How to slow down your fashion – FAST!

Matisse Chambers

It’s no surprise that sustainable fashion and living has been adopted by many across the world to limit environmental effects and ensure fair wages and working conditions of employees. However, it’s hard to know where to start with what seems like an overwhelming number of choices and resources. Never fear, this guide will give you an insight into how to kickstart your sustainable journey from where to recycle your unwanted clothes, what brands to shop from and what resources to refer to.

Prelove

One easy way to get rid of unwanted clothes, while making back some money is through a rent-a-rack stall. A notable business offering this service is ‘Prelove’, sustainable fashion. They have stores in both Hove/Brighton and Westfield Westlakes, with four different options to help sell your clothes or luxury goods. Weekly rental prices start from $89 along with 10% commission from each sale. You can also grab some friends and split the overall cost to make it more affordable. Some perks of Prelove is that you don’t have to be there to sell your clothes like regular market stalls, you can track online how your clothes are selling and top your rack up accordingly, and the store locations are already situated around other retail, so there is plenty of foot traffic. Just having wrapped up my own stall with three other friends, we made around $950 in total. So, it’s time to spring clean your wardrobe and make back some cash for not much work at all.

Instagram | @prelove.westlakes @prelove.hove

Website | https://prelove.com.au/

Who’s Margi?

The next time you get the girls together for a cocktail night and are in need of some funky glassware, look no further than ‘Who’s Margi’. It’s a small Adelaide business founded by Kasey Shephard, initially started while browsing her favourite op shops and vintage stores. She now sources and upcycles them regularly, showing customers how someone else’s junk can be another’s treasure. The name came to her one night at a farewell drinks party when she asked her friends if any of them wanted a margi. One responded, “who’s margi?”—clearly not knowing she meant margarita. It all clicked then, and Kasey had found the perfect name, ‘Who’s Margi’.

Styles range from retro bubble coupes, vintage whiskey tumblers and classic crystal margarita glasses all with stunning detailing. Now you can sip on your cocktail feeling almost guilt free; and knowing that not only is your glassware sustainable, but you’re also supporting a small and local business at the same time!

Perfect for a gift or for yourself—you can purchase through her Instagram: @whos_margi or at The Little Boutique on Jetty Street, Grange.

Shift Style

With social media constantly bombarding us with information, it’s hard sometimes to find the right, reliable resources to help us on our sustainable journey. This is before you knew ‘Shift Style’ existed. Founder, Ashley Stallard created Shift Style, ‘a hub for living lightly’ as she describes, to enlighten others on slow, ethical, fair fashion; low waste; clean beauty; home; lifestyle; DIY and even travel style. Stallard is the community and relations manager for ‘The Finders Keepers’, Australia’s leading design market—so you could say she knows a thing or two about sustainable fashion. Her blog posts stem from how to responsibly recycle old clothes, 20 ways to go plastic free, why what toilet paper you use actually matters, and my personal favourite: how your pet can go plastic free. So, the next time you’re unsure on how to make a sustainable choice, ‘Shift Style’ has got you covered.

Instagram | @shift_style @ash_stall

Website | www.shiftstyle.net

VEJA shoes

There’s no doubt that a classic white sneaker has become a staple piece in everyone’s wardrobe. Versatile, comfy and can take you from day to night. This wardrobe staple can easily be sustainable if you choose the right brand. VEJA footwear and accessories offer completely sustainable shoes without compromising the look or comfort. I first heard of VEJA in 2019, when my sister returned from a university study tour in Paris, where apparently almost every French student was wearing a pair. They are a French brand after all, so it’s no surprise that those students were ahead of the times. VEJA offer over 10 styles and a dedicated Vegan and sports range. They also provide a significant amount of transparency about their brand on their website by sharing various contracts, their certification by B Corp, code of conduct and organic labelling certificates. They also share extensive research into their CO2 emissions and carbon footprint as a global brand.

Some notable facts taken from their website that you should know:

4 out of the 5 highest earners in the company are women.
Their offices and stores are run on 100% renewable energy.
The leather used to produce sneakers comes from farms in Southern Brazil, opposed to sourcing from areas suffering deforestation.
Instead of spending money on advertising, they use the money to source sustainable materials.

VEJA can be found in Adelaide retailers such as David Jones, HypeDC, Platypus, General pants and online.

Instagram | @veja

Website | www.veja-store.com