“One constant thing about fashion is change.”

That was the first thing I read on Slow Fashioned‘s website a few months ago. Traditional fashion sites don’t really speak to me.

But this kind — the slow kind — does. And that’s why I’m glad that editor Jessica Bourland and the Slow Fashioned writers (from across the country) do what they do.

They write about how the fashion industry has changed:

Over the past few decades, fashion trends have been changing at a greater rate due to advances in production technology, shortening the time from concept to store.  This is referred to by many as “fast-fashion.” Fast-fashion quite often tends to be of lower quality, and intended to only to be worn one season.

And how we can become part of the movement?

When we slow down we realize that we don’t need to buy new trends every six weeks as the fast-fashion retailers are pushing them out. We need to step back and reassess what is really important to us. Getting started in the slow fashion movement doesn’t necessarily mean we need to knit our own socks — we simply need to make more conscious shopping decisions.

I had the chance to ask Jessica a few questions about Slow Fashioned recently, and wanted to share. Huge thanks to her for taking time to talk with us!

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{r}: You have a fashion background and worked in retail management for years. What was the catalyst for starting Slow Fashioned and embracing the lifestyle in general? 

After nearly a decade in retail management, I grew watchful of the conspicuous consumption and consumerism — one customer in particular would regularly come in to buy new clothing and literally ask us to throw away what she wore in! I organized a donation bin that we kept at the back of the store, and it filled to the top nearly every month. Although, I was proud of the effort to keep it all out of the landfill, I could not come to terms with the thought that fashion was ‘disposable’.

After working within the “Fast Fashion” machine for so long, I found myself seeking out the exact opposite, leading me to the Slow Fashion Movement. At first, I slowly changed my own shopping habits as part of a lifestyle change to a more eco-friendly existence — the momentum towards a slow life was a natural progression and felt like a common-sense approach. I went back to school to finish my degree and focused all of my research on slow and sustainable fashion. I began Slow Fashioned to share my experience and research and to influence change in the fashion industry with consumers alike.

Since starting Slow Fashioned just one year ago (in October of 2010), the Slow Fashioned family has grown to include a handful of great contributors who all have a very similar experience with fast fashion and an equal passion for spreading awareness of the environmental impact of the fashion industry, as well as consumer waste.

Our mission is to: “Educate, inspire, and influence change in the fashion industry by empowering consumers to slow down and make more conscious consumption decisions.”

{r}: For the everyday consumer, where are the best places to shop when you want to add a new piece to your wardrobe? Are some better than others? 

It’s easier for consumers to adopt a slow fashion lifestyle than one thinks. It’s actually a game of slowing down to trade up. Rather than purchasing several cheap tops from a fast fashion retailer, they can buy one or two of higher quality.

Shopping ‘better’ means different things to different people, but everyone can make a step in the right direction that fits their style and wallet. For example: a student on a budget can switch from buying in volume at H&M or Forever 21 to buying less at Nordstrom or a specialty store. One can also choose to skip the ‘vintage inspired’ pieces at Urban Outfitters for example, and find authentic vintage pieces by shopping at local boutiques or on Etsy.  At the higher end (and higher budget) one can switch from shopping at traditional retailers and instead carefully choose a couple key designer pieces or look for local, artisanal fashion.

{r}: Since starting Slow Fashioned, what’s one crazy thing you’ve learned about the industry that you’d like for our community to know about?

It has actually been a series of discoveries that have turned from shocking to simply disappointing. I have found that they are more the norm than the exception.

Here are some facts that may shock you:

According to the EPA Office of Solid Waste: the average American throws away 68 lbs. of clothing and textiles annually.

According to the fashion industry, the ‘lifecycle’ of a garment begins with design and sourcing and ends with consumer purchase — while the actual lifecycle of a garment doesn’t end until it is repurposed, recycled or decomposed.

Data from the International Trade Commission indicates that between 1989 and 2003, American exports of used clothing more than tripled to nearly 7 billion pounds per year, shipping to over 100 countries for resale and recycling.

According to figures from the U.S. National Labor Committee, some Chinese garment workers make as little as 12–18 cents per hour working in ‘poor conditions’.

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If you’re interested in slow fashion (I know most of you are) then definitely check out Slow Fashioned and take the pledge to live slower and consume fashion items more conscientiously. It’s a great community and we’re so glad to know them! To find them elsewhere on the web, check out Facebook and Twitter, or subscribe to their newsletter. {r}