Being rude has never been so ethical.
Fully restocked and now up to a size XL.
The only naughty bit about these t-shirts is the slogan… All organic cotton and ethically sourced using natural eco dyes only.
Bring out your mischievious side and choose the slogan T-shirt that says it best for you!
Guest post by Ffion Lovelock
I think you will agree when I say that Instagram has certainly changed the world of fashion. It provides somewhat regular but largely followed Instagram users the opportunity to work with brands to promote products to their following and in doing so, has created the role of the influencer. A role that is now completely embedded within our culture and motivating our consumption. This contemporary method of marketing via social media allows influencers and brands to really work their magic to increase our retail purchases. On Instagram for example, you can swipe-up to purchase an item in seconds, come across links to a brand on almost every profile and find exactly where they bought that amazing skirt just at the tap of a finger. However, it is wise to consider if this is only adding to the detrimental consequences that fast-fashion has on our environment?
Browsing the likes of Instagram makes it incredibly hard to not be encouraged to buy more and more, especially when our society is so consumer orientated. Instagram is a digital space where we can be constantly exposed to an endless amount of branded content and we are all guilty of scrolling through its feeds tirelessly, so it is no surprise that we take such an interest in buying so much new clothing when the fashion influencers we follow wear it so well. It is this temptation that can sometimes convince us that we need the item as much as their sponsored posts say we do.
However, some influencers are using their status to provide awareness of what a difference sustainable fashion can make to our planet. Even Emma Watson had her say through creating the Instagram account, ‘@the_press_tour’, to raise awareness of the designers who are dedicating their time to producing clothing from organic and recycled fabrics. Proving that those with a large number of followers do not only have the power to increase our consumption, but the power to convince us to limit it. They are influences after all, and we do often take on board what they have to say. So, go follow some vintage enthusiasts or an influencer who encourages sustainability and you will be surprised how much your outlook can change. Then through turning your attention towards how you could provide a more sustainable fashion footprint with the industries levels of environmental harm could be lessened.
Then why not make an active start by investing that temptation into vintage clothing through considering an independent vintage retailer like The Stellar Boutique, and making that conscious decision to re-wear, re-buy and re-sell?
We are all guilty of buying for the sake of it, I know I certainly am. Whether it be for a one time occasion or just because I thought it looked great on the 6-foot-and-tiny model on the website, we always give in to the prospect of something brand spanking new. Vintage clothing, however, allows you to still add something new to your wardrobe and get that exciting feeling that we all crave when we do make a new purchase, but you are contributing to sourcing that fashion ethically and sustainably. You can still shop to your heart’s content but at least you can be a small part towards solving a much wider matter; that being the fashion industries harmful effects on the environment. Not to mention that vintage clothing can also provide you with something that no one else has – a one of a kind item that people can wow over. Investing in something other than mainstream retail is always hugely beneficial and through learning to love what you have or what is already out there, the threat of irreversible climate change could be put to a halt.
The Stellar Boutique’s latest collection of eco-friendly slogan t-shirts and sweatshirts is another perfect example of how retail can eventually become far more sustainable. Through the use of organic cotton, the entire collection is free from any artificial growing processes and sets an example of how natural textiles can cater to our ever-growing retail consumption without our ecosystem having to suffer. So, whether it be vintage or made from sustained and natural materials, our societies love of fashion and constant desire for more of it could eventually be made less problematic in the future.
Read more from Ffion here Lifeandlovelock.com
Setting new years resolutions is always a love / hate relationship. If you’re anything like me it generally goes a little like this… December 31st, reflect on the year gone by, feel motivated, inspired and full of promise for the year ahead, set unrealistic resolutions, and by mid January all recollection of those so-called goals have disappeared into oblivion and it’s back to the old routine! If this isn’t the case and you stick to your resolutions like glue then I applaud you! Carry on as you were (and please let me in on the secret of your success!)
But for the rest of us, following on from our previous post on sustainable fashion, set yourself a challenge to make this year count and (if you’re not already doing so) make a pledge to take steps towards a greener, kinder and more sustainable fashion future.
Because let’s face it, you love the world of fashion (hence you’re here now reading this) that’s not gonna change and neither should it have to! But there are plenty of wardrobe changes (even if small) that we can make without going cold turkey on our fashion addiction. So let’s set ourselves an achievable New Years fashion resolution and stick to it. There’s so many simple but effective improvements to our shopping habits we can incorporate, whether it’s deciding to purchase quality over quantity and avoiding fast fashion, only purchasing from ethical brands, buying less but choosing well, recycling clothes by buying second hand items and thrift store shopping, keeping it circular (and interesting) by sticking to vintage fashion, making a point of wearing more of your ‘old’ clothes that you once loved but that no longer get a look in, upcycle, customise and rework tired old pieces, set up a swap shop with your friends to swap and share clothes so you always feel like you’ve got something new and keep your wardrobe fresh, do that big clear out you’ve promised yourself (you know, the one you promised yourself last January too) and take your unwanted clothes to recycle bins or donate them to a local charity. Whatever you decide, little by little, we can all make a big difference.
We’d love to know how you get on so tell us what you decide and keep us updated by sharing your progress using #stellarnewyear
We can all do our bit to stay more fashion conscious , keep fashion circular and kind.
So have fun with it and use the challenge as a catalyst to get even more creative with your wardrobe choices, upcycle, recycle, rework and rethink.
The possibilities are endless xx
Guest post by Hafsa Hussain
On every item we own from our phones to the sheets on our beds, in small writing on the label it states, ‘Made in __’. This is most likely to originate from China or developing countries. But what is the story behind where our items are from, most importantly the clothes which we wear? Founder of Fashion Tech Lab, Miroslava Duma told the August 2017 Marie Claire, the first ever sustainable issue: “The fashion industry is all about storytelling and craftsmanship. Sustainability adds value because it makes that backstory even more impactful”. In recent years, consumers have been demanding more social and environmental information about the origin of the clothes they buy. This shows that more than ever, we are interested in our clothing, as the truth about the origin has been exploited in tabloids and documentaries, changing consumer attitudes.
Did you know that the fashion industry is one of the most polluting industries in the world after oil? With approximately 80 billion garments produced worldwide per year (Green Peace, 2016). This is due to the demand for new trends and styles increasing in recent years. According to the documentary, True Cost, rather than four seasons of collections per year, fast fashion has fabricated fifty-two seasons, creating new styles every week. Keeping in mind the lack of consideration for social and environmental consequences. Can the industry succeed by continuing with fast fashion and being ethical simultaneously?
In the fashion industry momentarily, fast fashion has been speeding up trends and shortening seasons, whilst becoming old, dated and out of style. The average turnover period of designer brands from the catwalk to consumers is six months and has now been compressed from only a few weeks by companies such as Zara and H&M, whose profits are exceedingly high. Swift cycles make these fast fashion companies succeed: having fast designs, effective transportation and items prepared on hangers with price tags attached ready for the shop floor. As fast fashion replaces the luxury, authenticity and exclusivity with planned impulse, lasting for a limited time due to the poor-quality fabrics, manufacturers have gone out of fashion.
H&M, a mass fast fashion company, has focused on their ethical profiles for sales growth in the long-term. According to Corporate Knights magazine, H&M ranked 57th amongst the world’s most sustainable companies with an overall score of 65.10%; Whilst Kering ranked ten places above with a score of 66.80%. H&M launched a garment collecting service at their stores, recycling textiles to “give their garments a new life and helping to close the loop on fashion”, stating they have gathered more fabric in comparison to 250 million t-shirts. However, according to the Huffington Post, H&M continues to produce 600 million garments per year which is more than double the garments recycled and reused. As consumers, if we began re-using and recycling our items, rather than constantly buying new pieces and throwing others away, producers would have no choice but to change their strategies, and companies would consider evolving to a slow fashion movement
SOLUTIONS!
It’s time to change! There needs to be inventive strategies implemented to move from fast fashion to slow fashion, for the mass market sector, including the extension the product’s life cycle due to designs of clothes which are not molecular. For example, a coat which contains zips, buttons and trim can be recycled efficiently leaving just the fabric to be shredded back to its thread level, this new thread can become a new fabric and finally a new item of clothing. To achieve this, the jacket would need to have a mainframe hidden and attached in the coat’s fabric to hold the zips, button and trim altogether, and when the coat is at the end of its life cycle, the wireframe can be removed easily from the bone. Additionally, materials could be labelled with expected lifetimes including repair kits and services, provided by retailers, if the design development of the garments can be easily updated for the look or size.
Vintage clothing is commonly classified as clothing that is 20 years or older and if the garment survives more than 50 years it can be proudly called an antique. Vintage clothes are not only used pieces of garments, but it’s also part of history and adventure of thoughts of who wore them and their story to tell. Vintage clothing is a simple way to reduce, reuse and recycle clothes. During the manufacturing process, quality was important and key hence the fact they often last longer than most of the clothing today. But why has vintage fashion become popular recently, maybe because they can’t be replicated effortlessly or perhaps due to celebrities such as Kate Moss and Kim Kardashian having worn vintage on the red carpet? What people don’t realise is that fashion trends always come back around. Instead of throwing your ‘old’ clothes away, be patient, wait a couple years, fashion is not as new as you would think it is.
Recently we have seen a rise in 90s streetwear fashion on both our runways and on the streets. Big brands have dramatically increased their prices to offer ‘vintage’ pieces, but this could be saved if we as consumers actually visited vintage shops instead. Vintage can be advantageous in both ways, it allows you to differentiate yourself from the rest and it can also allow you to add to the current trends, so you look truly ahead of what the current runways have to offer.
Thank you!
Hafsa x
There’s nothing I love more than getting back to my barrow girl roots and hitting the road bringing my vintage fashion finds to fellow vintage overs across the country. When you’re so used to being stuck behind your laptop on a daily basis and working in relative solitude It’s always a special treat to meet your customers face to face and mingle with your fashion tribe.
I’m always fascinated when witnessing the process of a big empty space transform into a buzzing, thriving vintage haven. And when the venue is as beaut as the custard factory (birmingham) I just couldn’t resist snapping the behind-the-scenes set up of a pop up vintage fair! …what a gorgeous loft style apartment this would make!
So here are some of my favourite moments from the recent fairs in Birmingham, Chester and Liverpool for Judy’s affordable vintage fair.
