What Is Slow Fashion?

So What is Slow Fashion?

We’re hearing more about the Slow Fashion movement and the need to move towards sustainability in fashion production. New terms like: circular fashion, eco-fashion and sustainable fashion. Overlapping terms with slight differences, but all of them with the same goal: to reduce the negative impact of the fashion industry on the environment.

“Buy less, Choose well, Make it last”

— Viviene Westwood

How Does It Work?

Slow Fashion is about thoughtful design, sustainable production and rational consumption. Clothing Labels need to design for the lifecycle of a garment, manufacture in realistic quantities, reduce waste and nurture their work force. Consumers need to choose clothing that will last longer and not end up in landfill.

I recently read a great book called ‘Loved Clothes Last’ by Orsola De Castro. She cited the chemist Antoine De Lavoisier who as long ago as 1768 flagged; ‘In nature, nothing is created and nothing is destroyed, but everything is transformed. Our clothes pass through us and keep on living for a long time after we throw them away, because there is no ‘away’. Quite simply we need to make better, make less and use more or as Vivienne Westwood put it:

“Buy less. Choose well. Make it last.”

“I’ve been wearing my first design for over 15 years now. ”

— Sophie

I’ve been wearing my first design for over 15 years now. It comes out every summer and I never tire of wearing it. The threads are starting to wear (it was vintage fabric) but it’s still comfy, relaxed and brings back loads of great memories.

With a bit of care and old fashion mending, some clothes can evolve a patina that becomes an artform as promoted by the artist and mender Celia Pym who teaches visible mending courses at the inspiring West Dean College near Chichester.

So English is a super fan of slow fashion and actively promote:

• Collections manufactured in small batches or on a pre-order basis to avoid unsold stock.

• Garments that are well made using good quality natural and upcycled materials where possible

• A transparent supply chain where raw materials and labour aren’t scattered across the globe and employ local skilled UK based makers

• Healthy working conditions for every employee and the right to a living wage.