In my last blog post, I wrote about how to become a more conscious consumer when selecting your gifts, and this idea of conscious consumerism is a topic I am very passionate about. I don’t make New Year’s resolutions, but I’m participating in a 30-day challenge organized by one of my strategic partners, Cyndy Porter of Cyndy Porter Style & Photography, called Ethical Ensembles Closet Challenge. More about this later.

Have You Heard Of Fast Fashion?

Originally, Fast Fashion was the term utilized by fashion retailers to express that designs move from catwalk to consumer quickly to capture current fashion trends.  Today, fashion cycles are happening much faster.  There used to be four seasons per year; now there can be 11 to 15 or more per year.  Fast fashion is mass-produced in factories that:

1. have poor working conditions;
2. exploit workers; and
3. use chemicals and materials that are harmful to the workers and the environment.

Ever-changing styles and lower prices sway consumers to purchase more than they need, and to dispose of the clothes faster, leading to more waste.

Fast Fashion To Slow Fashion

Fast Fashion has led to the birth of the Slow Fashion movement, which advocates for principles similar to those of slow food, such as good quality, a clean environment, and fairness for both consumers and producers.  Slow Fashion produces clothing made of high-quality materials, usually with timeless designs that can be worn year-round and never go out of style.  Also pertinent to the purpose behind Slow Fashion is developing a garment with a cultural and/or emotional connection.  It is felt that consumers will keep a piece of clothing longer if they feel emotionally or culturally connected to it.  Other elements of the movement include: buying vintage clothes, redesigning old clothes, donating old clothes and purchasing from smaller producers.

Back To The Ethical Ensembles Closet Challenge

Cyndy wants women to become more aware of where their clothes are made, who made them, the conditions in which they are made, and how they were made to last.  The first step is to understand what is in your closet.  In the next 30 days, the challenge officially starts on the 15th of January, you are to:

1. Wear all of the winter clothes you own
2. Create a new outfit every day
3. Don’t wear any outfit twice; and
4. Share your outfits for feedback on Facebook

This challenge is going to make me evaluate every piece of my winter wardrobe.  If you’re like me, there are certain pieces I wear all the time and others I can’t remember the last time I wore them.  Cyndy says if you touch a piece you have to decide to:

1. Wear it
2. Save it (because it is an orphan and you need to add another piece to create an outfit)
3. Recycle it
4. Exchange it
5. Donate it

The first two days of the challenge, I worked from home, so I hadn’t created my first outfit yet. Today, that all changed.

I will report the results at the end of the 30 days.  If you are interested in getting more information about or participating in the Ethical Ensembles Closet Challenge, go to https://www.facebook.com/groups/SuccessthruStyle/

The post Introducing Conscious Consumerism Into Fashion Purchases appeared first on VirtuArte.

At a time when retailers are selling the latest products at very low prices, these movements are working to get people to become more aware and/or conscious of what they are purchasing and the social and ecological impact those purchases can have, both positive and negative.  VirtuArte embraces these movements and in 2018 we are committed to creating a greater awareness of where our products come from, who makes them and the social impact a purchase from VirtuArte can have.

The “Fast Movements” Affect Handcrafted Products

Before starting VirtuArte, I found, in my travels, many beautiful items handcrafted by artisans in developing countries using traditional skills.  You can think of this as “the slow” process.  But I also found, in some places, there were fewer and fewer artisans making these items because the younger generations are not interested in learning these traditional skills.  There are a number of reasons for this, but the main reason is that the younger generation didn’t see a way of earning a sustainable living using these skills.  If the younger generations stay in their villages or towns, they opt for faster ways to create products, using cheaper materials that damage their health and the environment, or they just sell cheaply made products from China, India or other countries.  This can be seen in the products now sold in local markets.  If these individuals decide to leave their towns or villages they move to the larger cities in their countries in hopes of finding a job and a better quality of life.  What often happens is these individuals find low paying jobs or no jobs at all and end up living in worse conditions then if they had stayed “home.”

These traditional skills are an important part of a country’s culture.  They are not written down anywhere.  The only way these skills are kept alive is by the older generations teaching them to the younger generations.  If these skills are not used, they are lost and then become very difficult, if not impossible, to revive.  I started VirtuArte to assist artisans in developing countries to generate a sustainable income through the sale of their handcrafted works of art, thus preserving these traditional skills.

Gift Giving Tips For The Conscious Consumer

The next time you have a gift-giving occasion, choose an item that:

1. Is unique and handcrafted.  These items are often one-of-a-kind or limited quantities and keep the traditional methods of weaving, sculpting, carving, jewelry making and other skills alive;
2. Is respectful of people.  Often individuals, workshops or cooperatives proudly state in their product information that providing environmentally safe working conditions, living wages, and skills development are an important part of their mission; and
3. Has a story behind it.  Knowing where, how and who made an item gives more vibrancy and meaning to a gift.

Ultimately, make your gift selection based on the aspirations, likes and wants of the recipient, however, be conscious of the impact your purchase can have on others and the environment.

The post How Conscious Gift Giving Supports Artisans and Cultural Traditions appeared first on VirtuArte.