Their brands are deeply rooted in their values and their products repeatedly embody their brands’ story. Is it still possible for sustainable and ethical brands to give their consumers the same feel? The answer is yes!

There are many reasons why being comfortable sticks and why we return to the comfortable items in our wardrobes over again. Comfortable clothes allow us to be ourselves.

‘Tis the season to be sustainable and joyful! Whether for Christmas or a birthday, here are three easy and sustainable last-minute gift ideas.

The OR Foundation working at the intersection of environmental justice and fashion development for the Kantamanto community, estimates the incoming clothing volumes to be as much as 15 million tonnes of garments per week, which has already exceeded the local landfill’s capacity to process incoming textiles, consequently flowing into waste streams and polluting local beaches.

Meet Vic Binns - sustainable stylist and founder of preloved and vintage resale business The Coedit. Launched in 2020 with friend and co-founder Hannah Jenkins, the venture serves as an extension of the pairs’ own changing consumer habits and an ongoing mission to streamline sustainable shopping. Each edit is curated through a contemporary aesthetic, creating a non-judgemental space accepting people at all levels of their responsible fashion journey.

After watching The True Cost movie, I decided to stop shopping for clothes for a while. It lasted three months, and since then I only shop vintage, second hand and from sustainable brands. Those three months were incredibly freeing but also very difficult.

How do you know if a brand is really sustainable? This question came up a lot for me when I started shopping sustainably. At first it seemed easy, Google ethical fashion brands and you get a list of brands. That was good enough but it wasn’t really pushing it. It’s easy to market yourself as a sustainable brand on your website, key words such as sustainability, ethical, green living and more are all over the place but how substantial are these claims?

Since becoming a sustainable fashion shopper, I’ve often pondered this question: what if tomorrow all fast fashion consumers around the world decided not to purchase a single item from fast fashion stores? What if they decided to do this for two days, and then a week and then a month and then a year?

Remember when ‘sustainable fashion’ meant loose, multicoloured hippy pants and scratchy sweaters? Those days are well and truly over, as designers across the fashion industry are taking the leap to produce eco-friendlier and sustainability conscious clothes. Their luxury factor is found in their commitment to create beautiful styles constructed from the most exquisite of natural materials such as vicuña, peace silk and Orange Fiber, all assembled by fairly paid, highly skilled artisans.

This year I’ve made a commitment to share more second-hand and vintage styles with you. I love supporting sustainable and ethical brands and will continue to do so of course. However, my day-to-day closet is filled with second-hand and vintage more than anything else and I’m excited to share more of those looks with you.

Clothes donation is on the rise. Research and recent surveys show that two in five people living in the UK have had a closet clear out while on lockdown and many are aiming to donate to charities as stores re-open. This means charity shops will be overwhelmed with donations and many items will not make it to the shop floor sadly.

Whether it’s a denim jacket, shorts or jeans, I find it second hand or vintage. Why? Because the denim production process is one the most environmentally damaging in the clothing industry, it’s also one of the most harmful to people.

‘Tis the season for gifting once again and 2020 is THE year to be mindful about what you are buying and where you are buying it from. It’s a year that has pushed us all to re-evaluate our values and habits, a nudge to put our efforts and our money towards doing good in all the ways we possibly can. So if you must buy gifts for friends and family, why not make it sustainable and ethical one? Even better, why not take it a step further by supporting small black-owned sustainable and ethical businesses.

As part of my collaboration with the North London Waste Authority, I talk to them to ask four key questions about waste management in the city of London, specifically North London. The city is striving to make recycling easier but the staggering level of production and consumption can complicate or stifle these efforts to some extents. As consumers, the way we use, take care of and throw our belongings away can make a huge difference. Let's find out how.