We’re coming off the back of #SecondHandSeptember. This is a campaign run by Oxfam to encourage people to shop second-hand instead of buying new clothes. It’s a month-long campaign, yet the hope behind it is that it instils a prolonged habit of considering second-hand.
Last month, your social media feeds were likely filled with ways and ideas to implement Second Hand September. Sources for second-hand clothing, stats about fast fashion, ways to ease the transition. Sound familiar?
The fashion space is full of events and campaigns designed to make us more conscious of our consumption. As a supporter of impact start-ups, we are in favour of any movement that encourages less purchasing of brand-new items. However, now that October is here, we’re asking the question, what’s next? How can we move beyond a month-long effort of buying second-hand?
Enter the circular fashion model.
ONE Essentials
A couple of weeks back, we caught up with Carrie at ONE Essentials. Carrie was part of our cohort last year, and ONE follows a circular fashion model. This model goes beyond ‘second-hand’ and looks at the root cause of high levels of waste in the fashion industry. ONE ‘design with the end in mind’, meaning that at each stage of the production process, there is consideration for where these materials end up once they are finished with. Part of this is creating ‘products that can easily be repaired and remanufactured.’ In addition to this, ONE pledge that you can send their clothing back to them no matter the condition they are in, ensuring that it does not go to landfill. You can read more about their business model here.
Product Launch
About a month ago, ONE launched their first product line. You can check it out here.
They have chosen to address fast-fashion through one of the most disposable items of clothing: underwear. There are many reasons for choosing this product, and Carrie sums it up concisely, stating that the cheap and disposable nature of underwear is, ‘no good for us, no good for the planet and no good for generations to come.’ And so, she has decided to do something about it. Her products are a complete game changer for the fashion industry; we are so excited to see where Carrie and her business go from here.
ONE Essentials | Ladies Mid Rise Brief
ONE Essentials | Mens Boxer Brief
Fanfare
Esther from Fanfare was part of our cohort a few years ago. Also through a circular fashion model, Fanfare provide ethically produced, contemporary clothing.
In Esther’s words, ‘A fashion brand doing a one-off sustainable collection doesn’t make a difference‘ – circularity is the way forward. Sustainability must be ’embedded into a supply chain,’ rather than being used as a marketing ploy or thrown in as an afterthought. This is what makes brands like Fanfare and ONE stand out – from the start, they are embedding sustainability at the core of their business model.
Fanfare’s style is contemporary, unique and electric. They care about fashion, yet sustainability comes first. This involves sacrifices that fast-fashion brands don’t have to consider, both financially and in terms of the time it takes to build a customer base. Fanfare’s commitment to wider social issues is also evident in other ways. As well as being circular, they also partner with charities who support survivors of human trafficking within the fashion industry. You can read more about that here.
What’s not to love? Check out Fanfare’s store here.
Fanfare | High Waisted Recycled Painted Jeans
Fanfare | Recycled Vintage Painted Jacket Red & Green Check
Challenge
So, the question we’re asking is how can we go beyond #SecondHandSeptember? How can we think more consciously year-round about how we are contributing to the consumer culture around us? In what ways can you make your consumption more circular going forward? Here are 3 that we’ve thought of:
1. Of course, second-hand is better than brand-new fast fashion. So, continue beyond September to shop second-hand, perhaps considering creative ways to make use of materials once those clothes eventually become unwearable. Check out some ideas here.
2. Next time you’re purchasing a new item of clothing, do a bit of research on different brand options. Top Tip: those who don’t disclose their ethics are a red flag!
3. Think about items of clothing you are more likely to dispose of quickly (underwear, socks etc). When second-hand isn’t an option or perhaps isn’t the best option, consider brands like ONE, who adopt the circular approach and commit to disposing of clothing in the most sustainable way possible (or, even better, finding new life for it!)
In addition, when it comes to replacing bigger items with a longer life (jeans, suits etc), consider making the investment in brands like Fanfare, whose products are long-lasting with a low-impact on the environment, as well as being modern, stylish and more than worth the higher price point.
Keep up to date with ONE and Fanfare on their socials @oneehq @fanfarelabel
Keep up to date with us @impactcentraluk