🔗 LINKS FOR GLOBAL CLOTHING POVERTY PLATFORMS reply to this comment with platforms similar to Give Your Best (a clothing platform that allows people experiencing clothing poverty to choose their own garments) in your country!!
Vietnam Veterans of America does clothing pick ups. All you have to do is go to their website and schedule one. I've donated all of my clothing to them, and I just leave my stuff in a labeled bag on the road like 10 minutes before the schedule time. They also have texts they send out when they are going to be in your area as well. If you have kids, check with local schools because they will need things like shirts, and pants. Underwear has to be unused.
I started sewing my own clothes after frustration with low quality, poor fitting garments that seem to be everywhere now regardless of the price point. Way better to ensure that an item will fit and look exactly how you want when you make it yourself. I find now that I gravitate towards my handmade clothes way more than my commercial items and I end up shopping less and getting more wear out of the clothes I currently have. Definitely time consuming but I much prefer it because you realize that clothes shouldn't be as cheap as they are now and that it takes time and effort to make a quality garment. I think everyone should learn how to sew , it would allow people to create more individualistic items and slow down consumption. Also its so gratifying to wear something that you made! There are so many free resources out there, youtube being the best!
every time i get a comment like this it makes me want to learn sewing more 😭 it's literally a life hack that we've forgotten and is slowly slowly coming back, but could be a simple solution to so many problems!! 🫶
I tried and even did a course, but it was so incredibly hard and I got so depressed and anxious. I have a dress with completely crooked side seams and no idea what I did wrong. I would love to be able to sew, but I don't know how people learn. It seems so technical, and need years of experience to really know what one is doing. I buy only secondhand, but I really wish I could sew my own.
oh literally - i think i literally described the rise of tiktok shop as dystopian in my latest deep dive into the platform: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-LjBuMQZkRmw.htmlsi=q-PMuCMzzWEx0dz7 i also did a deep dive into live shopping recently too!! ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-vzl9k3hccz0.htmlsi=UVKD287b4MASu0a_
Thanks for featuring the clothing services for those who need them! Wouldn’t it be cool if there was an app or service that can connect you to local seamstresses or dress makers as an alternative to buying from companies (like how it used to be back in the day). It would be a great way to support your local community and making sure you get quality clothing made just for you.
this would be so cool - i'm sure something does exist but i don't have any knowledge!! i know SOJO is a relatively new service in the UK that easily connects you to tailors for repairs which is super useful but creating a whole new garment probably takes specialists now 😅
@@katierobinsonjust to share, one doesn’t have to be a specialist to make whole new clothes :) I’ve recently started trying to make some of my own clothes mostly with fabric I’ve found at thrift stores or from dead stock, and it’s been so much more achievable than I thought it would be! I know it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but for anyone who DOES want to design their own clothes, but is intimidated, go for it!
@@raquelfantoni2812 love this!!! i suppose i said specialist bc you’re asking someone else to make your clothes which is a whole service, but making your own clothes is such a fun and rewarding solution!!
I crochet and am fortunate enough to be part of a crafting circle. Most of us have a yarncraft-focus but we all know how to sew. I had to hem a pair of sweats once and because I didn't have the time after measuring, cutting, and pinning, someone else took over to run it through their machine for me. I got a large capacity yarn winder with metal parts so it lasts longer and anyone in my circle can borrow it when we meet to cake their hanks. Hobbies like this are a rough start but become rewarding further down the line. Getting together for a stitch n' bitch lets you pool your skills and barter. If I fall out of love with a yarn before I can use it, I bring it to the circle first to see if someone else can use it and vise versa. A more recent future project came when my dad was disinfecting our windows back in the spring. The solution had bleach in it and he got it on one of my fitted sheets (because a corner of my bed is right under the window.) I have planned on using it to make pajamas and experimenting with making a few clothing items before I commit to specific fabric for them. Pajamas don't need to be seen anywhere but at home so it's a decent start. I've got all the seams ripped and kept the elastic to reuse. I may or may not go for the flat sheet too. I have to iron first and then, it's time to experiment.
As someone in Australia, the $13 per item is astounding. Good quality clothing is incredibly hard to come by today, unless you pay a large sum from independent designers, or get really good quality second hand stuff. On-shore designers and clothing manufacturers are struggling and fast fashion companies have been soaking up the market since the 2000s. You can also burn your bank account buying expensive clothes that are rip-off fast fashion. Like literally every store is fast fashion there is a huge gaping hole in the sustainable fashion , slow fashion space. I have no idea where the $13 per item is coming from, maybe online retailers or clothes for tweens? most things are heinously expensive regardless of quality. I'm 25 and I refuse to shop at places like H&M, cotton on and zara so I might not be reflective of the overall population.
love this insight! i wonder if ultra fast fashion really skews this metric since most of their items are under £10 here 👀 super interested in what you said about brands selling expensive fast fashion, do you have any examples? i thought there were a few sustainable Australian brands but now i’m worried i’ve fallen for greenwashing 😅
@@katierobinson not who you responded to but I would say all the brands under Factory X: Gorman, Alannah Hill, Princess Highway, Dangerfield, etc are all examples of expensive, fast fashion quality clothes. Especially sad about the decline of Gorman and Alannah Hill who used to be high quality, uniquely designs where the original brand founders were forced out by Factory X and now sell shit quality clothing.
@@katierobinson Another Australian brand that sells fast fashion at higher price point is Country Road which I've heard compared to COS. The margins on clothing made locally by skilled workers are very small. There are some established premium designers who cater mostly to the wedding and couture markets (Alex Perry, Carla Zampatt, Marianna Hardwick, Claire Pettibone). There are also unique local designers but they struggle to survive in this economy flooded with fast fashion. I've noticed a brand called Citizen Wolf that offers a very limited range of rather plain made-to-measure garments. Kobomo also seems to be mindful of sourcing their garments ethically. I bought a lot of their basics and they last for years even with frequent use. I personally like Seed Heritage because most is well designed for my body shape, but I don't know where the garments are made. As I mentioned in another comment, the Australian market is still comparatively small and just too far from the cultural hubs of New York and Paris for the big fashion houses to bother supplying us. WE have to go to them. Australia is still just an afterthought.
Wait - while we call out Shein and Temu can we also call out "first world" consumers whose demand fuel the bad corporate practices of these companies in the first place?
@@amyg8239 Partially, but blaming people for buying it when it’s available doesn’t mean it exists because of those people. That’s the argument those big companies always have, that this is what the consumers want so they have no other option but to provide.
I think there was a video on RU-vid that pointed out about 1.8 million people are in the air at any given time. They don't get there all at once but it puts it in perspective. I considered planes part of public transport before but I have another reason now.
This is the first video I have seen of yours. I am very impressed, thank you so very much for sharing this important information with the world at large. Liked and subscribed!
I don’t buy fast fashion anymore! But I have never been a big shopper anyway! In general! If I buy something I stick to it! I have clothes from over a decade! But just recently I have been aware of materials! So i built my small clothing selection and I don’t want any synthetic materials anymore!
Fantastic video! You provide such a comprehensive and powerful analysis of these issues, especially ones that are all too often neglected by the industry. I took a textile dye class recently and the amount of water waste (even for small projects) is concerning. And natural dyes, while they may seem better for the environment, actually require semi-toxic metal salts in order to produce color. We definitely need more innovation in the dye world.
thank u sm 😭 that's so interesting, i learnt a bit about this for my video on water but i'd love to do a class to get some hands on experience + maybe do a follow up on natural dyes pros / cons!! are you UK based by any chance??
I just wanted to let you know how much I love and appreciate these vids! I watch and love all your content and I feel like you do such a great job of condensing important points into the core of the issue or story and it's so valuable to hear about these very real issues from the perspective of someone I relate to on multiple levels. Keep killing it, v much here to support u! 💕
This is the first video of yours I've watched, and it was really informative- thank you so much for sharing these stories and your perspective on them.
@@katierobinson i'm in the energy industry, so if you havent made videos about the energy consumption of fashion it could be something thats interesting to research. an example of greenwashing that is often forgotten about is that textile and clothing manufacturers, as well as transport, are usually reliant on the least clean forms of energy, and investing in renewables for their plants and transport is not something that is as "sexy" for fashion companies as say recycled or non-plastic materials (which are changes that also happen to be cheaper and easier to implement but might have a smaller impact).
I agree! They need to ban fast fashion and invest on national affordable products! There’s a a solution for everything but most of them aren’t profitable so that’s why nothing gets done!
What you see as a problem is economic opportunity for people in those countries and you need to educate yourself before advocating taking their jobs away. Their jobs help them support their families. Your comment shows that you don't consider the needs of people in countries where these clothes are made. Do better.
i like how in India we all give our clothes to the less fortunate…so we get more use out of it …helps the people too and makes them very happy. (dont get me wrong, we gift them new items on festivals too)
There is also some very promising technologies being developed and invented for more sustainable fibers to be used fabrics and textiles! For example Spinnova has created a textile fibre that doesn't use harmful chemicals or create waste. These kinds of techonologies give hope, however we should all be mindful and change are consumption habits. Also loove that you are making this kind of content, I found it very interesting!💚
Just stumbled upon your video and I'm just amazed!! Exactly the topics I'm interested in combined and catching up on the news with a sustainable perspective is suuuper cool to see. Thanks for sharing and looking out for the next videos :)
i think fashion is going to implode on itself, and the more well off countries are going to have to adopt a more synthetic uniform, like we’ll all start dressing even more alike, with lower quality pieces
oh interesting take, i had the same thought in a video i did recently but thought the fall out would be v niche / individual fashion so complete opposite of your idea 😅 could go either way!!
Plenty of people aren’t going to wear trash. I worked in fashion (luxury and sustainable) for a long time and can see the shift to resale and people learning to make their own clothes. If anything we’re moving towards individual fashion choices leaning more sustainable and increased use of natural fibres.
There is absolutely no reason to use blockchain for this data. All it means is the process will remain the same but now you also mint an NFT under another name alongside it, and everyone knows NFTs are SO good for the environment. (Also - good video!)
oh 100%, but i think social media has become QVC on steroids thanks to the algorithm and trend culture, so definitely more widespread & potentially dangeroous
As an animal lover I often think about the street animals in these countries. If humans can’t even make enough money to care for themselves, imagine the suffering happening to innocent animals in these hot, overworked countries. It’s not fair and it’s tragic beyond belief.
australian governments won't help out businesses that actually do the recycling of fast fashion items like ours unless they have a link to someone in the government (its who you know not what you know or do) in our area one specific company gets all the funding and monopolises the fashion recycling in the area. Our business is struggling incredibly without support from the local council or government like that particular business. The specific company that gets all the funding also attacks other businesses if they do ask for funding from the council that do similar in the area and tries to get these other businesses to give up their time to help them recycle without pay. We aren't in the business to make a fortune but we still need to be able to pay staff and management. so this whole issue has been politicised in our particular region of Australia and we may actually go under as a business because we don't get assistance like this one favoured recycling company!. It shouldn't be that only one company gets help with this we need as many as possible to be doing the recycling.
Shein is SO SHADY. I cant stand that compabg and their look over HEREEE not over there, tactics. I firmly believe the used 'showrooms' when allowing influencers to tour their facilities when they invited that group a while back. It's all so scummy and I hope they never get an IPO. I'd love to see how much crap they throw away and how much of their tissue paper quality clothing ends up in the landfills within a year or 2 of purchasing. 😢
7:03 Ghana (maybe the government, maybe businesses there) chose to accept the clothing waste. You're infantilizing whatever Ghanian entity that made the decision to accept the clothes by not acknowledging that this is them facing the consequences of their business decision.
Exactly. Governments and corporations could choose a people over profit model in all decision making, bur they don’t. They allows these companies to over-produce and maintain wasteful business practices, and then gaslight and blame the masses. Gas, for example is evil, but buy a coal-powered EV that burns through more rubber tires. Swapping problems to make CEOs and shareholders rich is the game being played on all of us. It’s so obvious.
