What exactly is slow fashion?

We live in a society where everything has to happen in a hurry. Fast food, three-hour dry cleaning, fast flights, fast cars, fast life... And if you don't answer an email or message within five minutes, people immediately assume you're having a heart attack. Incidentally, with this lifestyle, you can actually get one very quickly .

As a result, more and more people have succeeded in returning to the values ​​of our grandparents. Slow Food, for example, began many years ago.

The movement, which now has around 100,000 active members, advocates for slow-produced foods that impress with quality rather than a rushed production process. It also supports regional producers who prioritize animal welfare and organic farming over enormous yields.

What is slow fashion?

Similar to the Slow Food movement, Slow Fashion is about slowing down: slowing down fashion trends, slowing down production, slowing down consumer behavior and slowing down environmental pollution.

Slow fashion is characterized by…

• a good sustainability record.
• a greater sense of responsibility towards people and the planet.
• a better understanding of the relationships between climate and CO2 emissions during the cultivation, production and transport of raw materials or goods.
• fair trade and fair production conditions.
• significantly better quality and durability.
• a frequently regional reference and/or regional origin of the garments and the associated short transport routes.

Slow fashion trends

Do we really need a new fashion trend four times a year that renders our purchased clothes practically unwearable after just one season? Do we constantly need new trendy colors and cuts?

No, we don't actually need all that—which is why we consciously consider ourselves adherents of the slow fashion movement. Our motto is sustainable garments produced to last for years. Minimalist fashion that can be passed down forever—because it doesn't follow short-lived trends. With the pieces in our collections, we've created a capsule wardrobe, because within the collections, every piece can be combined with and with each other. We also need to free ourselves from the pressure that the fast fashion industry has built up over decades.

Have you ever noticed that 20 years ago there was only a summer and a winter collection? Today, there are at least four collections per year. Added to that are the various lines, from casual and streetwear to evening wear. We're breaking free from that. A collection that spans all seasons—no constant changes and no summer/winter sales that only entice you to buy quickly. We make clothes that never go out of style.

Slow production

Do we really want to accept hastily produced, inferior goods in order to keep up financially with fast-moving fashion trends? Do we want to watch people toil under terrible working conditions and earn starvation wages to make our clothes?

Clothing production involves three major areas: first, the materials, second, the working conditions, and third, the environment. Vast areas of land are used for inferior cotton, and workers in low-wage countries work their fingers to the bone so we can buy a cheap shirt for €3.99 at a discount clothing store.

There's a completely different approach: We could wear garments made from organic cotton or other sustainable materials like bamboo fibers that have been fairly produced and traded. This might mean digging a little deeper into our pockets, but the pieces will last for many years.

That's why our organic cotton is also GOTS-certified, because we want to make a difference and take responsibility.

Overall, fewer chemicals are used here—in the fields and during the actual manufacturing process. Reducing production results in less waste, fewer goods are transported around the world, and the carbon footprint of the garments is dramatically reduced.

Slow environmental pollution

Does it really have to be the case that 2,700 liters of water are used to produce a quickly produced T-shirt, only for us to throw it away again after a few months?

Fast fashion causes 10% of all global greenhouse gas emissions. That's more than all aviation and maritime shipping combined (source: EU Parliament). We're constantly being told these days that we should fly less on vacation because it's particularly harmful to the environment. However, hardly anyone talks about buying less clothing or better clothing. A rethink is urgently needed, especially in the fashion sector.

When we buy a cheap T-shirt, it uses just as much water as a high-quality one. The difference: We wear the high-quality one for several years, and the water consumption is then much more justified. By buying a cheap T-shirt, we're essentially throwing away the used water as well. 2,700 liters—that's the amount of drinking water one person would need for about 2.5 years.

By the way, we also use yarn made from recycled PET for our shoes. This uses considerably less energy and water than producing new yarn and also reduces the burden on the environment.

What can you do to contribute to slow fashion?

We've compiled a list of possible measures for you. If you internalize at least a few of them, you too will soon be a Slow Fashionista:

• Free yourself from the dictates of the fashion industry.
• Instead of constantly buying something new, take a look through your wardrobe first.
• By upcycling, you can use a sewing machine to create the most amazing new clothes from an out-of-fashion shirt or a pair of jeans that are too tight.
• Imagine: Tailors still exist. Bring in a piece with a hole to be mended, or pants that have gotten too wide to be tightened, instead of buying new clothes.
• Instead of throwing away clothes you really don't want anymore, you can offer them at a flea market, swap them with a friend, or try to sell them in a secondhand shop or online.
• Conversely, you can also purchase your new clothes at a flea market or secondhand shop (or a secondhand online marketplace). This way, all the resources used to produce that item will be twice as worth it.
• If you do want to buy something new every now and then, look for good quality and a more neutral cut that you can wear for years. At the same time, you can always achieve a modern look with accessories.
• With garments bearing a corresponding seal, such as GOTS or Fair Wear, you can be sure that all slow fashion criteria have been met.
• If you're looking for a special evening outfit, you can even rent it. Be honest—if you buy a new piece, it'll only be worn once or twice at most.

What are the advantages of slow fashion?

The benefits of shifting to slow fashion are obvious. The positive impact on the environment and the people who produce our clothes is particularly evident.

Less water is used, and what is used is used much more wisely, as we wear the garment for several years. Reduced overall consumption leads to less greenhouse gas emissions. Working conditions improve because manufacturers can realize higher margins.

We use more sustainable raw materials, such as organic cotton, which consumes far less water and resources than industrially grown cotton, for example. In addition to GOTS-certified organic cotton, we therefore use a proportion of yarn made from recycled PET bottles – the production of which uses significantly less energy and resources, and a portion of the waste generated by affluent societies is repurposed for meaningful purposes.

Our health will also benefit, as the materials contain significantly fewer chemicals that can cause allergies. We'll even save money, as we'll be able to wear the slightly more expensive garments much longer, thanks to their higher quality and more sustainable—in other words, slow—production.

Waste is also reduced along the entire production chain. When we throw away fewer clothes, the amount of waste generated decreases. A shift in thinking toward restyling, altering, and repairing, as well as upcycling, takes place.

Conclusion

Slow fashion is a movement that aims to slow down the fashion industry. It's primarily about greater sustainability in every area. A sustainable lifestyle includes environmental, social, and economic considerations. Slow fashion is the perfect example of how these two aspects can be combined.
We take all of these aspects into account in our collections.

By buying better clothes, we help the people who produce them. At the same time, we help the environment and save money in the long run. In this spirit, always slow down and think carefully.