Fashion's Dirty Secrets

*Siiiiiiiiiigh*

 So I've just finished watching "Stacey Dooley Investigates: Fashion's Dirty Secrets" on BBC 1... And I'm left with a heavy heart.
The documentary is a real eye opener. It hurts to notice just how misleading fashion - something we in the Western world recognize as a form of self-expression and indulgence - can truly be. To recognise the corners that are cut, the destructive effect these have on the planet and on millions of people's livelihoods, is heartbreaking to say the least.This is heightened especially by the fact that it is to sell us a basic commodity at a very cheap monetary price. But, we must ask ourselves, at what real cost?

 It is a first glance, through Dooley's eyes - whom herself is the average British consumer - into the devastating impact that fast fashion has. I really appreciate the engagement she had across all areas of the sector. She does public questionnaires to inform the general public of their simple actions and the considerable implications of them, and they're flabbergasted (such a cool word). The simple action of buying a cotton T-shirt in a high st shop has the price tag of £3, but actually costs the Earth 2,700 litres of water. Never mind the few pence paid to the worker or the chemicals they were exposed to during the long hours of making hundreds of the same item. Modern day slavery, y'all. 

Stacey covers just how politically corrupt the textile factories are in Indonesia by ignoring ecological regulations and pumping out their toxic waste into the Citarum River. This is the main water supply for 28 million people in the region and contains toxins, such as heavy metal. Long term exposure has caused skin rashes, and have the ability to lower IQ levels in children and cause neurological problems. Fields are also irrigated with this water. There really is no escape *cue sinister music*. 


Dooley also explores the concept of fashion being the planet's second biggest polluter, and she walks along the Aral sea's floor, now turned desert (with the exception of a section of the North Aral sea remaining). At a Copenhagen sustainability conference, she approaches Primark and Asos's representatives, whom dismiss her in minutes. Main high street brands refuse to contact her regarding her sustainability questions. Politicians do the same. The cheek of it.


The audacity that consumers might be satisfied with this kind of treatment, was as upsetting and infuriating for her as it is for me. To think that all this can just be brushed under the carpet, hidden behind the curtain or underneath the fabric (if you get the link ;) )! 


However, even after all of this Dooley has only scratched the surface. Towards the end of the film, she approaches bloggers and Youtube influences, in hopes they will positively sway their audience. She urges us as consumers to think before it's too late. Buy less. Buy from more ethical and eco sources. 

The documentary is currently on BBC iPlayer, go watch it! Share. Especially with Jane whom you hate for being always on trend. Now you can go vintage shopping together! Instant besties.

Be the change you want to see in the world and time is not a thing that we have...

 Love always,
Catherine xxx

P.s. Up soon: Affordable Sustainable Alternatives!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

What is Fast Fashion and why we need a Revolution

Image
On the 24th of April 2013, the Rana Plaza garment factory collapsed in Bangladesh, killing over 1,100 innocent people . This was the start of the Fashion Revolution . Today was the first day of the #FashRev week (23rd - 29th of April). Every year from then on, the movement has been gaining momentum, as more and more people become aware of the consequences behind purchasing 'fast fashion'. But what do I mean  by that term? Back in the day, designers used to produce collections for two seasons a year (Spring/Summer, Autumn/Winter -  makes sense, right? ). However, nowadays high street stores have new stock pilling onto their shelves and crowding their rails every week. That's  52 'seasons' -  a  hella laaat! How unnecessary.  Think about it for a second: do you really need that many clothes? The simple answer is no. Yet we see no reason to question whether or not to buy, or who to buy from. That is until you read this article ( I'd hope ). The clothi
Read more

Sustaining each other in times of isolation x Fash Rev

Image
The usual bustling has slowed and the Earth is beginning to breathe again. Many things have come to light that otherwise wouldn't have. I believe individuals care about one-another, more than we are lead to believe in the media. We want good things for each other. This virus has proven it - roughly half of the world's population is in a lock-down of some kind; we are coming together by staying apart. We are being asked to save others by isolating ourselves, and nothing feels less human. We need human contact to feel appreciated, to generate personal growth. The more I speak to friends and family, the more I realise we all innately desire the same thing: connection. However, the systems that we feed into create the opposite. The policies we abide by on the daily cause inequity, disconnection, harm, fear... So, perhaps we must stop abiding by them? We're beginning to notice that there is no 'normal' if that is to be living in total excess and greed. As we
Read more

Where to buy what, sustainably!

Image
Because "sustainable fashion" no longer means "boring"! To those of you wondering where to buy yourself the new shirt of your dreams, yet only willing to do so without harming the Earth or other fellow humans. Here are some key points to note: Transparency - Sustainability has been a buzzword for a while now. It's cool to care for the planet. So some brands will be jumping on the craze simply to drive profits without being genuine as a company (this is called greenwashing ). The brand must be fair to its workers and make an effort to reduce their impact on the planet. There should be info on that in the brand's "About Us" section. Price -  I know, I know, "sustainable fashion is expensive" . No it's not, simply a majority of consumers nowadays are used to buying a top with the same price tag as a takeaway coffee. Given the brand is genuine in it's transparency, it's worth the investment. The fork-out will make more s
Read more