Actually, I’m working on an “answer” to this, but first, I’d like your input/feedback/ideas.
Do you think sustainable/ethical/eco-friendly fashion is TOO expensive for what it is? Or just too expensive compared to mass brands? For example, do you think Zady’s sustainable wool blazer is priced correctly given its characteristics? or do you still think it’s priced too high?*
How much of a premium are you willing to pay for sustainable/ethical clothing? if any?
I’m putting together a post for “sustainable fashion at any budget” but I’d like to know from you guys what your general clothing/fashion budget is for a month or a year, so I can get a reasonable range.
There are so many issues around “sustainable” fashion that are worth discussing that  we just don’t.
The expense is one: How does one afford to buy exclusively ethical clothing/shoes/accessories? It’s all so expensive. Is it “worth it” to spend $50 on a white t-shirt that’s made of organic cotton and fits perfectly? or is it NEVER worth it to spend so much on a t-shirt? (haha! you know how I feel about that one…)
My initial reaction to this is simply to say that we should just buy less, and focus on fewer items that can serve multiple needs, but first, it’s not that simple, and I think it’s also a matter of value: are we getting enough VALUE out of our clothing (ethical or not) to justify the higher cost? Do we automatically get more value/better quality clothes when we spend more money?? That is something that’s really hard to quantify, and I think it will largely be subjective, but I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Another issue that I’ve been thinking a lot about is the style of a lot of sustainable clothing. Thankfully, I think we’re past the point where eco-friendly clothing is primarily associated with hippies, ugly, and referred to as “granola”, although if you go by what you see only at Whole Foods or whatever, you might not know otherwise. (not that it’s all terrible, but it does all adhere to a certain style, let’s be honest.) But lately it also seems that many of the smaller, ethical designers design for a specific body type and aesthetic: gamine & minimal, leaving out plus-sizes and women who enjoy more traditionally feminine styles (not the oversized styles that are so prevalent now).
I’m just opening that up here, although I want to discuss it more later. After we address the “affordability” issue 😉
*I know that shopping secondhand is a wonderful way to make sustainable style more affordable, and indeed secondhand shopping is more sustainable than shopping new, but for my purposes now, I’d like to focus on the affordability of buying new, inherently sustainable items rather than secondhand.
I understand why costs are significantly higher for “sustainable” (and/or “ethical”, and/or “organic”, and/or [insert preferred buzz word of choice]) products, but as I personally believe a lot of this is marketing hype, I am not willing to pay the premium cost. I’m not just talking about clothes, but food and personal care products and whatever.
Clothing in particular — no matter how well made it is, the majority of it simply does not have a long life span, in my world, anyway. It goes out of fashion too quickly, or gets faded in the wash, moth/cat holes, etc. Being a crazy cat lady, I won’t have anything in my home that is too precious to be around them, either, so delicate fabrics and/or expensive pieces are out. (There’s a reason why we’re always depicted in bathrobes in cartoons.)
I will spend money on basic classic accessories, but I don’t seek them out or avoid them based on sustainability. If a “sustainable” product is $$$$ but I am in love with it, I’ll get it.
Great topic though. I look forward to seeing others’ thoughts, especially about the “ugly” part. 😉
haha! i’ve missed your comments 🙂
i frankly get so overwhelmed by beauty product marketing that mostly i just opt out, and buy the cheaper organic no-name stuff at whole foods, but won’t touch the clothes LOL i’m kidding, sort of. but seriously, it’s all so basic and boring that i can see why people would still think that eco-friendly fashion is all ugly…
that’s the issue about clothes, what you mentioned, that how long does something need to “last” to be worth what we pay for it? how many wears must we get out of it? which is my point about james perse and me – i know that i’ll keep most of my james perse dresses forever and wear them a ton, so they’re worth whatever i pay for them, and then some. but that’s not always the case with clothing – you’re not necessarily sure you’re making a “good buy” until you get it home and wear it a couple of times.
It’s very hard to compare price and quality online, whether something is sustainable or not. Unless one is comparing small-run local with mass marketing. But that’s apples and oranges. And what is sustainable anyway? There is no agreed definition. People have been flocking to bamboo the past few years but, although it grows back easily and needs no chemical treatments, it requires a ton of chemicals to process into fabric, and in unregulated developing countries, these chemicals are ruining groundwater and wells and poisoning communities. (But it feels great and doesn’t reduce carbon sucking tree life! Should we be happy with that?) Personally, I just love natural fabrics and artisinal clothes, so that sort of stuff forms the mainstay of my clothing purchases now that nobody needs highly tailoured clothing anymore. But you are quite right, designers that are into that have a certain aesthetic that not everyone enjoys or fits into it. I am finding myself increasingly at the upper end of the size range of product and I am on the smaller side. That’s just weird.
You’re totally right about not knowing something is a good buy until you wear it… just another reason why I don’t spend big $$ on clothes. I won’t return something I’ve worn just because I don’t like the way it fits, that’s just shitty, so it is a gamble. I forgot to mention also, how annoying it is to have splurged on item that becomes too small or too big when you fluctuate 5-7 lbs.
So I’m thinking about things I wear the most and why and cost per wear and whatnot… I have some James Perse dresses from the Nordstrom outlet that I’ve had for years. Also some Gap work trousers, some basic work sweaters from Loft/J. Crew/et al, some BCBG stuff from the local consignment shop. What all these have in common is that they were inexpensive, and so I am not afraid to wear them, and they get worn. I’ll get something expensive, and then have this weird compulsion to “save it” (for what, exactly, I’m not sure), and then it sits in the closet until I get pissed at myself and sell it. But those $12 outlet JP dresses or Splendid tees, I’ll wear them till they are in tatters. Oy vey, paging Dr. Freud…
It has always blown my mind at how little we pay for food compared to other things when, if you’re looking at Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, it’s very clearly a foundation item — so sometimes that thought process (need vs cost and cost vs how the industry is subsidized or not) is something I think about a bunch relative to food, clothes, housewares, etc.
I absolutely agree re smaller sustainable brands — not only is it sometimes a very specific visual and/or sizing but also you have to do a lot of rooting around to find a whole closet full of basics that are sustainable. I find myself looking at some of those brands and thinking, “If you really wanted to be sustainable you’d make something accessible, basic and versatile vs trend-driven, — but you don’t.” I do get tripped up as to whether trendy can be sustainable. In that it replaces something made in a worse way, yes. In that won’t be out of style and cycled through much more quickly, no.
When I had less cash, I focused on re-sale shops. Now I do both re-sale and more expensive basics. But I also tried to put a lot of effort into what basics I actually “need” for my lifestyle and which I’m more likely to wear to help limit what I buy. So I think we can still offset some of the impact our wardrobes have — but if you have a lower budget, you might not be supporting some of the sustainable brands. It’s so much better to use what’s already there though. Even if people try to buy perfect basics, they will still have stuff not quite the right fit that ends up at re-sale/thrift stores that might work for others.
So yeah, my typical solution is to just buy secondhand, but to answer your current question…
No, sustainable fashion is probably not too expensive for what it is. But yes, it is too expensive for our American value of what is a good deal and how many items of clothing we seem to “need.” It’s definitely a brain shift to get used to why some things seem expensive and why it’s okay/ right for them to be more expensive.
I agree with others in that I’m afraid to wear something when it cost a lot of money. What if I get a big rip or stain or ruin it in some other sort of way the first time I wear it? So then it just sits in the closet.
My solution (other than secondhand), is to buy the sustainable stuff when it comes on sale. A lot of times, the sale price is much more comparable to the prices I would have paid at some of the mainstream stores like Loft, Ann Taylor, J Crew, Banana Republic, etc.
I’m in the best financial situation of my life, so I’m able to buy some pieces that I wouldn’t have been able to in the past. When I was in school and in my early working years, there would have been no way. My entire wardrobe was secondhand and Old Navy/Target clearance at that time. I don’t know how people with tight budgets are supposed to make sustainable fashion work. I feel kind of like a bourgeoisie bitch if I bring it up around certain crowds.
I think about this question a lot and for the answer is “it depends.” The description on the Zady blazer sounds amazing. It’s basically everything I want out of my clothing. However, if the quality isn’t there, I won’t pay the premium for ethical practices. Similar to when I buy a blazer at Theory, I pay a premium for the shopping experience and the brand name and the brand charges me a premium for those qualities. For ethically-produced clothing the ethical practices replace the brand name and the shopping experience…so if the quality isn’t there it doesn’t matter how great the practices are. I won’t spend $250 on something that isn’t well made. It’s hard when clothes are only sold online…this is probably why I don’t take the plunge more frequently on new brands.
As regards your second point about the style, I do agree that it is difficult to find styles that encompass all fashions and body types. As someone who is expected to dress business casual for work but doesn’t want to have two totally separate wardrobes, I find it hard to buy ethically-made clothing and still look polished and professional. And regardless, boxy dresses don’t work for my frame and style! Not sure why designers don’t branch out but I agree that there is not enough variety.
The price depends on the complexity and uniqueness of the item, among other things.
I’d pay $250 for that Zady blazer IF it were something that I would wear regularly: If it was grey, fitted my shoulder/arms perfectly and wasn’t too tight in the hips, and was as good of quality as it sounds, then yes. Because I know how much time/effort would go into making it myself, plus the cost of fabric, makes it worth it to me to pay someone else to make it. If it needed alterations, or wasn’t perfect for my lifestyle, then no.
For instance, I LOVE Elizabeth Suzanne’s style and ethos, but the styles are something I could make myself with less effort than a blazer, so I’m less likely to spend the money (even though I won’t ever getting around to making something similiar myself).
I don’t want to think about my clothing budget (although I should), but my “allowance” for the month is usually around 250-350 and I tend to spend it on clothing. That could easily be one piece from a small, ethically produced company. I wish I was at the point where I could buy that one amazing piece and be ok, but I’m not there yet. I’m a bargain hunter and resale shopper, and want those same items but at screaming deals!
I love the concept of “slow fashion”. Alabama Chanin is amazing, and the fact that all of her designs are open-source is just mindblowingly wonderful in the face of fast fashion and designer knockoffs. I could never afford her pieces, but I could afford to make the same thing if I put my own time and effort into it.
I’ve been trying to spend my money wisely, putting it into the hands of amazing smaller designers. Perhaps not your aesthetic, but Alyen (http://alyenwear.eu/) has some wonderful ideas about slow fashion, sustainable basics that aren’t boring, and making it affordable.
It seems the pieces I buy from individuals/super small companies are thing I tend to wear more often, because I have a connection to the maker in some way (even if it’s just through their Instagram feed), making the item more special but without being too precious to wear. I like being able to look down and know the name of the woman who made my favorite ring, and the fact that she’s also a crazy cat lady.
I liked your instagram post today about accessories being just as important – supporting artisans for jewelry and other accessories. 99% of my jewelry is either handmade or antique (i have a watch that is probably awful but it’s tiny and I love it anyway and will wear it forever).
I think it’s worth the price. Well, the sale price, usually. I really can’t justify buying mall brands/untraceable production brands for myself, and will go without rather than support them financially. I hasten to add that it’s not all Elizabeth Suzann prices out there, though–I am careful about where and how I buy, and hardly ever buy anything not on sale or for more than $100.
That said, it is VERY difficult for me to buy sustainably for my children, knowing how fast they grow and having no control over relatives’ gifts to them.
I totally agree. Does price equal quality? I have seen tee shirts costing over $100 at Sak’s, Nordstroms etc that without the label (and price tag) could not be differentiated from ones at Old Navy. I was once told by a buyer that the same factory could be making a similar article for Old Navy on one line and an expensive label on another. Can someone verify this? I recently started to sew and look at garment construction and quality in a new light. I am amazed at the poor quality in some of those mass produced, expensive articles.
YES, I cringe every time someone refers to bamboo as “sustainable”. I mean, it’s great for some things, but not as a fabric.
Granted, there are “bad” things about just about every fabric. :/
I’ve just recently started considering where my clothes are made, and in what conditions. I have also in the past year or so started buying from smaller shops on etsy or small businesses. I really love that when I buy something made to order, just for me, I can customize it. It takes longer to get to me, but I feel happy supporting small shops. I don’t want to shop at the mall chain stores ever again! As for cost, yes, I am finding it to be expensive. I’d love some Elizabeth Suzann clothing, but as a public high school teacher, I don’t have a large budget! I’ll have to save up for that, and that’s ok. I just hope it’ll be worth the wait and cost. However, I have found some etsy shops that are more affordable (dresses less than $100), so I think you just need to research to find these small shops.
Generally speaking, I don’t think sustainable fashion is too expensive. I think that it’s worth the cost, assuming the quality is there. For me, the high cost makes me buy less and really consider every single purchase. That’s a good thing.
I’ve only recently been getting interested in sustainable fashion and being more conscious of where my clothes come from, so I’m definitely still in the sticker shock phase. The other thing that jumps out at me about the Zady blazer is the fact that in the description is calls out 4 different countries in different regions of the world – that seems like an excessive amount of fuel to shuttle around the pieces and materials. They explain why they did it but I’d still have to think about whether it’s worth it.
good point about transportation costs…
i love this statement marilyn: “For me, the high cost makes me buy less and really consider every single purchase. That’s a good thing.” – i feel that way too, although it doesn’t always mean i’ll love something more, or it will last longer, unfortunately. it DOES mean that i’ll think a lot harder and longer about whether i need it though!
that’s not entirely fair, though, because bamboo can be entirely sustainable (can be grown without pesticides and it grows quickly) – and it can be processed into fabric in a much less chemically intensive way as well, it’s just NOT, generally. just saying that something is made from “bamboo” doesn’t mean anything though, in terms of its sustainability, that i agree with. more details are required to determine if it is, indeed, entirely sustainable…
thankfully, at least from what i’ve seen, bamboo has fallen out of favor in the last several years for just this reason.
this is true. My good friend owned a boutique and she would tell me when she went to “buy” in New York or LA that she was going to the same showrooms with stores like Anthropologie and UO and would sell the same clothes at her own store for a much better price.
I have twice experienced this myself- a $20 Mossimo sweater at Target I found at Nordstrom BP dept for $60 and a $13 multi-strand beaded plastic necklace at Walmart was at Nordstrom for $50.
I am at the point where I just don’t trust anything to last anymore-not even the sustainable stuff. (My Everlane sweaters have only lasted 1 or 2 seasons for example) Because these clothes are only available online there is even more of a risk when you include shipping and strict return policy. I would actually be more inclined to buy sustainable if Nordstrom sold it because I would feel secure in their customer service.
yes, that definitely happens with clothing, shoes, bags…everything really. i know for a fact that a less expensive brand’s t-shirts are produced by the same factory that my favorite more expensive t-shirt is produced, yet i absolutely find that my more expensive t-shirt is far superior to the cheaper one on all counts…not that that’s true for all brands/manufacturers, but for me, it is true for this one. each designer/brand has their own specifications and uses their own fabric though. just because similar items are produced in the same factory doesn’t mean they’re the “same” – they do, of course, use the same labor force though and facilities.
and high-end denim that’s made in California is produced/washed by the same “washers”, just to different specifications. leather producers in Italy also private-label for many brands. ANd almost all clogs are made by one or two manufacturers.
I agree with the point that there isn’t much for people of certain sizes/styles. I’m 5’8” with long legs and the Everlane pants are all too short for me, for example. I’m not even super tall but it is an issue to find pants and sleeves that are long enough. And I have a more fun/feminine style than classical/minimal so it’s true, there isn’t much in Sustainable for me. But I do like my Everlane shoes and scarf.
I frame it by think about the costs of fast fashion–to the environment, to people’s lives, and so on–and then the cheap stuff starts to seem a lot more costly. One way or another, you’re going to pay.
That said, I am also currently short of money. My solution is to buy resale (Poshmark credits!), to wear my older things into the ground (as you say–a different kind of sustainability) and to consider carefully what I buy. And also to recognize that there’s a lot of beautiful clothing which I am just going to need to appreciate online and one other people, because it just doesn’t fit into my life as I live it.
I have that same “save it” compulsion. I’m growing out of it though. Trying to anyway.
True on bamboo. Yet “modal” shows up in a lot of sustainable lines now. Viscose and lyocell (tencel) too – all, including fabric from bamboo, are types of rayon and require chemicals to turn plant pulp into fiber. I’d need to research more to find out which – if any – might be the “good guys,” but it’s interesting how they seem to come into and out of favor.
yes, all those plant-based fibers require processing, but even so, it is less chemical intensive than conventional cotton farming, and uses much less water, and then some “chemicals” are better than others….i really like reformation’s info on fabric: https://www.thereformation.com/about-us#products
– from that, i conclude that Tencel with a capital T, that is produced by Lenzing, is more sustainable, and some viscose that is manufactured by them as well, but not all viscose and not all modal or rayon is even “good” – it also depends on where the wood is from, something I talked about it my sustainable fabrics post a while ago…
honestly, if we want to be MOST SUSTAINABLE and buy new, i really believe we should be buying exclusively organic cotton, linen, and/or hemp, or other natural fibers like wool/alpaca, depending, of course, on how it is collected and the treatment of the animals. or clothing made from recycled fabrics. other than that, i think it’s okay to do “better” and i do think some of these plant-based fibers are a little better 🙂
well, you guys are probably well aware i have that problem as well. getting better though, but i still have my moments!!
I agree with everyone’s comments…..just so difficult to figure out what is sustainable.
My favourite shop, Matterprints, has posted some thoughts that I find compelling (Small singapore company that supports traditional artisans in India and the Philippines.) See their comments at: http://matterprints.com/blogs/journal
By the way, although they ship from Asia, their superlight silk/cotton products cost almost nothing to ship, and support poor communities and their arts in the best possible way: jobs. And yes, it’s a very boho esthetic, but it looks good on everyone…..everyone.
I don’t really have a lot to add. Everyone here has made good points – I agree with many of them, and others have given me more food for thought.
Right now, “buy less” is working for me. I’m in an industry where almost anything goes clothes-wise, and I need to remind myself once in awhile how lucky that makes me. I really just have one “wardrobe” for work and weekends – about 90 percent basics (mostly black with some gray) and 10 percent more statement-type things that keep me from dying of boredom. I do have a “collector” streak, but I live in an ancient house with no closets, so the lack of storage space helps me keep that in check. Having a lot of stuff is very stressful for me and makes getting out of the house too much of a chore, so I concentrate more on policing myself with that in mind than I do on making sure what I buy is sustainable, eco-friendly, etc. I’m also trying to save up for a nice vacation, some work on the house, and a couple of pieces of camera equipment – there isn’t a lot of money left to spend on clothes!
“Buy less” is what works for me, too. I do try to stick to natural materials, and it’s great if they’re organic; but sometimes I have to settle for what I can afford at the moment. For instance, I recently needed to buy a dress for an event and I didn’t have time to shop around or save up for a silk dress. So I bought polyester. I hate polyester, but the dress was fine and I’ll keep it until I find something better for future events.
My monthly clothing budget varies, but it’s usually not more than $100. I’m willing to spend up to $200 on a garment, though. My more expensive garments last longer and I appreciate them more.
I once heard business magnate Russell Simmons (who produced a fashion line) say that there is a big difference in quality between a $20 shirt and a $200 shirt. But over $200, you are paying for the designer name. That remark stuck with me and I decided that $200 was a good spending limit for me, not just for shirts, but for most garments.
As for t-shirts, I rarely spend more than $10 on a plain t-shirt, because I like to have lots and replace them every season. But I would pay more for a nice knit top, or even a plain t-shirt that was very well made. I would probably pay $50-$100 and I would expect it to look nice for a couple of years at least.
I have been trying to make smarter choices about what I buy, my budget is $200 a month, but that also goes towards things like skincare and makeup. I try to buy natural fibers, and really like the ethos behind a lot of the smaller sustainable designers, but frankly most of the designs and colors are not something I am into. I am petite and busty, so those boxy tops, harem pants, super drapey items are not my style or very flattering on me, and everything seems geared towards the tall/slim figure, I am sure I could find some that would work, but I don’t really want to play the returning game with smaller companies and there are not any stores in my area that carry that kind of thing, I also don’t really wear a lot of beige/black/white, which is the color palette of choice it seems.
I also have a very casual workplace and lifestyle, so I live in jeans, tees, and cardigans, I prefer to spend the bulk of my budget on more durable goods, so things like bags and shoes get the spending. It is hard for me to justify spending $50 on a tee, when I can get another of the BP tees for $15 that I know the fit and longevity on. I have also been really disappointed with Everlane/Grana/Cuyana I like the transparency and sustainability angle, but the fit is not great for me, it all seems to wear out really quickly, and my cheap tees from the juniors department last longer.
I really like the Zady blazer linked in your post, and think it is probably worth the $250, but I would probably opt for something I could easily try on, sustainable or not. I see a lot of things on Zady that I would try on, but I don’t want to “tie up” my money on an expensive purchase that may or may not fit, have to return, they final sale all the sale items, so I don’t want to gamble with those, I also prefer to spend $$ on “hero” or unusual/unique items, and a lot of sustainable clothing brands are so minimal and basic, it is hard for me to get excited about it, and if I am not excited about it, I don’t want to spend a premium on it. Generally at the price point sustainable fashion is at, I could shop full price at Nordstrom with free alterations, a sales person, and a generous return policy, I do wish more mainstream retailers would carry a wider variety of sustainable designers.
Some of it, yes, is too expensive (like that Zady blazer) for me. However, if you go into it with the mindset that you’re going to consume less and only what you need, then it doesn’t seem so bad. If I just wanted a blazer, and came across the Zady one, I’d be totally put off at first. But then when I think about it… I don’t need a blazer. So I can move onto the next. Personally, Everlane is at the top of my budget. So much of it is changing our mindset. It will seem expensive (like designer clothing is), until we shift the way we approach it, and suddenly a $250 blazer doesn’t seem like so much, because it’s the only piece we need to add and can save for it. Not sure if my thoughts are totally clear in this comment, they feel a bit scattered, but hopefully that makes sense 🙂