Five years ago today a garment factory collapsed in Bangladesh. Over 1,100 people died, and more than 2,500 were injured, most of whom were young women.
Anniversaries are a good time to reflect. What are we doing? Where have we been? Where are we going?
In remembrance of this industrial disaster I’m asking--What is the cost of fashion?
I hear people say over and over: “It’s so expensive to make your own clothes.” And I know what they mean because by the time you buy the pattern and the fabric you have likely spent more than you would have for an entire finished garment...and we haven’t even factored in the TIME it takes to make it yet! But it’s not a fair comparison, really. Although our clothes are very cheap in terms of dollars, they are so expensive in terms of cost to people and the planet. Because of where we live we don’t see that, and so we forget to factor that into the price. But the cost is real to the people who see it and live it. If a shirt is essentially disposable, what does that mean about the person who made it?
So, what to do WHAT TO DO?? First: don’t freak out. Change takes the long vision, and I don’t even mean industry change. I’m talking personal change. Because that’s where it starts. So first we start noticing our buying habits. How often do we buy clothes? For what purpose? Because we need to replace something that’s worn out? Because it’s cute? Because we want the excitement of something new? It’s important to understand why we’re doing what we’re doing. After that we can start to ask: Who made my clothes? How were they treated? How much were they paid? How old were they?
For many of us, we have lived our whole lives in a world of fast-fashion, which means that we are accustomed to owning huge quantities of clothing. In fact we own so many clothes that we get rid of them long before we wear them out. More specifically, after an average of four times of wearing them. Yes, the average garment is worn FOUR TIMES before it’s discarded.
So on this anniversary, reflect with me. Don’t judge yourself, just notice. Then ask: Who made my clothes?
Beyond revolutionizing the fashion industry, there are so many personally revolutionary reasons a person might want to make their own clothes, which have nothing to do with money. And that is for the sheer joy of it! The skills and confidence you gain, the patience, the craft. Understanding how something becomes a finished product: flax growing in a field processed and spun into thread, woven into fabric called linen, cut up and sewn into a garment that people wear against their skin as they walk through the world. It is truly fascinating, and continues to inspire a child-like awe and wonder in me, and I can only imagine the same is true for many of you.
So here’s to revolution, on ANY and every scale possible. Here’s to craft, to learning and growing even when it’s hard. Here’s to answering the question “who made my clothes?” with an enthusiastic “ME!”
If you want to learn more:
Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion by Elizabeth Cline
Follow:
@thegarmentlife by ethicist and capsule wardrobist Morgan. Very inspiring and non-shaming.
Any of the many woman-owned, American made clothing companies doing beautiful work and creating good jobs:
@elizsuzanne
@free.label
@revellecollection
@only_child
@poppybarley
Upcoming classes with Clotheshorse
Garment Making 201: The Hadley
Saturday May 5th 1-7pm
Sewing with knits: Draft and sew a custom skirt pattern
Wednesday May 23rd AND 30th 5:30-8:30pm (2 sessions)