Posh Swaps Blog

There has been a lot of talk lately about sustainable clothes and eco fashion. Every day a new brand emerges that is in some better for the environment than conventional clothing and usually more ethically produced. But with fast fashion and the culture of buying cheaply (and often unethically) made high fashion clothing still highly popular and ‘environmental green washing’ becoming the new in phrase, what really can be done to make clothing more sustainable?

At Posh Swaps we believe that there is no right or wrong way to become more sustainable, anything that we can do, no matter how small is a positive step in the right direction. But there are some things that we can do that are likely to have a more positive effect than others.

1. Buy less clothes - it is quite simple really, the less clothes that we buy, the less environmental damage is caused in their manufacture and the less waste we make. Clothes swapping is a great alternative to buying clothes. It allows you to update your wardrobe without having an impact (or a very minimal impact on the environment)

2. Buy second hand clothes- this is the most eco friendly way to buy clothes. There is no additional carbon footprint (except for transport) associated with buying new clothes. But we understand that you cannot always find exactly what you want second hand and will sometimes need to buy new.

3. Buy quality clothes that will last, where possible in Eco friendly fabrics- fabrics made from recycled materials, probably have the smallest footprint as they do not have to be made from scratch. There is also the benefit of having saved materials that may have otherwise ended up in landfill. Other eco friendly fabrics including organic bamboo, cotton and hemp are all better than their conventional alternatives but still have a carbon footprint associated with their growth and manufacture and contribute to the problem of waste so should always be bought to last.

Finally, in order to ensure that your clothing is really sustainable, you should consider its whole life  cycle:

• Buy clothes to last
• Wash and dry (or clean) in as eco friendly manner as possible
• When you no longer need them recycle by selling or donating to charity.

Posh-swaps.com was at the Southbank Centre in London on Wednesday for the Sustainable Clothing Conference and update of the Sustainable Clothing Roadmap. The conference included entrance to Estethica, London Fashion Week’s sustainable trade show, a reception and address by Environment Minister Dan Norris.The conference brought together over 200 clothing industry representatives to discuss the ethical and environmental impacts of clothing.

One year on from the first sustainable action plan in which Posh Swaps pledged to promote recycling and reuse of clothes by encouraging clothes swapping and buying and selling of second hand clothes as well as other eco fashion and sustainable clothing. A further 40 companies and organisations have signed up to the action plan including British Retail Consortium, Ethical Fashion Forum, Forum for the Future, Levis Strauss, MADE-BY, Cotton Made in Africa, RSPCA, Society of Dyers and Colourists.

Since its creation the SCAP has brought together over 40 organisations, from high street retailers, to designers and textile manufacturers to battle the environmental and ethical impacts of ‘throw away’ fashion.  Some of the biggest names in fashion are working to take actions which will make a significant difference to the environmental footprint and social inequalities which blight some of the consumer fashion supply chain.

Many of the initiatives from the original action plan are now well underway including Tesco’s new sustainable clothing range in collaboration with From Somewhere which will launch this Spring and the Oxfam ‘Clothes Exchange’ partnership with M&S.

There was also the announcement of a £3.5 million fund to be made available over 3 years by the Responsible and Accountable Garment Sector (RAGS) fund for bids from organisations who want to make the clothing business more ethical and contribute more strongly to development in poor countries.

Just sometimes the process of using recycled materials in fashion designs causes something amazing. In the case of his SS10 collection it was Christopher Raeburn who brought about this transformation turning decommissioned military stock that would usually be destined for the bin into some very beautiful clothes. The designer who is a graduate of the Royal College of Art and has recently been awarded NEWGEN sponsorship reinterprets streetwear into luxurious high end pieces made from parachute silk, heavy wools leather and quilting. The collection will also be accompanied by a range of hats and bags.

This has to be recycling at its best.

The principles of sustainability can be applied to almost anything but for humans, it is the potential for long-term maintenance of wellbeing, which depends on the wellbeing of the natural world and the responsible use of its resouces. Fashion and clothing are well recognised as having a high environmental impact and being unsustainable. Here are just a few ways that you can become a more sustainable shopper when it comes to clothing and fashion:

• Buy clothes to last - choose quality pieces in classic styles that will not go out of fashion quickly.
• Look after clothes- ensure that clothes are washed according to instructions, protect from moths using cedarwood balls and make minor repairs as neccessary.
• Where possible buy second hand clothes or swap clothes.
• Recycle old clothes by selling them, swapping them or donating to charities.
• If you do buy new clothes, opt for sustainable fibres like organic cotton, bamboo and hemp.
• Consider carefully how you wash clothes and the environmental impact. Wash on a low temperature, line dry and use eco detergents where possible.

An interesting report entitled Well Dressed? and published by the University of Cambridge, Department for Manufacturing in 2006 explores the present and future sustainability of textiles in the United Kingdom. Most of us are probably aware that there are many issues surrounding the sustainability of the textiles industry in the UK but the report gives a really in depth and neutral look at the problems and identify the potential for significant and lasting change.

The report is highly relevant for consumers, media, business, education, government and campaigners and provides balanced evidence based information. Some of the key findings of the report in relation to the recycling of clothes are summarised below:

• The UK’s current behaviour in disposing of used clothing and textiles to landfill is not sustainable as volumes are growing.
• The second hand sector is growing and there is further demand so improved collection and sorting procedures will be beneficial in reducing waste and providing usable clothes to developing countries.
• Recycling is siginificant for materials with high impacts in the production phase.

According to the analysis in order to create change a consumer would:

• Buy second hand clothing and textiles where possible.
• Buy fewer more durable garments and textile products.
• When buying new products, choose those made with least energy and least toxic emmissions, made by workers paid a credible living wage with reasonable employment rights and conditions.
• Lease clothes that would otherwise not be worn to the end of their natural life.
• Extend the life of clothing and textile products through repair.
• Dispose of using clothing and textiles through recycling businesses who would return them for secondhand sale where ever possible but otherwise extract and recycle the yarns or fibres. 

Swapping, buying and selling second hand clothes is a great way of recycling and improving the sustainability of textiles. You can swap, buy and sell your second hand clothes for free on www.posh-swaps.com.

At Posh Swaps, we love ethical and eco style so were delighted to see the brand new EmmieJay websitewith a great selection of ethical accessories. We met Mary Jane Sweeting at the clothes swap party in Bath where she had a stall selling her gorgeous goodies and we couldn’t wait to see what else was on offer on the new website.

 Everything in the collection is selected for both its qulaity and individual style as well as its ethical credentials which include sustainable materials, recycled materials, made locally and Fairtrade.

Some of out favourites are these retro style Eel skin purses made from a by product of the Korean food industry, super soft sustainable bamboo socks that will keep your feet fresh all day long and clothes made from upcycled fabrics.

Last night was another fun clothes swap party for Posh Swaps. This time at the Guildhall in Bath. The swappers had a relaxed evening, enjoying a glass of wine and browsing the clothes and stalls. That was until the swap began at about 8pm, when the room turned into a frenzy of swapping with everyone grabbing for the items that they really wanted.

Once again I was gutted to be working as I would have loved to participate in the swap. I saw so many gorgeous clothes and couldn’t believe that these were actually clothes that people no longer wanted. Some great labels like Monsoon and Nougat, some gorgeous evening wear and lots of colourful and sparkly clothes and accessories  and even some brand new clothes with the tags still on.

We were delighted to welcome Emma McDonnell, Personal Stylist of Style to Wear along to the swap. Emma styled one lucky swapper and also showed her collection of gorgeous leather and suede corset/ obi belts are the perfect finishing touch for so many outfits.

The latest great idea for creating sustainable and desirable fashion by recycling old items into new are these beautiful shoes by Terra Plana. The shoes are created using recycled Pakistani quilts making each one a unique piece. But they are not just eco friendly, they are comfy and stylish too. I love the rich colours and the different textures. The shoes are high heel platform shoes, making them a great addition to a day time or evening outfit. They are lightweight with flexible memory soles for extra comfort.

Terra Plana works towards creating sustainable shoes by minimize waste and toxin use and maximize product use. They use eco friendly materials including recycled materials where ever possible and use innovative minimal glue constructions.

Clothes swap parties are now really popular but have you ever though about arranging a clothes swap for children’s clothes. A school or nursery would be the ideal place to hold one. You could even charge a small entrance fee and have a few child related stalls to raise some funds for the school.

It makes sense as children grow out of their clothes so quickly, often before they have had the chance to wear their clothes very much. It is also a great way of saving money and also reducing waste and the amount of textile waste that goes into landfill. You could even combine it with a toy or book swap and second hand sale for nursery items.

If you prefer, you can sell or swap childrens clothes online at www.posh-swaps.com.

Timberland and fashion recycling charity TRAID have collaborated on a project to supply customers with a range of bags made from 100% recycled denim, leather and reconditioned Timberland shirts and jackets.

The collaboration involves the design and production by the recycled TRAIDremade fashion label (Textile Recycling for Aid and International Development) of a collection of limited edition, handmade ‘eco bags’ exclusively for sale in Timberland stores.

According to Timberland, the new initiative is part of the company’s ongoing commitment to socially responsible retailing. Working closely with TRAID, the company already offers in store recycling points in its London stores and under the ‘Change Your Wardrobe, Change Their Lives’ scheme, it also offers customers 20% off new purchases when they recycle clothes they no longer need or want. TRAID then transform these clothes through their charity shops into funds to fight global poverty.

“Timberland is proud to partner TRAID, as both companies have similar goals of producing fashionable and functional products whilst maintaining a strong social conscience and positive community interaction,” said head of Timberland Marketing UK Jo Fisher.

“It’s incredibly exciting to have created this collection of TRAIDremade bags for Timberland,” added head of TRAIDremade Paula Kirkwood. “We’ve reincarnated old jackets, leathers, shirts and denims into must have bags that are fashionable, functional and ethical.”

bag from TRAIDremade