoodLamb hemp coat that she was giving away, I snatched it up. That's a coat I've wanted for years! Sure, it's a bit rough looking because it's been worn and loved, but I paid nothing for it and I love it. This is what I mean by being open to other possibilities.
- Can I get it locally made or custom made by someone (preferably in Canada)? This is generally the more expensive approach. However, this goes back to step one about how much do I really want/need the product in question. When I take this step, I'm more likely to get a quality made product that's going to last a long time. When it's custom made, it's designed to fit me and not some cookie cutter idea of what sizes and shapes the human body should be. Thanks to Etsy (and use of its filters), I'm getting a custom made gold and black bikini made by a designer in BC. I ordered bamboo underwear from her and they are lovely! I like her ethics around material she chooses and that she supports the LGBTQ community. I feel a lot better giving money to her and getting something made that we both collaborated on versus buying something from a big store that several thousand other people will also be wearing. Even better? The price is similar to buying from swimsuit and sports stores. I've been wanting to get a new summer dress, but I've been unhappy with everything I've found at thrift stores. I found a woman in the States who makes dresses using vintage and reclaimed fabrics. I've ordered a custom dress from her which will be made out of vintage fabric which, again, we collaborated on and she offered dozens of fabrics to choose from. The cost is similar to buying a shoddily made dress from ModCloth (which I used to buy from quite a bit) and yet will be more vintage than the stuff MC sells, cut to fit my body, and supports a stay at home mom. The use of sustainable materials, such as bamboo or reclaimed fabric, has importance to me even though this is something I wouldn't have previously put much thought into. I've always had a hard time finding pants that fit me right. I've decided that I'll most likely be buying custom made pants and jeans from now on as I've spent far too much money on pants over the years that have never fit me right.
I'm happy to report that my compulsive clothing shopping has halted because of this. I've become more concerned about the ethics around how clothing is made - why do you think those clothes at Walmart are so cheap? - and I put more thought into having clothes I really love. I cut my wardrobe down significantly at the beginning of the year and even now I pick through here and there to get rid of things that I don't adore. This has even started to trickle beyond clothes and into other things I have, too. If I have a movie in mind I want to buy, I now check Movie Village first to see if I can buy it secondhand.
I struggle to not judge people who don't share the same ethics on this. I'm all too aware of the allure to buy new, cheaply made products because I shared that same point of view for a long time. The fashion industry thrives on consumerism and churning out more and more stuff that people don't need. I'm hopeful that people will start to realize that and say, "No more." Have a cardigan or a pair of pants with a tear in them? Fix 'em instead of tossing them. Tear too big? Okay, get rid of it, but consider if you really need to replace it. Take a look to see what sort of local makers are in your community. You'll be supporting your local economy and it will be a lot better quality than something from a big box store that was made in China, India, whatever.