harriet mills

Flock: Follow a New Crowd. Eco, ethical and sustainable fashion is a concise A-Z awareness book that documents the detrimental effects fast fashion is having on both the environment and society. Flock is a pocket book ‘bible’ for the 21st century consumer with a passion for fashion and the environment

The rainforest! We all know and understand the impor-tance of the rainforest.

They are not only “The lungs of the Earth” but they help prevent land becoming barren desert. Returning water va-pour back into the atmosphere. Amongst other important scientific roles, the rainforest is home to both the weird and wonderful, making it a very interest and beau-tiful place.

So to be honest, we need rainforests. They’re our friends. However, at the current rate of deforestation it is estimated that in 100 years the rainforest will be wiped-out. Taking all its goodness and beauty with it.

A small percentage (2.5% to be exact) of all farmland is used for cotton. The continuation of fast fashion will increase this percentage. The result, more farmland needed for cotton farms. More cotton, more land, less rainforest…simple.

Save a tree and buy Vintage.

In the United Kingdom the fashion industry make around £35 billion a year.

Typical wages for an employee working in a textile factory in India (the second largest global importer of textiles) make £20 a month. Yes a month.

Now I know what you are thinking. “The price of living is far less than in the United Kingdom”

And you would be correct.

However, the price of living in India has increased by 200%. Wages have not increased. Making it near impos-sible to live off a wage of less than £1 per day.

Rotten Cotton…Interesting fact: Cotton uses 8 times more pesticides, than any other crop.

Chemicals used to farm cotton are extremely toxic. Not only damag-ing the environment but the lives of those working and living in and around cotton farms. Annually over 2 million health problems are a result of chemicals used in cotton production, with an estimated 20,000 deaths in developing countries.

It is not only cotton farming that is having a detrimental effect on society. The fast fashion movement has a large role to play….

Right, are you ready for this? 60% of a cotton farmer’s wage is spent on chemicals to grow cotton. The demand for cheap and cheaper cotton, needed for cheap fashion, has resulted in a price war: Farm-ers offering cotton at unrealistically cheap prices, to outdo com-petition. Due to the price of the expensive chemicals needed to grow cotton, farmers need to borrow money in order to afford pesticides to grow the crop. The price of cotton continues to get cheaper and cheaper, more money borrowed and the cycle continues.

Since 1997 over 200,000 cotton farmers have committed suicide be-cause of debt.

Something to think about, when buying a pair of jeans for a fiver.

16 to 20 litres of water is used to dye a T-Shirt

The global textile industry releases 40,000 to 50,000 tons of dye into the water supply a year. For those like me who cannot comprehend the sheer size of 50,000 tons, think one small car = 1 ton.

Toxic chemicals found in harsh dyes contaminate oceans and rivers, as well as the water supply for many in developing countries. Who use the water for bathing and in most cases is their primary source of drinking water. This causes serious problems to the health and livelihood of many.

The ocean is also becoming a victim, as chemicals from both dye and agricultural waste are poising our seas. According to clever scientists these chemicals are creating ‘Dead Zones.’ Oxygen deprived areas of the ocean where nothing can survive. Sadly reducing the amount of habitable land for sea creatures and plants.

Due to the size and scope of the fashion industry, textile production is one of the main contributors in producing harmful greenhouse gasses.

From fibre to manufacturing, distribution to disposal.

The reason why fast fashion is increasing the negative im-pact on the environment? (The clue is in the name) because it is, FAST.

There was a time when back when, a shop would only produce 2 collections. New summer clothes in summer and winter clothes in, you guessed it, winter. How times have change, today high street retailers bring out new collection every 8 to 11 weeks.

Increasing pollution and waste.

The purpose of pesticides and insecticides is to kill, re-pel or inhibit the growth of living organisms.

Similar to dye, fertilisers and pesticides infect water supplies, as well as, land. Effecting both the environ-ment and society. At least 1 million agricultural workers worldwide are hospitalised annually due to acute pesticide poisoning.

Pioneering fashion brands choose to reduce the amount of toxic chemicals used to produce their clothes. Banning the use of hazardous chemicals. However, the majority of fash-ion brands continue to use harmful chemicals throughout every stage of production.

Choosing to buy and wear organic textiles will encourage change. High Street fashion is a supply and demand busi-ness. If the consumer demands organic, eventually you will have organic.

Sunlight penetrates through the atmosphere naturally warming the earth. However, carbon dioxide in the atmosphere traps the heat pre-venting it from being reflected back out into space.

As a result the earth has slowly been getting warming. Not a sunny, Britain becoming the new Algarve but warmer in humidity. Already the ice caps are melting and sea levels are rising. Unit-ed Nations estimated that by 2050 there could be over 150 million environmental refugees.

Poor working conditions in the garment industry have been well documented over recent years. Garment workers frequently work long hours for very low pay. Often well below the cost of living in their country. The majority of workers are women and campaigners argue this makes it easier for factories to exploit them Trade unions are often banned, making it difficult for workers to negotiate better pay and conditions.

Fast Fashion risks exacerbating these problems, as it requires that clothes be made rapidly and increasingly at low prices to encourage shoppers to purchase the latest trends. This can result in excessive and often underpaid overtime and a further squeeze on wages.

Sustainable fashion is more than an organic cotton t-shirt, embellished with a witty go green slogan.

In fact sustainable fashion is more than many of the preconceived ideas. It does not have to be tie-dyed or have a drawstring waistband. New innovative designers are changing the face of sustainable fashion. Creating high fashion, designer merchandise. Using recycled fab-ric, redesigned clothing and new and exciting environ-mentally friendly fabrics. That you can wear with your green peace, organic, fairtrade, charity cotton slogan’d t-shirt…if you wish.

Green is the new black! Add your green inspired clichéd slogan here:……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Greed and wealth are two of the main enforcers for illegal gold mining and conflict jewellery.

Due to the high concentrate of lead found in gold mining. Four hundred children have died for lead poisoning since 2010. The symptoms of lead poisoning are particularly acute in children under 5. The infection damages the nervous system and kidneys causing convulsions, which can quickly lead to death.

Help to stop conflict jewellery by supporting conflict free jew-ellery. Ask for details from your jeweller regarding the source of both your diamonds and gold.

Alternatively buy from specialised conflict-free jewellers, who support communities affected by the conflict jewellery industry.

As mentioned before (in the “environment” section) a high street retailer can design, produce and distribute a new collection every 11 weeks. To achieve this, they need staff – a lot of staff - to sew, embroider and make the fashionable fashion.

Great!!

Now the cynic amongst you may be thinking; “at least the child is making a wage and supporting his or her family.”

But the truth is far less naive…

The consumer demands cheap fashion while companies aim to maximize their profit. Employing children means that the manufacture can provide cheap clothing by employing children. Paying them a quarter of what an adult employee would earn.

Agents own a large amount of child employees working in a textile factory. They sell children to a garment factory working for free.

The modern day slaves in the form of 5-year-old children.

Treating clothing as a disposable item can have negative social and environmental effects. Demand for new cloth-ing puts pressure on raw materials such as cotton and oil. Once it is worn most clothing is simply thrown away rather than being recycled or reused. With an emphasis on rapidly changing styles, fast fashion is even more likely to end up simply cast aside after a few wears.

The amount of waste sent to landfills a year has de-creased by nearly a quarter, apart from textiles; which has risen to more than one million tonnes a year.

The emissions from a landfill have negative effects on the environment. From the day opened and for hundreds of years emissions from hazardous chemicals will continue to pollute the atmosphere.

“PLEASE fashion, Can I have some more?”

Unfortunately we live in an age of excesses. Both women and men can buy a new outfit every Saturday for a night out on the town. A brand new outfit for a non-uniform day, work meeting, date... The list goes on.

Why not? We can buy a new outfit for every occa-sion and it isn’t going tot break the bank. After a few wears, if it is ruined or you no longer like the trousers, dress or t-shirt you can simply throw it away. Easy!

The need for new is costing t both the environment and society. Increasing harmful, greenhouse gases, polluting our oceans and land, as well as, having a negative impact on society.

Understandably you want a new outfit for a Saturday night out. Feeling at your best is so important. All I ask is that you buy Quality over Quantity. Buy key pieces you can mix and match, but most importantly buy clothing you will keep.

The time is now!

By evaluating social changes throughout history, it is apparent that a movement can take 30 to 40 years, until it is adopted by the majority into society – for example: Sexism and Racism.

If it takes 40 years for environmental awareness and living to be adopted by society, governments and businesses it could be too late.

The time for change is now. Adopt, and adapt to live a more green life.

What is Organic? Organic fashion refers to clothing and accessories that have been made with minimal use of harm-ful chemicals. Clothing that has a reduced negative impact on the environment.

It is not easy to make organic clothing. Strict regula-tions set by the Organic Trading Association means it is a long and complicated process. Try and support retailers who choose to sell organic, by choosing to buy a bit of organic over synthetic.

Fairtrade is an organisation that supports a fair trade to farmers and workers in developing countries in terms of better pay, decent working hours and local sustain-ability. This enables them to improve their position and have more control over there live.

To put it simply fair trade offers workers in developing countries basic human rights that we in the western world take for grated everyday.

Prior to the 1800’s society lived off energy generated from sunlight; the population lived off the land for warmth, food, clothing, shelter and light. The global population pre 1800 stood at 1 billion.

The use of non-renewable fossil fuels such as coal and oil revolutionized the world; nature became a resource as soci-ety produce food, clothing, housing as well as developing modern transport. The use of fossil fuel allowed the popu-lation to grow, increasing by 600% in less than 250 years.

Pre 1800: 1 Billion1930: 2 Billion1960: 3 BillionPresent day: 6 Billion

Without the aid of fossil fuels the earth could only pro-vide for 1 billion people. The ever-growing population is dependent on fossil fuels to survive. However, fossil fuels are a non-renewable energy – a source of life that will run out.

Mass production, consumerism and an ever-growing population is using vital resources that human life is dependent upon.

85% of fur used for fashion is breed on a fur farm. The interna-tional Fur Trade Association declares that fur farming is well reg-ulated. However, appalling welfare is still common within the fash-ion industry. Conscious animals are being skinned alive.

For the fashionista out there who cannot live without a glamorous fur coat, scarf, etcetera, etcetera buy vintage. We cant change the past only the future.

Let us not forget our reptile friends. 1 million Crocodile skins are sold on average a year. Primarily sold for high-fashion acces-sories. Snakeskin is also very desirable.

To make your own snake skin accessories follow theses instructions:

Step 1: Buy a snake of your choice – whatever pattern you like.Step 2: Force a tube down snakes throat, then pipe water through tube. Step 3: Fill snake that is still alive (obviously) with water – un-til bloated. This will loosen skin.Step 4: Remove loosened skin – wear gloves, as this stage is can be rather messy.

Repeat procedure until you have enough skin to make your desired accessories or garment.

Sometimes you have to ask why? Is this Fashion?

Petroleum – A flammable liquid you can find petroleum under the earth’s surface.

Burning coal and petroleum is the largest contributor to the increase of CO2 emissions into the atmosphere.

Q: What ingredient is found in synthetic fibre

a. Sugarb. Flourc. Petroleumd. Eggs

The answer C: Petroleum

Luckily some have, many want to and a lot cannot, to travel the world is a luxury, a very expensive luxury.

Look at what you’re wearing. There is a good chance that your outfit has seen the world over.

A garment can travel across the world before it hits the British high street. From buying yarn in Korea to dyeing and bleaching in India, haberdashery and fastenings from Japan and manufacturing in Thailand before being shipped to the United Kingdom and distributed to the desired re-tailers across the country.

Supporting locally developed products and manufacturers can add value to the local economy as well as reducing the environmental damage.

Laundry, a household job many could do without. So do not do any laundry. EVER! Be a green, yes, al be it smelly, goddess and be as environmentally and eco as possible…

Just kidding. I don’t know about you but I don’t want to live in an laundry free world.

Alternatively save a bit of money, energy and time try:

Using a washing line, weather permitting, to dry your clothes.

Turn your washing machine down to 30degrees

Try and fill your washing machine, avoid only washing one or two items of clothing at a time.

Currently on the market there are a variety of sustainable fash-ion brands that offer exciting fashion. Sustainable fashion can range from vintage to Upcycled designers and organic creations. It can also accommodate for every price range from free to luxury designer prices.

Choose to reuse by attending swishing and swap shop parties. Sim-ply take unwanted clothes and swap them for other unwanted items – one mans junk is another’s treasure.

For a unique shopping experience Route through charity shops and car boot sales.

Or visit online stores to buy fashionable sustainable clothing and accessories and custom-made Upcycled fashion.

3500 bottles of clean drinking water is used to make one single pair of jeans. That is 3500 litres of freshwater contaminated by chemicals and dyes and returned back into river and ocean ecosystems.

It is hard to believe that in this day in age there are still people who do not have access to clean drinking water. To think that a pair of jeans use the equivalent of a quarter of a swimming pools worth of fresh water – that’s even more unbeliev-able.

Get X-cited and create.

Be original and put your own sense of style into your old clothes. By changing the buttons on an old shirt or trans-forming a pair of jeans into shorts.

Save yourself money help the environment and have fun.

We need you

Changing your lifestyle to adopt a sustainable life is an unrealis-tic task. By all means if you feel the need to become an eco-warrior, don’t let me stand in your way.

But if you like me, life sometimes gets in the way. Try not to feel guilty. Sometimes a little goes along way. Here are some minor life-style changes that most can do or at least try to do on a day-to-day basis.

1. Recycle – Where and when you can. Not just old, unwanted cloth-ing, but everyday waste.

2. Buy Less – Choose to buy quality that will last, avoid buying disposable quantity.

3. Swap basics for Organic – Swap your cotton basics such as t-shirts and under wear for organic and Fairtrade basics.

4. Variety – Buy from markets, local boutiques, and vintage and from charity shops. This prevents waste as well as supporting local business that make small towns great.

5. Share your knowledge – Spread the word about the importance of sustainable fashion. Lets change how we buy.

Actively Activate Against the devastating effects mass con-sumption and fast fashion is having on both the environment and society.

Fashion is good, it helps to define who we are as people and individuals. We have come along way since Eve fashioned the fig leaf. But as we evolve so should fashion. Fashion should not become a product of the environment; instead it should be used to enhance its beauty.

Follow a new crowd; Support the green fashion evolution.

Promote, discuss and debate the importance of sustainable fashion.