Small Steps: Slowing Down Your Social Media
Hannah Stobart offers up a curation of Instagram accounts to let you break into the world of ethical and sustainable fashion.
If you’re looking to foray into the world of slow fashion but don’t know where to start, changing up your Instagram feed can be a good first step. Luckily for you, we’ve done the hard work and picked out a couple of organisations, influencers, and brands to lay the groundwork for your new, more sustainable, Instagram follow-list. Unfollow ultra-fast fashion brands and replace them with some of these accounts instead!
Organisation: Fashion Revolution, @fash_rev
Why you should follow them:
Fashion Revolution are 100% transparent: on their website they list exactly what their goals are, what they’re doing to achieve them and even how they’re being funded.
They’re guilt-free – they aim to avoid shaming consumers who buy fast fashion, educating them and encouraging them to make a change instead.
Fashion Revolution has people at the heart of their organisation. While the environment is obviously a big factor for a need to change, the key question that Fashion Revolution asks is #WhoMadeMyClothes? For this reason, they won’t call for boycotts, as this often harms factory workers more than big conglomerates.
What to expect: You’re looking for accessible (and accurate) information, hard-to-swallow fashion facts, and wondering about people who made your clothes.
Influencer: Aja Barber, @ajabarber
Why you should follow them:
Aja uses her platform of 193K followers to speak about climate change, modern slavery, racial capitalism, and how the fashion industry feeds into all of them.
She calls out brands by name, boldly and unapologetically demanding they do better.
Aja also speaks candidly about a range of non-fashion topics, from #BlackLivesMatter to her thought-provoking question of the week (This week it was ‘If someone has done you wrong but you have information that can help them, should you tell them?’)
As a Black, plus-size woman, she has a voice that is sorely lacking in the fashion industry, and we should all be listening.
What to expect: Bullsh*t-free posts, easy-to-understand definitions, and self-care.
Organisation: Love Not Landfill, @lovenotlandfill
Why you should follow them:
Love Not Landfill is the perfect Instagram account to follow if you’re working towards sustainable fashion.
I personally think their account is super approachable, and focuses on education and small steps!
They share articles to help people do their own research, while not losing sight of their own mission: #LoveNotLandfill Clothes Banks placed across the city of London.
What to expect: Tips on how to break up with fast fashion, showcasing of slow fashion influencers, and little positive affirmations for your day.
Brand: Girlfriend Collective, @girlfriend
Why you should follow them:
Body positive? Check. Fashion forward? Check. An Activewear company that is completely transparent and super eco-friendly? Check. Girlfriend Collective has it all.
Their clothing is made out of recycled plastic bottles – 25 per pair of leggings and 11 per sports bra – and their packaging is 100% recycled and recyclable!
The only downside is that they don’t currently ship to the UK (however they are stocked in places such as Selfridges), but if you’re in the US or Australia, you’re in luck! And shipping’s free…
What to expect: Gorgeous clothing, lots of content about recycling, and (if nothing else) a reminder that all bodies (and I mean ALL) can look dope in cycling shorts…
Brand: The Hippie Shake, @thehippieshake
Why you should follow them:
Attention all vintage lovers!! We have found the shop for you. The Hippie Shake is a UK-based, slow fashion, 70s obsessed clothing brand. What more could you possibly ask for?
Their designs are stunning, pretty affordable, and they are donating 100% of the profits from their face masks to the Black Lives Matter movement and The Bail Project.
You’ll be absolutely devastated that you didn’t find this brand sooner. Does anyone have a ‘Here Comes the Sun’ tie top I can buy off them??
What to expect: Loud prints, groovy shots, and a whole lot of flower power
Influencer: Carmen Jenny, @carmitive
Why you should follow them:
When I found out Carmen Jenny is the digital editor of Harper’s Bazaar Germany I was not even a little shocked. Her Instagram is a wonderland of beautiful outfits, picture-perfect ponytails, and educational graphics (that fit with her theme, no less).
She believes that we should be using fashion as a voice, not only to express ourselves, but to speak up about ethical and slow fashion.
A traditional ‘influencer’, Carmen Jenny will make you wish that you were her. I’m not kidding. Someone move to Germany with me, please?
What to expect: Beautiful clothing, an unattainable life, and a look-good-to-do-good attitude.
And, of course, us: Refashion the Future, @refashionthefuture
Why you should follow us:
Given that you made it to the bottom of the article, you’re clearly interested in learning more about slow fashion, and we’re here to help you do that!
We are hub for young people interested in clothing themselves stylishly and ethically, ReFashion the Future showcases influencers, provides tips, reviews brands, and much more.
What to expect: Explanations of commonly-used slow fashion terms (what even is Greenwashing?), sustainable #OOTDs, and all the news about our fabulous articles.