Align your clothes with your values

This week we want to tell you how to know if a brand is sustainable vegan and ethical. At NAE we believe that making the transition to a more loving lifestyle can be easy and fun! By the end of this article, you will have all the tools you need to align your clothes with your values!

In summary, a sustainable vegan and ethical brand doesn’t harm the environment, nor animals, nor humans. More often than not, the secret is in the clean production chain. Therefore, it’s important to understand that Fast fashion is so cheap because it has very little regard for it. You can read more about it in our article for Fashion Revolution week.

 

Slow Fashion = Sustainable and Ethical Fashion

Slow Fashion came to life as the sustainable and ethical alternative to Fast fashion. It tends to be more expensive because slow fashion brands invest in:

» Good quality, long-lasting fabrics that don’t harm the environment;

» Environmentally friendly ways of production;

» Making sure all the workers involved in the production chain are well paid and well treated;

» Keeping up to date with the best ways to be sustainable. 

Slow Fashion is all about quality over quantity and treating the manufacturers fairly. It takes us back to a time where life was more simple and people would only have a hand full of clothes. At the same time, it keeps it fresh and fabulous, for us to enjoy our present while feeling hopeful for the future.

At this point you might be wondering if Slow Fashion is Vegan. Well, the answer is: not necessarily. There are still people who argue that leather can be a viable sustainable option. Which means that you should always double-check!

 

Vegan Fashion

A slow fashion brand can be vegan, and a vegan brand can be sustainable and ethical as well. Keep in mind that we are dividing the terms Ethical and Vegan because that is what the industry is doing. We want you to be prepared, even though, for us, Ethical and Vegan are intertwined

So, how to know if a brand really is sustainable vegan and ethical?

 

1 – Stalking mode on!

First and foremost, go find their website. All these movements are about transparency. Therefore, their vision and values should be clearly stated. If they’re not, it’s definitely a red flag. The details concerning their production chain should be easy to find. The same goes for how environmentally friendly and vegan their products are.

Of course everyone makes mistakes, and if the website isn’t very good, you can always google the brand. We live in the era of public reviews, and they will become your best friend!

 

2 – Certifications

It’s important to remember that most Slow Fashion brands are small businesses. Therefore, a regularly payment to get all the certificates may not be possible. Which is why we believe, that it’s super important to properly research a brand. The last thing we want is to be unfair.

Having that said, there are many certifications, some more trustworthy than others.

Thankfully you can go to the Eco Label Index website and look for most labels. They will tell you everything you need to know about a label!

One of the most famous is one that you will see all over NAE’s shoes; Oeko- Tex Standard 100. This certificate will tell you that both human and the environmental health were prioritized. It encompasses the usage of forbidden substances by law, as substances that are classified as dangerous but aren’t yet forbidden. If you are set on lowering your carbon footprint this is the label you should be looking for!

 

3 – Helpful websites

If you’re still not sure about a brand, we have some great websites to help you out. Eco Fashion is an amazing resource! The people behind it want to help Fashion become the beautiful business it can be! Therefore, they rate brands based on their social and environmental impacts. Even though it’s under construction, this website will be essential to unravel the mysteries of the green labels!

Another great website to find the most fabulous sustainable fashion is The Good Trade. They have so many great articles, reviews and resources, you will have no trouble navigating through this universe!

 

4 – Speak up when you see something wrong

If you find misinformation in any of these resources speak up. Send an email, leave a comment, whatever you like. Being the dream brand is not impossible, but is very hard. We are all doing the very best we can, but Utopia is only possible when we all work together.

The media often depicts people who speak up like loud, slightly crazy people.

However, speaking up is more often than not done respectfully, as a peaceful resistance. Leaving a bad review doesn’t need to be rude. Yes, you can make some people mad, but that is not your problem. Choose your fights well, because your good energy is vital. It will keep you strong. And yes, maybe the world changes too slowly for our likings.

Nevertheless, we are here today, surrounded by amazing Slow Fashion Vegan brands that make us proud to be human!

 

We hope you feel like you have all the tools you need to become even more sustainable, ethical and vegan! Don’t feel bad if you can’t do it, perfectly and all at once. Always remember than a little change can go a long way!

 

Have a beautiful day, 

 

NAE