Back To Basics: What Is "Slow Fashion" Anyway & How Can I Support It?

First, let's talk about what it isn't: At its core, slow fashion is a rebuke of fast fashion—an industry built on cheap, poorly made garments that have a high social and environmental impact.

While slow fashion doesn't have a hard-and-fast definition, it refers to a more nuanced, mindful way of shopping that prioritizes people and the planet. It could mean shopping secondhand, buying less, prioritizing natural fabrics, or some combination of all these things, depending on the consumer.

"Slow fashion is about really understanding what your needs are and finding the best product to address those needs," Shivam Punjya, the founder and creative director of behno, an ethical handbag line, tells mbg.

The fast fashion industry that slow fashion seeks to replace treats clothes (and in some cases, the people who create them) as disposable.

It quickly cycles through massive amounts of water, dye, oil, and oftentimes chemicals to create clothing that can be sold at a low price point but isn't designed to last long. Then, it markets those clothes in a way that makes people want to keep buying them at a fast clip.

Glitzy ad campaigns, seasonal fashion shows, and constantly changing trends have dramatically increased the appetite for new clothes over the last few decades. Since 2000, clothing utilization (the number of times a garment is worn) around the world has decreased by 36%, while the amount of clothing produced has doubled, according to a report from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation titled, A New Textile Economy.

"The No. 1 issue [of fast fashion] is the amount that's being produced," says Artise. "The harmful chemicals that are used in production have been consistent over the years. The one thing that has changed is that we're producing a lot more."

Synthetic materials like polyester and nylon are made from oil and can leach tiny microplastics into the water supply when run through a washing machine. Natural, renewable materials, especially ones that can be grown quickly and without pesticides, tend to have less impact on the environment. Hemp, bamboo, wool, linen, and organic cotton are some eco-friendlier fabrics to prioritize. As long as you're not vegan, leather can also be less resource-intensive to create than synthetics (depending on how it's processed).

Which leads to an important point: As is the case with every tip on this list, this isn't a matter of ticking off a box and immediately adding to your cart. Once you find an organic cotton shirt that catches your eye, for example, go a level deeper and see where the cotton comes from, how it was cultivated, and how it was processed. Remember, this is a slow process for a reason!

"Giving clothes a second or third life saves water, energy, and chemicals used for dyeing and processing." Megan Schuknecht, the director of design challenges at The Biomimicry Institute, tells mbg about the value of shopping secondhand. Every time you buy used, you're also casting a vote for durable clothes that are designed to stay in use for many wears across multiple owners.

While fast fashion treats clothing as disposable, slow fashion recognizes its value as a material. When applied to fashion, recycling means turning old clothes into new clothes of similar value.

This is really hard to do since fibers tend to lose strength and quality after being broken down (though a few brands such as For Days, Everywhere, and Opus Mind have started experimenting with it). These days, most worn-out clothing is downcycled and turned into less valuable materials like insulation and rags, which is still better than being sent to landfill.

When poking around a fashion brand's website, see what you can find out about its three main categories: materials, makers, and supply chain. Be wary of any language that feels gimmicky or unsubstantiated.

"Overarching, vague statements are the red flag," says Punjya. "Brands that are doing the work have a lot more to say about their supply chain. It's not a one- or two-sentence write-up; it's more of an explanation of the process."

For most people—especially those in the U.S., where clothes are only worn a quarter as much as the global average—shopping slower will mean shopping less. Artise says that the best baby step toward sustainability is committing to going a month (or longer, depending on your current shopping habits) without buying any clothes. "The minute you know you can go without buying something, it starts to set in motion the mindset that you're buying needlessly," she says.