omg that last comment! I dont want to know what ppl buy and "styled" from this season. I want to know how I can make last season's stuff look more trendy lmao

YES

Hey fellow Amsterdammer! What are your favourite shops?! Most places just have regular pricing, so whoah 3 bucks for a jacket?!

Yess! Please share your favorite thrift stores in the Netherlands. My experience is that it's still expensive :(

@@euhm8679 Jaaa wil ik ook weten!

where do all the used clothes in the neatherlands go

Same in Belgium. "Episode" is so hyped that they ask 25 euro for an old used basic sweater.. ps hallo :)

Thrown out or passed down to the "new generation" in the family. Its same problem here in Denmark.

@@darkchurchhill there are clothing containers here you can put your old clothes in, the clothes usually get recycled or they go to a different country, usually a third world country where the need for clothes is higher

@@LOVEAapjes ja we hebben hier ook de episode, hele leuke winkel maar zo veel geld voor tweedehands kleding :( en hallo terug!

I find that fast fashion company's in the UK have very limited sizes, not going above XL which isn't even very big. To buy bigger sizes you'd likely have to go to other more expensive shops (though they are probably produced in the same sweatshop factory)

But then ethical companies may not have the abundant of resources fast fashion companies have to carry that many sizes.

Most ethical brands can't afford to have bigger sizes. What most people forget, thanks to fast fashion, is that in bigger sizes goes more fabric. And good fabric, especially ethical, is expansive. So in order to not lose money, ethical brands have to price sizes with more fabric, more money. While fast fashion can easily ballance the prices (because their fabric and labor is cheap and mass produced, they can spread the "extra" material cost over the all sizes, because it's not even 5 cent). On top of that people who have plus sizes are in the minority (although that is also not true in some countries, but that's an different conversation). So in short: plus size is a small group which is also more expensive to produce. And therefor not a lot of non-fast fashion can afford to produce for them. But I'm sure that if you find a small group of plus size people and reach out to brand with "hey, we know we wouldn't pay the same price as a 36 (EU) for the same item, but we're willing to pay even more extra for some good clothes. Is their something you could do for us?" atleast one brand will be able to help you :) p.s. I hope my explanation is a little bit clear. English is not my native language, which makes explaining certain thing diffi.

Was going to comment this! Apart from basics like tshirts leggings or jean jackets, 90% of vintage or good 2nd hand is always smaller sizes

Elisa Hill I live in America and the company here normally have decent range tho

I agree, the fashion companies are the ones that constructed this idea that you need a new wardrobe every season to make more money. hence “fast” fashion churning out as much clothing as possible to be bought. this causes everyone to see cheap clothing as disposable and the demand increases even more!

This is so true. I'm always dazzled by the amount of clothes in Zara etc. I heard that they make new collections weekly! It's a two-way thing. Also, why should something nice always be expensive?

this is actually what I do, I don't have a lot of money so I buy fast fashion but only if I really need something or I really like it. I also pay attention to quality: if the fabric looks really cheap or the seams are bad I don't buy it. In this way my clothing last longer, even if they are fast fashion.

TheNecrohazard same. But it's really hard not to add. I don't want to eat meat because it's disgusting ...

@TheNecrohazard EXACTLY 😊

Another good one: "Do I need this?". I asked myself this question for a year or two every single time I was thinking of buying something. It eliminated 99.9% of my purchases! 🙏

JoanieTiVi Amen! Similar to all movements. I can eat meat but I don’t want to. I can buy things in plastic but I don’t want to.

JoanieTiVi Yes makes sense.. more empowering

'I wear pajamas all day, my clients dont need to know' so cute!!

My favourite label is “Theo the Label” the girl who runs it - Esther explains exactly where her clothes are made, uses mostly deadstock and does heaps of comfortable clothes!

What kind of job do you have, if you don't mind answering? I'd like to get into a career that I can do from home (even if I need to go out and get few years education/training for it).

😍😍😍

I would love to know what you do for a living

i really like this, might try it myself! :)

When I window shop I try to remember what things I really liked and try to diy them from thrifted things

I’m absolutely going to do this. What a wonderful idea, thank you!!

I love this

Maria Beatriz Martins that's an amazing accomplishment in itself! 👏🏽

"make sure to put the clothes to good use for a long time" I honestly think this is the most important (and often overlooked) part of being "ethical" around fashion. I've definitely got some fast fashion work horses that I'm still getting wear out of after 3-4 years.

Yeah same! I have a super hard time thrifting where I live and I simple don't have the money to buy off of most ethical brands. I usually buy stuff at h&m but I wear them for as long as they last which is usually quite a few years. Besides, I maybe buy an item or two like thrice a year lol

that’s totally okay! 2 times in a year is hardly a failure, you’re doing an incredible thing by not buying fast fashion all the time. It’s not about being perfect it’s about making conscious decisions 😁

Maria Beatriz Martins also i wouldn’t feel too bad about buying underwear & socks from fast fashion! most of us can’t really afford to buy them from expensive ethical shops and i doubt anyone would want to get them from the thrift shop :)

yeah and i think it's funner to try to start new trends!

@@poooopoo great point!

Same. I have always preferred classic things that goes with most of my wardrobe and will last me a while. I may only buy one trendy item a year or two just for fun but that’s it. Usually shopping actually gives me a headache so I prefer just doing it a few times every so often with clothes I hardly need to replace. People still compliment me regularly and say I look elegant. I think I prefer that than trendy anyway.

Frank& Beans What’s 30 wear test?

Jelka Fabianova Can you wear an item 30 times or more?

@@jelkafabianova2801 A better way to conceptualize this is to think: will I wear this more than 10 times this year? 5 times each year for the next two? once a month? etc.

One of the best youtube comments i've ever read. Fantastic philosophy

Yes!

Totally agree, this is my strategy, buying classic and solid colors

I absolutely agree with this. I went the whole of last two years without shopping for any clothes (aside from undergarments). I still got compliments because my wardrobe is essentially very classic and quality, ethical pieces. I saved the time and headache of having to go shopping again to replace my clothes. I even saved enough money to invest in my first designer blazer this year (ethically made as well) which I know will last me for a while and goes with everything I own. I saved money in many other areas as well because I don’t think people account for the overall cost of fast fashion clothing which don’t last long and need constant replacement. Less is more when trying to be sustainable.

people buy new every month lol

@@SummeRain783 where do I buy clothes that aren’t fast fashion that aren’t crazy expensive? I’m trying to redo my whole closet and I’m really struggling to find clotned

Two fave thrift ladies right here!

It is. The materials are mined, the components are made in sweat shops in countries with loose environmental laws, they might be put together in your native country just so they can stick a "made in the USA" sticker on it but all they've done is assemble parts shipped across the world, they're built to fail after a couple of years and often built so that you can't upgrade them yourself or replace broken components, there is intense pressure to replace them within their working life (eg my phone contract monthly payment will double after the 2 year contract trying to force me into replacing a functional handset). Do sell or recycle your old tech, do buy second hand when you can, do get it fixed or upgraded if you can and get a sim only contract if your handset is still good after your contract ends. Most importantly get a protective case for your device to prevent accidental damage.

I agree, I think it's much more difficult since we don't have alternatives, at least I don't know any other than buying second hand electronics

Yuuup. Wealthy countries will destabilize poor nations governments (and prop up fascist leaders) in order to mine their natural resources like lithium for electronics- in the process keeping the native population in destitute poverty to take advantage of the cheap labour pool

You only need a couple of staples for your work closet. A couple of blouses, a few skirts or dress pants and two turtle necks for the winter. As for dresses, there are shops that sell trendy thrifted dresses or you can rent a dress for the night. Also, there is no shame in wearing the same dress more than once.

Don't forget that sites like eBay and depop exist also! You can buy whatever clothing you need, only second hand. Just like thrifting but more specific :)

Also, if you already are trying your best to shop responsibly, I don't think it is that bad if you buy 1 or 2 fast fashion items a year (for Christmas as you mentioned for example). Of course it's always good when we as individuals decide to pursue sustainability, but it is expensive and thrifting can be quite time consuming, so when we cannot afford another option, we are not even half as guilty as some rich CEO choosing profit over the workers' safety. The blame for exploiting workers and the environment must be put on the big companies, and they need to be held accountable. (but yeah, i can recommend depop too. And asking your grandma to teach you how to fix clothes)

for office clothes it's best to Buy a few staple items that are well Made. they last longer so their impact is lower (and you get your Money's worth) and you look more professional. in terms of Shopping for occasions, i have just stopped doing that. i always find something that I like and can wear for an event

Get your point partially but don't agree with thrifting for parties, especially Christmas. There are tons of gorgeous party/holiday items at thrift, classic pieces, maybe you are too focused on trends. Lovely silk, brocade, knit things in classic cuts, long-lasting fabrics...these are investment pieces. The opposite of fast fashion.

Marie Halflants yah im excited for any thrifting videos lol

Yessss would love that instead of all these fashion hauls all *new* clothes and they seen to buy so much of it

Do you know Kristen Leo ? She is a greek KZfaqr, her videos in english though.. She often talks about veganism and critizies fast fashion industry. I think she did a series, where she would recreate outfits from instagram with thrift shop items 😊

@@tonipou9062 Cool, I'll check her out ! :)

If anyone's interested but also feelin' lazy : kzfaq.info/sun/PL24zxFHJX5pk380_o7xtJM4C4glI0GCWK

I've had the same troubles in the past that have really put me off thrifting. I always see comments about how there are plus size sections in thrift stores but in my area that just doesn't exist. It's pretty frustrating.

Have you thought of looking for used clothing online? eBay, poshmark, threadup - whatever there is where you live? 🤔

I have the opposite problem of you. I have an xxs-xs (82 - 60 - 86), and i live in a place were most people are in the s-l range. Very skinny people like me are rare, so it's very difficult for me to find well-fitting things secondhand unless it's something that's stretchy but just doesn't stretch out as much as possible on me...Sure, I can alter things. But I go to school fulltime and simply don't have the time for it.

Hi Tia, that's a good point. I think thrift stores can do some things to make findings clothes easier for people who are plus size. Organising clothes based on size helps (you don't have to waste time to go over racks of clothing), asking specially for donations of plus size clothing, letting customers known on social media when they get more variety of sizes... Unfortunately for those chances to happen in your local stores you probably need to ask and advocate for them. But yeah in the end they have at thrift & second-hand stores better selection of sizes that are common for the modern age. (At least people who are more petite can sometimes alter the clothes if they have time & know how to do it or can pay seamstress.) Like in vintage stores it can be hard to find something even if you are size M or very tall, very muscular....because back then in general people were smaller. Best luck! But yeah probably ecological brands are easier option than thrifting. This list may be a good place to start: www.thegoodtrade.com/features/plus-size-ethical-fashion

This is a great point. As a size twelve I don't usually have a problem finding clothes, but my hubby is a XXXL, and it's almost impossible to find clothes for him in a thrift store. Ditto on ethical brands. As a compromise, when possible, we try to find clothes made here, but it's not easy.

omg I'm so glad because my camera trying to focus was a real issue lol

Lana SK agreed. Don't make a big deal and no one will give a toss

Lana SK I think you’re getting the wrong point. The point is to raise awareness the reason fast fashion is so bad is because of how they treat the workers and the toll on our environment. You are clearly fortunate to live in a place where you have not seen the effects of it. When we fight fast fashion and tell others to do the same then we force these companies to change their policies and we can start seeing a change in the workers and the environment.

I agree. I feel the same

@@peachynaty sadly fast fashion and ethical practices just can’t seem to go hand in hand and we are seeing that today. Some of them tried to sell us on their new stuff like “green washing” etc which in reality turned out to be a scam. In fact now a lot of the fast fashion industry is going out of business (thankfully). Charging such low prices really makes it difficult to ensure ethically sourced garments.

True but I also learned to be happy with less. I just buy one or two quality items each year to build my capsule.

I find second hand is a great way to keep the cost of ethical shopping down.

exactly, as a latinamerican, that's how it is for me. SOMETIMES, i can afford to buy SOME clothes. Clothes in Argentina are CRAZY expensive, so If I travel i usually buy fast fashion. because it is what i can afford

Try depop! I'm sure you Will find something warm and new at a good price

Great feedback, I find this is a disappointing case for a lot of KZfaqrs. Lots of superlatives and repetition. Taking 3 minutes to over explain things that are a "given". This unfortunately turns me off of subscribing to a channel.

Unfortunately that's pretty much her style. At least in all of her vids that I've seen. Verbose for the sake of verbosity.

gotta get them 10 minutes for ads

@@arabella-gracebrown5309 I was thinking about making the phrase "fast fashion" into a drinking game and hoping the comments would give me the bullet points here, but then in two minutes I was afraid I'd have alcohol poisoning. She could just... slow down to a normal, not-manic pace, enunciate, and structure things a little so she can expound without just... jabbering "filler".

AGREED!!! So many KZfaqrs are guilty of this, taking forever to state the obvious. For anyone that's interested, Justine Leconte is amazing at discussing fast fashion and the importance of purchasing quality items. Her videos are super succinct and simple but so full of substance: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/ZtuiZJZ8273Th3k.html

Totally! A bulk of their production is still in the states. Some of it is overseas now. They make that super clear on their site though!

Valeria Vagapova i agree on the part where vegans think they are better. (not every vegan though). im working to be 100% vegan, and i do it mostly for the animals but also for my health. i really recommend the channel James Aspey if you want to know more about the motives of veganism and plant based diets.

Valeria Vagapova and of course i am not hating or saying your opinion is wrong.

Valeria Vagapova yes i totally agree. have a nice thanksgiving ( if you celebrate) and a wonderful day.

Valeria Vagapova yes of course ❤️

It depends on where the friut/veggies are picked but the majority of food for livestock (soy) is from exploited countires and there are 3 plant calories needed to produce 1 animal calory (I hate that expression).. That way, a vegan usually (unless he consumes thrice the amount of fruit) contributes less to these specific working situations that an omnivore.

The very good bra.com (Rachel aust mentions in her latest video) x

Never throw functional clothing away. Use it, sell it or give it away but don't send it to landfill. 😢

I think thrifting can be hard for a number of reasons. One is, as you said, you're a noob at it. But it also has to do with location, sizes, and personal taste. Where you live will affect the kinds of clothes you find at a thrift store. If it's not your taste then obviously thrifting will be hard. For me, I've found that over time my style has changed and adapted to my thrifting habits. Now, when I go to a thrift store, I have things in mind that I'm looking for. Most of these are staple peices rather than statement pieces. Sometimes they won't have your size or they won't have exactly what you want and that's okay. You'll get used to it and adapt with time. For now, try looking for those staple pieces. Natural fibers are usually a little more resilient when it comes to quality. Don't be discouraged at not finding anything every time you go thrifting. Sometimes it's better to not buy anything and come back later.

Alice B Yeah style is something i didnt think about. It was hard enough for me to find clothes that i liked at fast fashion stores, its so much harder now at thrift stores. And you're right about the kind of clothing to look for. It was so much easier for me when i was looking for staple pieces rather than statemnet. My only problem though is, i dont wanna have to change my style just because i changed where i go shopping.. Thank you for your helpful reply:)

@@eleni4863 😊 of course!

Another thing that has made it easier for me is following other thrifters and ethical fashion people on Instagram. I suggest checking out #idthriftthat and #ethicalmyway

Good tip!

They do an amazing job. I just wish I liked the style more. 😰

Wowwww you are a boss for doing that.. I am also an XS but I havent yet tailored my clothing.. Do you know if its possible to expand the size of jeans by the way? From xs to s?

aw thank you!

Also I recommend checking out the app Good on You. It’s my favorite guide to shopping sustainably and ethically. You can check the policies of lots of brands and also browse categories of clothing items by brands that are sustainable!

I freakin' love meundies! I've been wearing their underwear for a little over a year now and can confirm that the quality is top! I've worn all my pairs weekly (I don't have a lot of underwear) and they are holding up super well! 👌

idk if it's just me but pact undies felt really thin and uncomfortable???

@@lilianat8413 that sucks! :( I haven't tried their undies because they don't make my size lmao but I've have a pair of their "over the knee" socks and love them (only con is that they only go up to my knee, not over)

You have to go for fairtrade labels if you want fairtraded cloths. I.e. GOTS.

Agreed! Shopping local, and supporting small a business is also a worthy thing to aim for.

@@zacharymli Why would smaller shops be more likely to buy fair trade than the bigger ones? They may have a more original collection of pieces or a nice atmosphere but that does not tell you anything about where the cloths come from. I would rather look for online shops that sell fashion with the right labels: GOTS, Fairtrade, FWF, ... It is the only way to know for sure.

We're the same here!

I think there are great pieces online if you're willing to hunt for them like on depop and poshmark (even ebay sometimes), most people rake up the prices but you can find some at good prices! also I don't know if garage/yard sales are popular where you live, but hit those up, you can find some gems. also ask your friends to try a clothing swap where you each bring clothes you no longer want and see if there's anything in their pile you might want!

Sarah Hawkinson thanks 🙏

Make it known to friends and family that you wear second hand and if you're lucky, free clothes will come your way 😁 Everyone who knows me knows I'm all for second hand clothing, so I get a lot of hand-me-downs from neighbors, family, coworkers etc... Like just yesterday i got 4 jeans from my aunt who got them from someone else

also thredup online! i just placed my first order i got an 80% wool coat for like $15 and i don’t buy wool or other animal products new so it was an awesome find

ThredUP, depop, and eBay

Yes we're pretty judgemental when someone goes against the mainstream :)) It's okay though. In 10-20 years it will change quickly especially with social media.

Thrift store is a great alternative, if you live in big city!

This sounds crazy but you could try to swap clothes with some friends or see if they don't want some of their clothes anymore. Also try to develop your own style because I feel like once you do that, you will only need to wear a few pieces and you won't have to buy new clothes cuz you're not sticking to trends that change all the time, you're making your own judgements for yourself. xx

Ok, I’m Russian too and I disagree soooo hard. It IS easy to buy things without turning to fast fashion nowadays: Saint Petersburg and Moscow have lots of great second-hand stores, these places often ship their goods across Russia, and besides, there’s always Etsy and VK groups like барахолка (where people often sell unused clothing) for you. I’m a relatively poor girl myself but still have an extensive wardrobe, a few brand pieces and tons of places I can buy from. These excuses have no place in 2019.

@@nataliashoo9104Well it may be easy if you live in Saint Petersburg or Moscow. But here in Vladivostok we don't have any good second-hand stores. It's such a struggle to get decent clothing here

very true it's just about doing research on each individual brand! but yes I say I "can't" buy things from the mall simply because the ethical brands available there I just cannot afford.

The point of thrifting is to re-use not to advertise fast-fashion, so I don't think it's a bad or damaging thing to thrift.

Thrifting IS the most ethical way. No additional resources are used. The piece is already out there. Regardless of what you buy used (provided that you need it) - it can't get any more ethical than that. 🔥

@@theminimalistninja yup however ethical new clothes are, you're still producing something brand new and using up resources

rosa hernandez and speed up the video

Haha... I just made this same comment before seeing yours. There's got to be some synonyms for ff. 😂

Where do you live? 😯

That's such an unfortunate prejudice, but maybe through seeing what great finds you are wearing and by your explanations of your reasoning, you can contribute a little to changing those perceptions

Fuck those people!! Anyone who judges you for that are assholes

@llaria: That's when you tell them you got it from your 'fairy Godmother' or your 'rich auntie in the states', or whatever you're comfortable with. (It's basically an 'F#^k you!" to them).

even in my country having second hand items is looked down upon. but hopefully we will change that by wearing second hand items like a pro

Have you tried thrift stores, consignment stores or online stores selling used clothing?

The Minimalist Ninja I use thredUP sometimes and I do go to the thrift stores as well!

Demand won't disappear. People will always need to wear clothes, and those clothes need to be manufactured somewhere, you're just forcing companies to pay better wages when you refuse to support their abusive practices. About wages. I live in a third world country, and yes, let's say a doctor makes $10 an hour. Now, let's say that we're talking about a doctor with a private practice and he makes around a thousand bucks a week. That, for my country, is more than enough to live comfortably because living expenses are much lower here. Now, consider this: in countries like mine some sweatshop workers are making around $2 a day. If we consider a lot of them have 9 or ten hours shifts, that means they are making around $0.20 an hour. See the abysmal difference? I work 44 hours a week and make around 6 bucks an hour as a graphic designer. I live comfortably, I don't have children to support, but a lot of these people are the sole income of their homes. Even with living costs here, I would be starving if I made two bucks a day. That's not even the price of a decent meal in this country, let alone sustenance for a whole family. I would really like to see governments stepping up for these people's rights, and believe me, there will always be another industry wanting to fill in the gaps. The no jobs argument is the same one disconnected rich people use as an excuse for the abuse. Why can contact centers pay livable wages but fashion companies can't? I'd say sweatshop workers need even more skills than contact center employees at an entry level, and their jobs are substantially more risky. If you've ever seen an industrial sewing machine working, you'll know people can lose fingers in one of those things. I own one, and they are not easy to operate.

Katya Hernández i agree 100%, and I most definitely don’t want to support companies that exploit garment workers. I was just curious what happens to their jobs when companies stop outsourcing

when companies realise that their customers are quitting their brands because they are sourcing unethically, they will put more thoughts into making their production process more cleaner and ethical. Fair pay in India atleast should be around 250 dollars per month for standard 8 hour work per day for 5 days (if they have to sustain a family of 3-4 then it should be 300 dollars ). I think similar should be the fair pay in Bangladesh .

Capitalism shifts to whatever sells. If we all bought fewer clothes they'd have to charge more per item and make fewer items (helping the environment but not workers) but if we all started buying from ethical suppliers then all suppliers would be competing to be the most ethical and their adverts would be all about how they save the environment and treat their staff well. In the UK we already have adverts from supermarkets bragging about their potatoes from local farmers and their eggs from free range hens. We even had an advert for a frozen food shop banned because it was all about how they wouldn't use palm oil because it causes deforestation and threatens to drive orangutans to extinction, it was pulled for breaching standards for political advertising. The companies will do whatever makes them money even if that means doing the right thing.

Katya Hernández thank you! You answered this so well. It's not about not creating demand, it's about supporting places that are fair to and value the people who work for them. Billions of people need clothing. Demand exists. We just need to be mindful of how we meet the demand. People deserve living wages and safe working environments.