Demand More From Your Clothes

We all have seen that incredible things happen when women support each other. The truth is that globally about three-quarters of all garment workers are female and yet they are being paid less than a living wage and they work in unsafe environments. Let's make a conscious choice to know where our clothing came from and put a human face behind each item of clothing we own. Sustainability might seem untrainable but we need to stop worrying about being perfect and just start. What you can do:

1|Empower the Maker

We need to connect our purchases with a human face. Not only that, but we should also connect with the art and process of garment making. Let's make a conscious choice to know where our clothing came from. Firstly, go for quality vs. quantity. That means choosing one high-quality piece of clothing that can be worn multiple times in multiple ways instead of choosing cheaper alternatives that aren’t made ethically and start to break down after a few washes.

 2|Empower Yourself

Learn about the brands you are wearing. Do they make it their priority to work with female artisan, support them by providing jobs and safe working conditions? Economic empowerment makes women less vulnerable and dependent, improves their education, decreases child mortality rates, and positively changes a family’s quality of life overall. On top of that, the working conditions aren’t even close to the standards they need to be at.

Little to no windows, zero breaks, polluted air, and unimaginably long shifts have led to disasters like Rana Plaza in Bangladesh which left over 1,000 people dead. In a world where buying clothing is just a click away the key is to read, and read between the lines, and question everything.

3|Small Changes 

If shopping is commonly associated with women, then so should shopping consciously. It’s not as difficult as it sounds, in fact, we can start with a little self-reflection. That means instead of buying into trends found at large corporations, you first need to find your own personal style which will make shopping a lot easier. Figuring out what you can wear to reflect your personality will not only cut down on the size of your closet, but it will also save money and the environment.

 

It is up to you to support female designers who create their products transparently. At aida zardoost we work with a small female-owned and operated studio in Mumbai, India where the workers are paid fair wages and are respected and due to the slow fashion process, never overworked. More information on where your clothes come from is only ever a click away.