We’ve all probably heard of the term ‘Fast Fashion’ by now, and accept that it is principally the production of highly fashionable clothes and accessories, at high speed and low cost.

Knowing the real cost of making things this way, there is thankfully now a new movement which completely rejects these principles, the ‘Slow Fashion’ movement.

I read some shocking statistics recently regarding the fashion industry as a whole. It emits more greenhouse gasses than all of the worlds air travel put together. Globally, textile dying is the second largest polluter of fresh water, after agriculture. In the UK alone, the fashion industry is said to be worth 28 billion pounds to the economy, and we have one of the highest levels of clothing consumption in Europe. The disturbing result of this is that 235 million items of clothing are sent to landfill every year.

So how as an individual can you start to make a change to these weighty statistics? Seeking out brands that champion a more thoughtful and sustainable approach to making clothes and accessories is a step in the right direction. By using sustainably sourced materials, paying fair wages, and taking a much more considered route in their manufacturing process, these new brands and makers, are managing to produce pieces that ware well, lasts longer, and look great in style terms, way beyond the realms of any current trend.

Every time you make a purchase, you are voting for who should make your clothing and accessories. Becoming aware of the environmental impact of your choice, and changing buying habits, is the only real way to promote Slow Fashion. In choosing to buy pieces that are designed and made carefully, and ones that you love and wear more frequently, you will ultimately make a difference.