Okay, so from the last blog entry, we know how to change our mindset and do the math when we’re buying our slow fashion garments. But how do we actually shop for something we know for
certain we’re gonna wear once we leave the store?
Here’s our no-nonsense guide to buying slow fashion.
1. BUY IN STORE
The touch and feel of garments shoes accessories is probably the most important thing when buying slow fashion. You can tell by simply by touch whether something was made with care or not - and it’s also a great way to know if you’ll like the feel of it when it’s on you.
2. ALWAYS TRY IT ON
Every single human body on earth is different - some people have longer arms, some people’s necks are longer. Every garment is different, because it fits everyone differently. Just because it fits the model/ mannequin well, doesn’t mean it will look the same on you. The only way you can know if something works well with your body type/ skin colour is by trying it on.
3. CHECK THE INGREDIENTS LIST
Just like when you buy packaged food and check the ingredients label, it’s a great idea to check the clothing tag to see what’s actually in your clothes.
There’s a few reasons why:
- DESIGNED vs. MADE: If you’re someone who cares about where your clothes are made, you might look at a clothing tag and see “Designed in Denmark”, but on the ingredients clothing tag, it’ll tell you where it’s actually made, by saying “Made in Maine”. It’s a great place to check if something is actually made locally.
- FABRIC TYPES: There are loads of different types of fabrics, and they all do different things. Polyester might be great at wicking sweat away from your body, but sometimes they smell like shit. Viscose adds a softness, and Lyocell is a lab-grown fabric, but sometimes they’re more prone to ripping. 100% Cotton, or as close to it as possible, is the best way to go - it’s just like eating whole food.
4. LOOK AT THE STITCHING
Stitching is a great tell-tale sign that something was made in a fast fashion factory. Our favourite one to look for is the side seam stitch on T-shirts - slow fashion garments make sure that seam is straight up and down, mass produced T-shirts sometimes run off to the sides.
Another great way to check stitching is to check on another item of the same piece of clothing.
For example, if one pair of pants fits you really well, but then another pair of the same exact size and same exact style doesn’t fit you the same, that’s a tell-tale sign the fabrics and stitching is not good quality.
5. LOOK FOR THE PIONEERS OF QUIRKY INNOVATIVE FEATURES
While some slow fashion designers might not be at the forefront of style and trend, they will often be at the forefront of cutting edge technology. This is because they know their customers, and want to solve very specific problems for a long time.
A great example is the Diamond Gusseted Crotch and Nylon Webbing Belt - invented by Gramicci. If they are so invested in pant-making that they’re willing to literally invent a new type of crotch, you can bet the rest of their clothes will last a while too.
A lot of these pioneers will also license the technology out to other designers and businesses to use. For example, Gore-Tex (invented by Wilbert L. Gore & Robert W. Gore) has been licensed to Merrell, North Face, Raised by Wolves, and Arc’teryx - so looking for brands who license those inventions will point you in the right direction too.
6. ZIPS & CLOSURES
While there is one brand that dominates 90% of the market (YKK Zippers), they do also have tiers of their products. YKK #5 is a heavy metal zipper - the “5” in YKK #5 refers to the width of the zipper teeth, and they’re more often made with coil/ nylon coil.
This means that they’re made with a little bit better quality, and won’t break with a lot of stress on it - they’re also more expensive, so seeing a pair of pants with one on it means the brand is definitely not cutting costs.
Most other fast fashion garments get away with cutting costs by purchasing aluminium zippers, smaller zippers where they should be longer, and plastic zippers. So, while the rest of the garment might look well made, if the zipper is broken, that might mean more costs at the tailors, or just making the garment useless.
7. FINAL WORDS
Our last and most important piece of info; make sure you read the washing instructions and follow it! Your garment is more likely to last if you take care of it.