POLLUTING THE PLANET AND YOUR BODY- BREAK THE CYCLE OF FAST FASHION WITH ABERDEVINE
by Polly Bilton
Did you know most of your clothes are designed for the landfill? In the US alone, 5 million kilograms of underwear end up in landfill everyday, mainly due to cheap, overproduced garments made at unethical costs. From the low-cost production and flimsy materials to their ‘micro-trend’ appeal, fast fashion brands want you to dispose of their items. Why? So that you keep on buying.
Here at Aberdevine, we stand to oppose this. Prioritising intentional, adjustable designs, quality, sustainable materials, long-lasting, artisanal craftsmanship, and timeless elegance, Aberdevine tackles fast fashion one piece at a time.
Just bin it-
Products designed to be thrown away? It's called ‘Planned Obsolescence’, a term coined in 1932 by Bernard London describing products intentionally designed to have a short lifespan to provoke further buying. While it opposed the high quality of most products of the time and the value of craftsmanship, the idea stuck around. As we began to move towards a more consumer-driven society, the appeal of such products grew for companies. Not only were they keeping material costs, production costs, and labour costs down but they were also benefiting from more frequent sales. This pattern of disposable production has only grown with the development of fast fashion companies that use unethical, environmentally damaging and inhumane production processes to ensure products are produced at speed and at low cost. In the last two decades, there has been a 400% increase in the annual production of clothing, now residing at 80 billion pieces annually, according to The True Cost.
Slow Fashion- intentional design and long-lasting craftsmanship
The antidote to fast fashion emerges as its exact opposite, ‘Slow Fashion’. Clothing designed for long lasting wear that takes into account the products impact on people, the planet and animals. A sister to Sustainable Fashion, Slow Fashion practices work to increase the lifespan of clothing allowing consumers to use products rather than waste. According to WRAP, a global environmental action NGO extending the lifespan of clothes by just 9 months reduces carbon emissions, water use and waste by 20-30% each.
Most mid-range bras are expected to last between 6-12 months with brands often encouraging a repurchase within this time, cheaper fast-fashion bras often last less than this. At Aberdevine we don't have a specific lifespan for our pieces, only evidence of their long-lasting wear.
“We have designed Aberdevine’s lingerie to move with real women- through changes, challenges and celebrations. Five years on, I still wear my bra everyday, and so do our lovely friends, family and first customers- all the women who believed in us from the start”
Marta Bujwicka-Colman (Founder of Aberdevine)
Our pieces are thoroughly tested, retested, adjusted and altered before even reaching production and are quality checked at each stage of the process. While this does mean new products or changes to our collections occur slower than we expect as modern consumers, it means that you can rely on each piece to be of the highest quality it can. We also design our pieces to be size-adjustable to further extend their lifespan. Featuring extra-large hooks and eye tapes designed by our founder and made in France, stretch supportive materials like TENCEL and timeless silhouettes Aberdevine lingerie is made for long-lasting comfort and style.
Microtrends- the quick fix
‘Microtrends’ is a term often used in conversations around fast fashion and over consumption. Emerging from TikTok's takeover of mainstream culture, microtrends refer to the rapid ‘micro’ fashion movements that flood our feeds for maybe a month (sometimes even less) before quickly becoming entirely irrelevant. Think of the overly-descriptive ‘cores’ or ‘aesthetics’ like ‘Ballet-core’, ‘Clean-girl aesthetic’ and ‘Cookie-butter Brown’, that become the latest cultural identity targeted at women. Unlike historical cultural identities or subcultures like hippie, goths, mods etc microtrends have little to no connection to culture itself. Most subcultures have a connection to art, music, literature, or politics that accompanies a style of fashion or visual identity. While microtrends are purely visual, an identity based around specific clothing, patterns or colours.
As Constance Beswick writes,
“Prevailing trend categories have always existed, but historically these notions defined decades as opposed to a singular week on social media. We are now in the era of micro trends.”
While most of these microtrends are targeted at younger audiences, the widespread integration of social media culture in mainstream society means we see the results appear in all categories and for all demographics. Micro-trends, unlike subcultures, are entirely commercial, encouraging brands to move away from signature styles and well made pieces for quick relevancy or the hope for a viral hit. Microtrends also promote singular products as ‘must buys’ over personal interpretations of styles or images. Think back to 2020 and the internet's obsession over ‘The Strawberry Dress’. Originally designed by Lirika Matoshi this dress became “The dress of the summer” and a symbol of one of the first mainstream micro-trends, ‘cottage-core’. While this trend did elevate the presence of a young artist and brought her vast sales it also led to cheap knock-offs, ‘dupes’ and replicas emerging from fast fashion companies looking to ride the coattails of Matoshi’s success. Profiting from small business and original designs has become commonplace for such companies as micro-trends evolve. Almost all popular products on TikTok have an unethically cheap copy now, made rapidly and unsustainably to satisfy the ever-changing consumer demands. Contributing to the staggering “26.7kg of clothing” discarded every year in the UK alone.
Bad for body, bad for mind
Microtrends not only contribute to the polluting of the planet but also to the polluting of our bodies. With each fossil-fuel-derived, synthetic piece we purchase we put our bodies at risk. Cheaply made products, dyed and treated with harmful dyes and chemicals can cause issues for those with more sensitive skin [11]. PFA’s also known as forever chemicals are often used in fast fashion production and refer to chemicals used in cheap production that break down slowly and accumulate in the environment and our bodies. These chemicals often used in the production of fast fashion intimates have been found to pose “serious health risks, including infertility, elevated pregnancy risks, increased cancer risk, and disrupted hormones” [12]. At Aberdevine we use a combination of man-made and natural materials chosen specifically for their benefits for our planet and your body. Our materials are all thoroughly certified and tested to ensure durability, comfort and safety. Having spoken to gynaecologists, with womens' health in mind, we have decided to use Tencel in the gussets. Having spoken to breast surgeons and brafitters, we use new generations of fabrics that actually work to support the female form. Check out our fabrics page for more info. We believe that what you hold closest to your skin should be made with materials that are good for you and designed to last for many years.
This constant stream of trends and the never ending fast fashion advertising are also affecting our mental health, and our sense of identity. In an interview with NYLON, Phin stated that “Microtrends often feel like costumes within mostly online subcultural fashion aesthetics,” a “strict uniform” you must replicate exactly to remain relevant. With no room for personal interpretation or styling social media based identities are directly tied to what is trending making them disguardable. Take a look at your wardrobe, does it say who you are or does it act as a time capsule tracking each now dated pattern, print and style in permanent plastic synthetics? This constant bombardment of what's ‘in’ and what's an ‘ick’ makes it difficult for people to find, and stick to, a personal style for fear of being ‘out’. Yanet Vanegas at Psychology Today writes that the unrealistic conformity standards posed by social media can result in increased anxiety and depression, identity confusion and body image issues especially, not exclusively, affecting young women.
Fight Fast Fashion
In a time of constant advertising, increasing costs and a society that demands change it can be difficult not to fall victim to fast fashion. With issues such as greenwashing, an overwhelming number of new brands and the hidden fast fashion factories behind trusted high street brands it can be tricky to know what to do. While we do not claim to be experts (sometimes falling victim myself) here are some top tips to help you break from the cycle of ‘new and now’:
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Is this me?- Take a moment to think whether this item speaks to you, your style and your character? Will it pair with things you already have in your wardrobe or will it mean further purchases are necessary? Can you see yourself wearing it in five years, a year, a month, even a week?
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Check your materials- Most products will list their material breakdown on the website or label if shopping in person, so check what it says. Search any terms or names you know and consider will this be good for me, for the planet and for animals? Is this garment durable? If the answer is no or they do not provide this information perhaps rethink.
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Research the company- I know it sounds simple, but we can forget. With social media ads it's easy to just click straight to pay without checking where the product is from. Check out if the brand has a values page or a sustainability page these may be in an about us section (like ours) or at the bottom with their policies. You can also use third-party websites like Good On You to check the company's effects on the planet, people and animals. (Hopefully Aberdevine will soon be added to the list of brands you can find in there too:)
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Think about wearability- Is the item adaptable to different seasons, events, and occasions? How comfortable does it look and does it fit just right? How you feel is just as if not more important than how you look so if it doesn't feel right, maybe it isn't. At Aberdevine we offer in person/ online or offline fittings, measuring chatbot, as well as guidance on how to choose your perfect pieces to ensure Aberdevine stays with you for as long as it can.
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Don’t Buy- I know it sounds counterintuitive for a brand to say ‘don't’ but we design our underwear to be capsule pieces. We prioritise fewer high quality products not because we don't have the ideas (trust us we have plenty) we just want our collection to be as wearable as possible. This means fewer colours and styles so your pieces can go with as much as they can. Regarding new clothing, consider whether it's a need or a want. Think about whether purchasing this item is simple to satisfy a dopamine hit or if it's something that will benefit your day to day life. And if it is a need, think second hand. Check charity shops, vintage stores or online spaces like Vinted or Depop for that perfect, planet friendly product.
Final Thoughts
Fighting fast fashion can be incredibly tricky nowadays but it isn't a perfect science. If you feel that Slow Fashion is more your speed, don't worry if you falter- any change is better than none. Start small and work up. Look at what you already have, see what you wear most and look for patterns. If there's a trend then there's your personal style. No need to rebrand every season or every week authenticity is always in style. If there are pieces you feel you won't wear, donate them, sell them or repurpose them. A holey sock makes a good cloth! And when you do feel the need to buy, go through this list and check, if it passes the tests then make sure you buy well. One expensive purchase is better than 20 cheaper so make sure it's of high quality and good wear. And finally, take action! Sign petitions, volunteer or simply share information to others on this topic. The better we are educated on such topics the better we can face them!
Polly Bilton for Aberdevine
References:
https://debriefs.co.uk/blogs/the-brief/hidden-costs-of-cheap-underwear
https://debriefs.co.uk/blogs/the-brief/hidden-costs-of-cheap-underwear
https://tessituracolombo.com/en/eco-lace/
https://www.tencel.com/fibers/benefits/sustainability
https://tessituracolombo.com/en/eco-lace
https://www.weforum.org/stories/2021/02/recycle-your-underwear/
https://thesustainableagency.com/blog/the-history-of-planned-obsolescence/
https://earth.org/fast-fashions-detrimental-effect-on-the-environment/
https://earth.org/fast-fashion-companies/
https://goodonyou.eco/what-is-slow-fashion/
