It's Time To Ditch Fast Fashion & Take Things Slow
When I first moved to Los Angeles, I began thrifting and purchasing clothes secondhand. Not to be trendy or cool, but because the cost of living here scared me into shopping at Goodwill on $1 t-shirt day. Slowly over time, I reached a point where I decided to purge my life and be a bit more minimalistic. Now, the only items I purchase from the store are underwear and socks because those are not things one salvages at a thrift store.
Despite my love for a more minimalist lifestyle, I still have mad respect for the brands who are trying to live a more ethical, eco-conscious living over simply collecting dollar dollar bills ya'll.
Here is a list of a few favorites:
Wasi Clothing
Founded by photographer and fashion design Vanessa Acosta, Wasi Clothing is Latina-owned business that is putting her Bolivian roots on the map with her unique, one-of-a-kind designs.
As a one-woman ran business, Acosta is in charge of every step from ethically sourcing all the textiles from South America to designing and hand sewing each design in her studio – which often includes many late nights to ensure everything is just right.
Some of my personal favorites of the Snake Plant Matching Set and Dress, as well as the Tassel Dress I have the privilege of wearing in her first runway show at the Museum of Latin American Art.
Girlfriend Collective
Between daily yoga practices, power walks around the neighborhood and the occasional climbing session, I needed a solid pair of leggings for every occasion. While going to Marshall's and picking up a sweet pair for $15 was more ideal for the wallet, I opted to invest in a pair of Compressive Leggings from Girlfriend Collective. Guess what friends? I was NOT disappointed. The leggings not only form fitted to my shape but are also incredibly soft and made from 25 recycled post-consumer water bottles.
Considering polyester and nylon are both lightweight, synthetic fabrics, plastic is part of their chemical makeup, which makes Girlfriend's choice to utilize recycled materials (that would otherwise end up in a landfill) such a great step in the eyes of sustainable fashion.
Everlane
Ever since Everlane dropped their Renew Collection, which is made from 3 million recycled water bottles mind you, ya girl has been hooked! The soft fleece pullover is a dream come true, as I run cold, and the brick color fits perfectly into my wardrobe. I'm hopeful some summer wear will come out soon, as I live in Los Angeles and winter is about over.
If you'd like more of the facts, according to GQ, "specifically: a puffer jacket that uses 16 recycled bottles, a fleece sweatshirt that renews 35 plastic bottles, a zip fleece that uses 41 and two parkas, long and short, that are composed of 60 and 55 plastic bottles respectively."
Or if you're weary and question the packaging and shipping materials, you're not alone because I do the same. That's why it brings me such great joy to tell you Everlane is in the works of developing recyclable versions for all their products, with hopes of rolling them out next year.
BackBeatRags
I've had the privilege of working with Back Beat Rags and founder Isadora Alvarez in the past on my other project, We Are Phenomenal, and her clothes are the perfect combination of old school California surf 'n' skate culture with modern street style.
The fact that she's created an ethos based on the city she lives, and the planet she lives on, is just icing on the cake. All of the clothing is made right here in Los Angeles, and all the fabric (which are certified organic cotton, recycled cotton, hemp, and Tencel) is purchased from small, family-owned businesses to minimize her environmental footprint.
Seriously, all about everything she is doing and definitely looking to add at least one piece to my summer collection.