Glitz and glamor have been always the highlight of the fashion industry. Rapidly changing trends, off-the-ramp collections, and seasonal street styles all contribute to its popularity. However, this fast fashion movement has a downside to it. These fast-paced trends are a source of ethical and environmental concerns, making the fashion industry one of the most notorious contributors to the degrading ecology. Clothes that quickly go out of style find their way to landfills, adding to waste accumulation and increased carbon emissions. Moreover, its social impact is just as bad. The cheaper the cost of clothes, the lower the wages for laborers. It also gives rise to poor working conditions and unethical practices. 

This negative impact of the fashion industry’s practices gave rise to the sustainable fashion movement. And, to counter the notoriety of fast fashion, the sustainability movement came up with slow fashion. The slow fashion movement is the exact opposite of fast fashion. Where fast fashion is focused on producing more and more quantity, the slow fashion movement works towards creating good-quality clothes that would last for a long time. Let’s read on to understand what the slow fashion movement is and how it helps modern consumers. 

Understanding the Slow Fashion Movement

The slow fashion movement is all about purchasing less, but better-quality products that will last longer. It focuses on mindful and conscious consumption of clothing – which is a direct contrast to the disposable nature of the fast fashion trend. Slow fashion clothing also addresses the issue of excessive manufacturing and buying. 

The term ‘Slow Fashion’ was coined in 2007 by Kate Fletcher, a fashion and sustainability writer and researcher. She wrote that fast fashion was about ‘selling more’ and ‘earning more money’, whereas slow fashion ‘is about creating, manufacturing, consuming, and living better,’. According to her, slow fashion was nothing but a better and more conscious approach by designers, brands, merchandisers, and buyers to reduce the harmful impact of their choices on the environment.

The Origins of Slow Fashion 

The slow fashion movement emerged discreetly during the early 2000s as an opposing sentiment to the negative impact of the fashion industry’s practices. It started gaining popularity in the latter half of the decade, becoming a go-to sub-trend for consumers who wanted to make conscious choices and live sustainably. 

Principles of Slow Fashion

The thoughtful approach of slow fashion clothing is guided by certain principles that help create better options. Let's see what these principles are: 

• Quality over quantity: The key principle of the slow fashion movement is to promote well-made and better-quality clothes that will last longer in the wardrobe. Using good-quality fabrics would warrant longevity and cut down on the need for frequent purchases for replacement.
• Sustainable environment: The slow fashion movement ensures the use of eco-friendly materials, conscious production processes, and reduced waste generation, thus, helping to minimize the fashion industry’s carbon footprint and promoting sustainability in the long run. 
• Ethical production: Slow fashion clothing is made keeping the ethics of production in mind. It supports better working conditions and fairer wages for workers, keeping exploitative practices at bay. 
• Timeless design: The slow fashion approach is designed to encourage classic and timeless designs that transcend the test of time and stay trendy even after years. These designs would not only remain in rotation season after season but would also reduce the pressure on customers to constantly update their wardrobes.
• Local and creative manufacturing: Slow fashion is also focused on community engagement by fostering a fraternity of local craftsmen and supporting small-scale artisanal production. Thus, building a more intimate connection between consumers and manufacturers.

The Benefits of Slow Fashion for Consumers

Although slow fashion clothing is more premium and might seem more expensive than fast fashion trends, it has better benefits for customers. 

• Long-lasting wardrobes: Customers would not have to keep updating their wardrobes regularly, thus cutting down on expenditure. 
• Better-quality clothes: Slow fashion clothes are made using good-quality fabrics, with safe dyeing processes and manufacturing. So, customers get better-quality clothing that is comfortable to wear and doesn’t fade or harm their skin. 
• Ethical Choice: Since slow fashion clothing supports ethical production and is mostly produced in factories that have good working conditions, it helps consumers make a more ethical choice concerning the clothes they wear.
• Transparent shopping: By purchasing slow-fashion clothing customers can be sure of the origins of their apparel. Slow fashion clothes often have labels that provide information about their material and manufacturing processes, so customers can make informed decisions. 
• Supporting the local economy: The slow fashion movement supports local production, thus boosting employment in the region, helping to strengthen the local economy, and closing the gap between customers and producers. 

The Benefits of Slow Fashion for Brands

Investing in the slow fashion movement has many benefits for brands. Let's take a look at some of them: 

• Better Profits: Since slow-fashion clothing is made to be of better quality it convinces customers to pay more and come back for repeat purchases.
• Loyal customers: If your clothes are long-lasting, it will build trust and loyalty amongst customers, and they will come back to purchase more.
• Brand Awareness: Brands that follow the slow fashion movement can become quite popular within the sustainability community and benefit from this awareness.
• Improved Reputation: Slow fashion is a great way to show your Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), hence building a better reputation for the brand in front of banks, investors and government agencies.

How Can Brands Adopt Slow Fashion?

Slow fashion is a completely different approach, hence it requires a brand to adopt better tools and processes. They should start by using organic materials to create their designs, follow ecological production practices that reduce environmental impact, and stay ethical in their conduct. 

The slow fashion movement aims to create a pause in the fast-paced world of fashion by educating consumers about its negative impacts, while also giving them better-quality clothes. It looks like slow fashion is gaining momentum and is likely to become a norm in the fashion industry. 

Take a look at the vast collection of slow fashion clothing offered by Raw Revel and make your next purchase an ethical choice.