https://www.theguardian.com/.../mar/17/are-vintage-clothes-more-ethical ASOS Marketplace offers unique vintage clothing online, helping you achieve that super raw London edge without ever leaving the comfort of your PJs. Durham markets is a treasure trove of vintage, unique and wonderful finds, so when you have a day to rummage, go down and have a look! Instead, vintage often offers a much more fun, interesting and rewarding shopping experience than looking through mass produced fast fashion, as well as some sense of freedom from restrictive fashion norms and sizing. – Firstly, avoid multiples. They are also one of the more affordable online thrift stores with prices starting less than $50. Clothes from before this time aren’t generally circulating, and are mostly not in wearable condition, so are seen as antique. When I do buy new, I try to purchase only from ethical, sustainable and fair trade brands. Ethical and green living with Lucy Siegle, In with the old: vintage clothes on sale in the King's Road, Chelsea. Check out our ethical clothing selection for the very best in unique or custom, handmade pieces from our shops. Top-flight vintage merchants – for example William Vintage, which tracks seminal pieces from private collections – are becoming increasingly rare as older pieces are archived in museums. Tina Smith and Lucy Scott have superhero powers: they can see through Tarmac, concrete and inner-city sprawl to a hidden green landscape. Full online access to our unique shopping guides, ethical rankings and company profiles. Our products are stylish, contemporary and make fantastic gifts for all ages Vintage becomes about trucks and containers and trading "rag" by the kilo. The two things I’ve noticed are these: the introduction of multiples (selling more than one of the same item, often in a variety of colours or sizes), and the rise of the words ‘vintage style’. Buyers often buy bales "blind". There is always a chance that this can occasionally be a mistake, as the high street sometimes produces clothes that imitate vintage style. Many vintage clothes were hand tailored and made of durable materials, resulting in better products that last a long time. ** The 8 best online stores for stylish and unique graphic tees for men and women. The main issues in vintage fashion are caused by a lack of understanding, and a lack of value around the clothes. Subscribe ; Leather. The German organisation FairWertung has monitored the industry extensively and found illegal imports and scams to avoid duty. Unique one-off pieces of all ages and styles. Hampshire Surrey Berkshire borders . work to change your perspective on the value of clothes. As the creation of unsustainable, throwaway, cheaply-made items that quickly fall apart has risen, it’s unlikely that most of the clothes produced today could live to become vintage. Utilising both ethical and sustainable practices when developing and manufacturing products, all jeans are produced with sustainable fabrics via a totally environmentally-friendly and cruelty-free process. – Try to buy from and donate to local, smaller vintage dealers. Just reading it is restorative. Taking inspiration from nature and modern life, Lilia creates timeless pieces that combine natural and contemporary lines. This is where the multiples come in. Then last year, when I travelled to Amsterdam and Oslo, I realised the emerging trend I had noticed in London was a fully fledged operation elsewhere. Founded in 2000 by CEO Katie Echeverry, uniquevintage.com was born out of a love for vintage fashion, initially as a weekend hobby. For example for Trendlistr Louisa sources from Brussels and France when she goes home to see her family, whilst her dad also picks things up when he sees something he thinks may sell well! BEAUTIFUL. This messes with the ethical credentials of vintage. Five years ago I stopped shopping new and fully embraced creating my own unique style from secondhand, vintage, thrifted and inherited garments and materials. My faves: Pe’a Gold and Pearls Starfish necklace 6. It’s something I sat on for a long time because I couldn’t find any research or sources beyond my own suspicion, and I didn’t know any vintage retailers myself to verify my thoughts. Louisa’s work is not for the fainthearted, as she has honed a specialist set of knowledge and skills that help her identify and understand vintage clothes in a way that is truly admirable. At the same time clothes from after this time can be seen as vintage if they’re from a specific designer, as they can be classified by the seasons within the brand’s history. I knew that many large vintage sellers bought from wholesalers in order to sell at lower prices, but surely it wasn’t possible to find so many of the same item. Stand out with mens vintage clothing, 50s dresses and ethical vintage fashion. Matt & Nat Recycled Vegan Backpack. Vintage Ethical Jewellery, Bridal necklace, Unique repurposed vintage necklace, vintage faux pearls,crystals and marcasite floral necklace Potentially the seller is buying new clothes, cutting out the label and selling them as ‘vintage’. CHAMPIONING SUSTAINABLE BRANDS, EMERGING TALENT AND RESPONSIBLY AND ETHICALLY SOURCED OBJECTS. The term vintage fashion is usually applied to clothing from the 1920s-1980s. However this changed a few months ago when I met Louisa Rogers, the girl boss behind Newcastle-based vintage retailer Trendlistr, who source each and every item by hand from across Europe. Vintage sizing is a product of its time, so people often don’t have to feel guilty if they don’t fit something that was made for a body bred on post-war rationing, instead they just rework the size and enjoy their find. Be unique with sustainable vintage clothing from My Vintage! Vintage needs to be cleaned up. From original vintage dresses to mod and boho clothing and vintage style to retro clothing we have it all! To order a copy for £11.99, with free UK p&p, go to theguardian.com/bookshop or call 0330 333 6846. This messes with the ethical credentials of vintage. Vintage is ethical.Vintage is fashionable. For vintage sellers a lot of work goes into selling an individual item which then can’t be sold again, whilst at the same time sellers are in the difficult position of a demand for lower price, due to our skewed modern perspective on how much clothes should cost. owadays it's not uncommon to find clothing under five years old labelled as "vintage". Ethics are a system of moral principles and a branch of philosophy which defines what is good for individuals and society. Unfortunately it's become a catchall term for pre-worn threads. M-24 make unique and incredibly sturdy ethical backpacks, manufactured in the UK from recycled truck tarpaulins and used seat belts. A chilling tee from Unique Vintage, this scary collaboration with the classic retro creature movie, Gremlins, features a colourful graphic print of a shadowy gremlin sneaking up on poor, terrified Gizmo.The dark grey three-quarter length raglan sleeves are centred by a heather grey torso while the crew neckline and raw hem keep you comfortable. Vintage style does not have to equal true vintage, it can simply be fast fashion produced to emulate the vintage aesthetic. | Vintage and Ethical Wedding and Evening Dresses : Odiham Hampshire Surrey It says we need greater transparency in what is a rather secretive industry. If you pay any mind to —— and what girl doesn’t —— the retro fashions trends that surround us, you realize that every day seems to generate a new fad. – If you are in larger vintage stores, try to buy pieces that are actually vintage, and work to change your perspective on the value of clothes. As part of the Selfridges sustainability initiative, Project Earth, the retailer … Ethical & Sustainable Men’s Fashion Exists, Brothers We Stand Is Where To Find It, grünBAG’s Sustainable Backpacks Make Holiday Travel Easier Than Ever, One Simple Trick For Creating A More Sustainable Wardrobe – ETHICAL UNICORN, Ethical & Sustainable Gift Guide: 60+ Ideas For Everyone In Your Life – ETHICAL UNICORN, How To Quit Fast Fashion – ETHICAL UNICORN, Look at fastenings and zips. Updated in 2021. Photograph: Graham Turner for the Guardian. But vintage fashion, as we know it now, won’t continue forever. It's a relatively easy sell for the consumer, too. International traders deal in huge quantities – the biggest in the US sorts 35 tonnes every day of printed T-shirts and nearly 8 million kg of "vintage" every year for export. If the zip pull is small and thin, like the ones you’d see on a normal pair of jeans, then it’s more likely to be modern, Look at linings and stitching, if there are small irregularities you can see it was handmade rather than mass produced, If the labels are cut out, be suspicious as something is probably going on. As a consumer there are a few things you can do. But if you’re at all unsure I’d argue that this is where the phrasing ‘vintage style’ comes in. Be sure to join our VIP facebook group. She believes the best way to see change happen is through consumer choice, intersectional collective action, and policy change. Each week we…” Use of leather is common in the furniture trade, with most companies in this guide offering leather products such as sofas. If the market shifted and people were willing to pay a little bit more, we could work to eradicate these subtle fast fashion tactics. According to the city's estate agents, the most accurate barometer of gentrification is dry cleaners switching from 'perc' – a likely human carcinogen. If you have an ethical dilemma, send an email to Lucy at lucy.siegle@observer.co.uk. Wearing: 80’s Oliver Grant Paris Shirt, c/o Trendlistr; Yellow 80s Shorts, Trendlistr (but bought myself!). Unlike editorial fashion, where models are often dressed head to toe in one designer, the rise of influencers, Instagram and blogging have shown how vintage can be styled in real life, as true street style is often a mix of many sources. If dealers could charge higher prices they wouldn’t necessarily feel the pressure to supplement, so if we boycott shops selling these vintage style clothes alongside true vintage, we’ll just increase the pressure and result in it happening more. A unique collection of fine ethical gemstone jewellery including engagement rings and wedding rings, all handmade in ethical, recycled platinum, 18ct gold and sterling silver. Sustainable vintage fashion and ethical living is a popular and much debated topic in today’s news.Sustainable vintage fashion plays a big part in maintaining and promoting a broader outlook on where your clothing comes from and how it is made. While fast fashion is more accessible than it’s ever been vintage is also more popular, as people have more inspiration for how to incorporate it into their styling, and more ability to access the clothes themselves. – From a business model point of view, an excellent solution would be for vintage stores to house ethical brands within their space as concessions. I spoke to Louisa, who confirmed what I thought. COLLABORATING WITH ARTISANS ACROSS THE UK AND BEYOND TO CREATE HANDCRAFTED, … A comprehensive list including vintage stores, budget-friendly options and ethically considered fashion brands too! But it has also meant that, over the years, I started to notice something. If you’re selling clothes they’ll probably give you a better price, due to having specialist knowledge and fully understanding the value of the pieces. But vintage, is not unique. Perhaps both of these things don’t seem like that big of a deal to you, but today I want to examine why these small details are actually very important. If you’re not sure whether an item is definitely vintage here are some quick tells for checking: – Check that the store you’re going to is actually selling vintage, and not ‘vintage style’ clothing. Lost in London is their seductive guide to getting back to nature in the capital. ‘Often people fall for it, thinking it’s true vintage, when sadly it was probably made in the last five years’. I hope this helps you next time you want to buy vintage. They're also hot as hell, which is a bonus, and available to shop on Selfridges, Lofte and Free People. If it looks like one or two pieces that could have been donated or sourced together that’s probably ok, if it’s a lot of the same style with varying colours or sizes leave it alone. Vintage is many things. https://ethicalunicorn.com/2018/08/05/how-ethical-is-vintage-fashion Sustainable and ethical brand, FH Christensen, believes that fashion should represent good causes and promote positive messages, sustainability, and ethics. Ethics and sustainability: Tiffany either makes each piece herself in small batches or sources vintage jewelry to give it a new life. ETHICAL. Whilst I wouldn’t call myself an expert by any means, I have loved vintage shopping for a good decade now, so I feel pretty capable of navigating myself through that world. There are far more now who don't give a fig for crystal beading and built-in corsetry. The essential ethical print magazine. Upcycled design: 100 percent made of leftover leather + lined with 100 percent silk and unique vintage scarfs; Ethical design: 100 percent manufactured by newly arrived migrants with a refugee background; Dutch design: 100 percent locally produced in the Netherlands If you are looking for something, pretty, smart, and vegan then do check out Matt and Nat*. Check out our ethical jewellery selection for the very best in unique or custom, handmade pieces from our jewellery shops. Unique mixed kantha: vintage cotton and luxe repurposed sari blanket | kantha quilt | kantha throw | ethically handmade in Bangladesh Repurposed saris, layered and joined with straight rows of even stitching, tell a story of Bangladesh and of lives made new. The wearable collections include ethical products made by hand, to previously loved vintage, to styles designed with eco-conscious materials and processes. And because Louisa’s knowledge of this world is so thorough, through our discussions I was able to discern where some shady antics may be hiding too. She specifically picks items that are unique and interesting, often selling a mix of pieces that are designer, quirky, and unlike anything else you’ll have seen before. If we think of a hierarchy of ethical ways of dressing, vintage should be near the top. Based in Derbyshire, nationwide delivery available for all products. A social enterprise upcycling fabulous vintage and designer frames. Antiques, vintage and handmade furniture, collectables and decorative items for you home. They just buy and sell clothing by the kilo, rebranding them as vintage or retro. Antique and vintage furniture for sale online. Here the business model begins to resemble fast fashion. Many ethical brands can’t afford an entire shop space, and selling these clothes would be mutually beneficial as the vintage sellers wouldn’t feel pressure to mass produce vintage knock offs. Start Shopping ASOS MADE IN KENYA. Of course this also depends on a perspective change, as ethical fashion brands often have higher price points, but it’s also an achievable goal to work towards in time. However she explained that the margin for this type of error is so low that it doesn’t add up with the amount of clothing that’s being kind-of-greenwashed and sold as vintage. So high-rises become an opportunity for beekeepers and scrubland becomes a sort of free, seasonal supermarket for foraged berries and plants. Unfortunately we now need to ask a few more questions of vintage sellers. Some items are legitimately hard to date, and Louisa herself has even sold one piece that turned out to be modern. Everything on the site is modeled by real women, with a whole range of diverse sizes and body types. Unique vintage and contemporary eco-friendly bridal studio. WELCOME TO THE HOME OF ETHICAL FASHION IN THE UK ... Thirteen years, eight more stores and an ecommerce site later, we have carved a unique identity as the leading vintage retailer across the UK and Sweden, and remain a seminal reference point for individuals of style - as well as a key stakeholder in the circular economy. I love her vintage-inspired style (and supporting a fellow WOC with her small business). Instead, we want to make sure our investment in vintage fashion is going into the actual vintage clothes, and alleviating the pressures these stores feel. Today vintage fashion is enjoying a surge of popularity. Despite the growth in fast fashion, vintage has experienced a resurgence from around 2008 onwards, as social media and the internet has allowed for a vintage economy to flourish. Giving up buying brand new wardrobe items was a lot less difficult than I had imagined and I’m constantly surprised when others think it should have been a challenging experience. Are they hook and eye or poppers? After recognizing that high How green is it to dress vintage? For example, vintage Marc Jacobs could be from Spring Summer 2012. For Trendlistr she sources from various locations, mainly Brussels and France, picking every piece by hand from house sales, vide greniers and a variety of other sources. I remember finding myself in a well known London vintage shop maybe two years ago, completely baffled as to how I was seeing twenty different shirts, all the same design, in various colours and sizes. I first felt like something was off a few years ago, when I noticed that the stock in some of the big vintage stores in London was changing. It's a global market (as is the second-hand trade in textiles), and we now see outsourcing of collection and supply. It’s a subtle turn that I’ve seen sneak into traditional vintage selling, where shops will describe themselves as selling ‘vintage and vintage style clothing’. It’s almost hard to keep up with what’s in and what’s out. Check out their tarpaulin backpacks online. This is something I’ve been mulling over for a solid two years. She makes the pieces in her bedroom and also revives unique vintage finds. A common argument is that leather is merely a by-product of the meat industry; however, this is not entirely true. If you see multiple of the same item (more than maybe one or two that could have been found together, but instead seem as though they wouldn’t be out of place in a normal clothes shop) at a similar price point to what the vintage is being sold for, there’s no way the stores aren’t using fast fashion methods to create at a low cost. Charities have lost £50 to £100 a tonne from prices in recent weeks, and this is partly due to a drop in quality of donated clothes. Now there’s currently no more information or official sources out there for me to link to to back up my claims, and maybe where you are you haven’t seen this happen at all, which is great. Buying pre-worn saves clothes from landfill and gives us an ethical way of satisfying a lust for new clothes without embracing fast-fashion culture. Since launching in … We met after both of us spoke at a sustainability event up North and, after excitedly asking her a bunch of questions on the world of vintage fashion, visiting her beautiful studio in Newcastle’s city centre, and attending a presentation Louisa gave on the history of vintage fashion, I was finally able to get my head around some of what is going on in the complex world of reselling unique clothes. Lost in London is published by Anova Books (£14.99; anovabooks.com). If you dig my work but live a bit too far away to buy me a real coffee, you can send me a lil digital thank you here instead! 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