1st Blog Post in Years! - 9/10/18

For four years, I attended the Fashion Institute of Technology, majoring and attaining my associate’s degree in merchandising, and a bachelor’s in product development. I was fascinated by all facets, of the fashion industry from the age of thirteen. But studying the bolts and nuts-what occurs behind the pages of the ads of Vogue and the windows at Macy’s definitely altered my opinion of the industry and its global influence on society and the environment. Ecology, and Sustainability in Fashion were the two final courses I chose to take at F.I.T. that changed my life. 

One thing I observed and learned from studying fashion marketing, merchandising and product development is how few American consumers take into consideration how their acquired and desired possessions (apparel, shoes, accessories, cosmetics, food, etc.) were are made and distributed to them. We were taught by the nature of the American marketplace to be greedy with signs in stores: “Buy two get one free!”, with almost every type of material item at any price point. Every business idea seeks to satisfy “A need or want” created by the entrepreneur, or corporate company. “The customer needs it in every color…” “…they want variety…” With savvy advertising, promotional techniques, social media, celebrities etc. we the consumers are convinced we can be whoever we want to be in America because we have every store here that buys us. Hence, businesses do whatever they can to “satisfy” consumers, even if it means poisoning the waters of an entire nation on the other side of the globe.

I decided to take an inventory of my own closet after reading an excerpt from the book Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion by Elizabeth L. Cline. I counted how many T-shirts, sweaters, dresses, pants, skirts, jeans, socks, shoes, handbags etc. etc. that I had. Not only did I count how many of each category I had, but I also tallied down the countries that they were made in: Indonesia, China (most were made in), Zimbabwe, Cambodia, India, Malaysia, etc. I then became aware of how much of my wardrobe has been produced offshore and the damage it represents to the environment alone. One T-shirt, and three pairs of socks and a scarf my grandmother knitted for me were the only items made in the U.S.

In my opinion, I feel it is unrealistic to think the majority (if not all) of production and manufacturing of consumer products should be done in the United States as it once was. Sustainable, offshore production is a positive opportunity for emerging nations. With employment in fair trade apparel factories, people have the opportunity to industrialize, develop, and educate. They can then have discretionary income, which will benefit the United States as businesses continue to expand online, and with brick-and-mortar spaces globally.

In an effort to make a positive impact from the damage the products I have “consumed” and accumulated over the years, I have gone beyond recycling glass and plastics. Every six months I make it a point to go through my closet and what I can donate, sell and/or repurpose; from costume jewelry to clothes, shoes, handbags, etc. etc. I have become way more conscious of how I shop; taking into account where my products are made, and whether or not I will be able to get multiple uses out of them and their longevity based on their quality. Currently, my wardrobe is a mix of hand-me-downs, fast fashion basics and fashion pieces acquired over the years. I still sometimes buy impulsively, but at some point I always have second thoughts: “Do I really need this?”, “This was definitely produced for 1.00 and the quality is not that good.”, “I’ll wait to find an item from an ethical brand”. As consumers, we know what we need versus what we want and can always find a way to purchase it whether it be online or in-stores (on most occasions). Regardless of how ethically produced items are, being wasteful and lacking regard for the environment is unjust to ones self and others. My mom has always advised me: “Quality [versus] quantity,”and that is definitely what I am striving for in every aspect of my life-beyond physical possessions but also with experiences, relationships etc. etc.