Clay Jewelry from a Queer-Owned Small Biz: Gentle & Kind

No matter what it is you’re putting on your body, there’s a way to do it more ethically and sustainably. That’s the attitude I’ve been adopting as of late, as I try to tackle more aspects of my fashion and purchases. So, when I came across Hailey Watson’s Depop shop, Gentle & Kind, I was more than elated! Hailey offers the gorgeous geometric clay and metallic jewelry you have always wanted (even if you didn’t know it until now). 

As you may remember, I also featured Gentle & Kind in my 2019 holiday gift guide! However, after receiving some of her pieces and being even happier about how gorgeous they are in person, I knew I had to do a full-length article all about Hailey’s business. So, that’s this post! It’s been a long time coming, and I’m very excited to finally be getting it up. 

the origin story

Hailey has been passionate about sustainability and conscious living since she was sixteen. Since that point, she’s gone back and forth between living a vegan and a vegetarian lifestyle. Thrifting is one of the other ways in which she has managed what she’s put into the world. It allows her to avoid waste and to avoid new production! 

After getting into thrifting, Hailey discovered the slow fashion movement. She also saw the trend of clay earrings arising quickly, and wanted some for herself. As a college student, though, they were incredibly pricey. These elements together led her to start creating earrings for herself in order to avoid buying them new! Suddenly, Gentle & Kind was born!

There were a few key things which Hailey knew she wanted to prioritize as she built this new business. First and foremost, she wanted sustainability and slow fashion to be accessible to everyone, regardless of their income or what size clothing they wear. More than making money, Hailey was concerned with getting people to care about the issue, and providing a good that everyone would be able to access. She never wanted customers to have to choose between her products and those of a fast fashion brand, and although she knew it wouldn’t be possible to make the prices exactly equivalent, she wanted to make them at least comparable.

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A post shared by Gentle & Kind (@gentle_kind) on Mar 14, 2020 at 1:13pm PDT

hailey’s small biz experience

As Hailey states in her Instagram bio, Gentle & Kind is a queer-owned business. She told me that she’s gotten a ton of support from both the queer and the women creator communities. In her experience, she wouldn’t say that being a queer woman has adversely impacted her work. Instead, she believes including this part of her identity in her business has allowed her to reach people within these communities online. Social media has allowed her to connect with queer folks who are looking to support other queer-owned businesses. 

the style identity

Hailey designs and creates pieces based on what she personally finds to be beautiful. The colours and shapes that you see in her earrings and necklaces are ones she has always been drawn to. She enjoys muted or neutral tones which allow her pieces to be worn with everything. 

She also often gets inspired by her own clothing! A favourite piece or outfit will lead her to design a new product based upon it. Although Hailey says she plans to stay in a similar colour scheme to what she offers now, she did tell me things will always be changing and she plans to try types of jewelry other than what she currently offers.

the broader goal

Another big part of the reason why Hailey started Gentle & Kind was to put herself through university debt-free. This in and of itself is an incredible goal; however, her aspirations extend past this. Hailey strongly identifies as a feminist, and is incredibly passionate about women’s education. She believes education is beautiful and an important platform for absolutely everything. For these reasons, she is planning to become a teacher and to instruct women in the Global South after she graduates. These are the motives behind the brand that you should keep in mind when deciding whether to go support Gentle & Kind...just saying.

Hailey said that although she’s not totally sure what the future of Gentle & Kind will look like, as she launched it with a few broader goals in mind, she plans on continuing it indefinitely. She absolutely loves what she does and doesn’t see that going away after she finishes college. For my part, I can’t wait to see what Hailey creates next.

With love and sustainability,

Ethigirl

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Do you follow me on Instagram yet? If not, check me out at @ethigirlblog!

One Year of Ethigirl: A Review!

Hey there! Happy September! Though it’s been a little while since the official anniversary, I wanted to take a minute to write a post that rounded up some of my sweetest moments from Ethigirl’s first year of existence.

Now Ethigirl is still very much a baby at this point. She’s got a lot of stuff she wants to accomplish in these coming years! That said, for a one year-old, I think it’s pretty amazing all that’s happened in 365 days on the Internet (and planet).

So, let’s take a little trip down memory lane!

August 2018: The Birth of Ethigirl

I started Ethigirl after a lot of thinking. I’d previously attempted a personal blog but didn’t have much direction and, therefore, failed to update it regularly. I had all of this knowledge on sustainable and ethical fashion, but nowhere to concretely direct it. However, I also lacked the confidence that I had any ~hot takes~ worthy of putting onto the Internet. That changed after a few of my friends contacted me for advice on getting started in the world of conscious consumerism: maybe I could be a resource. And so, I did a lot of research until I soon launched Ethigirl.com! She used to look a lot different: she started out with a different logo and a different platform, Wordpress.

August-October 2018: Getting Started

Those first two months, I wrote a lot. I was priding myself on posting very regularly, as I was excited and motivated to keep growing my audience. I also launched most of Ethigirl’s social media platforms, including (most namely) my Instagram and Facebook. However, my Insta didn’t start out very aesthetic as I lacked a lot of good pictures to use at that time!

I was lucky to borrow my friends and one of their cameras to get some great shots. 

Some of my fave posts from that time period are my Fall Fashion Lookbook and Depop Shopping Tips. I’m really proud of these articles because of how hard I worked on them, and how unique I felt the content inside was. 

Fall 2018: Discount Codes, Logo Redesign and More!

As the months passed and I kept writing, Ethigirl grew out of her initial logo. So, I knew it was time for a change. I needed to better define the brand and its story. After a lot of thinking, I came up with what we have now! You can read more about that here. Each element has a distinct purpose, and encompasses the intersectionality of ethical and sustainable fashion that I feel is so important.

I also started applying to some of my favourite brands’ ambassador programs to spread the word about them and to give people some sweet, sweet discounts! Some of the brands I work with include Dazey LA and Krochet Kids.

Winter 2019: Opening Up About Mental Health

At some point, it started feeling right to share some more personal thoughts about my mental health within the Ethigirl community. It turns out that they really resonated with people, because my Personal Pieces are some of my most popular posts of all time. I’m particularly proud of my Social Change Burnout article, which put into writing so many of the thoughts I’ve struggled to communicate for so long. 

Winter 2019: Working With Erin From Vella Vintage!

One of my absolute top highlights from this past year has been all of the members of the ethical fashion community I’ve had the pleasure of meeting (both in person and online)! The first powerhouse that comes to mind is Erin, the creator of Vella Vintage. Vella is an online thrift shop made up of collections that Erin curates based on their theme. Erin also creates thrifted mystery boxes for her customers. 

As part of our collaboration, Erin wrote an article about me for her Girl Boss Blog, and I wrote an article about her. We even worked to offer Ethigirl readers 25% off on Vella pieces with the code ETHIGIRL25. 

Winter 2019: ethigIRL

Around late winter I started itching to get out there and talk to some people about Ethigirl in real life! So, I tabled at two events, and I even attended the Canadian National Fair Trade Conference in Ottawa in March. All of these things allowed me to have an excuse to print custom Ethigirl stickers and to grow our community a little more. 

May 2019: Podcasting!

In May, I recorded a podcast episode with Marjorie of A Sustainable Mind, a show on which she interviews environmental changemakers! I’m so excited about how this opportunity was able to spread my message to some new people. We talked a lot about accessibility in slow fashion, why screwing up is okay, and individual versus collective actions. You can listen to the episode here!

August 2019: A Site Makeover

Over the summer a number of things led me to decide to completely switch my CMS (Content Management System). I realized over time that Wordpress just wasn’t the right fit: it required a ton of constant maintenance that I didn’t have time for, and I was always unsatisfied with the aesthetics and overall user experience of the site at that time. So, after some research and consulting with the right people, I chose to take my business to Squarespace. 

I created lots of wireframes and finally landed on the design I have now! I am so much happier with how things look, and I’m sure I’m going to keep changing it. What’s great is that Squarespace will allow me to do that extremely easily. 

So, there you have it! Some of my favourite moments of Ethigirl’s growth into a toddler over this past year. As always, thanks for reading - and feel free to let me know what your fave Ethigirl post was from the year!

With love and sustainability,

Ethigirl

responsible reduction: how to get rid of old clothes

Most of us love to clean out our closets. I've talked in previous articles about doing this. However, as I've said before (and will say again), it's really important when we do this to not carry and out-of-sight, out-of-mind mentality.

The culture of fast fashion - through its prices and its accessibility - allows us to feel okay about buying a lot of stuff and then just donating it or getting rid of it when we're done with it. And somehow, we actually feel good about it because we think we're helping others by donating our old stuff. We imagine our five dollar H&M t-shirts ending up in the hands of someone less fortunate and then we just repeat the cycle.

Let me tell you: this is not how it works, nor is it how it should work. Clothing creates so much pollution every year, the people who make it are not treated fairly, and even when we donate it, it often ends up in either a landfill or in a community in the Global South to compete with local artisan entrepreneurs trying to sell their goods to lift themselves out of poverty.

None of these things are good. However, I'm not the type of person to present a problem without a solution, because that is not in any way helpful. Therefore, in today's article, I want to provide you with tips to divert your textile waste. Read on to find out more.

the problem

Still aren't convinced you shouldn't drop off your clothes to your nearest donation bin or secondhand store? Let me help with some handy facts from this article from Huffington Post by co-founders of WE, Craig and Mark Kielburger, and this article from Nylon by Taylor Bryant.

• 85%, or 10.5 million tonnes of clothing goes to landfills!

• In 2015, the equivalent of $17.5 million USD was sent just to Kenya to be resold! This is so harmful for local economies, as I spoke about above.

• These countries are so fed up that many of them are considering actually banning secondhand clothing imports.

• Less than 20% of clothing you donate gets resold!

the solution

At the end of the day, going forward, we inherently know what the solution is: buying less. It's so obvious and although it's difficult in a society which constantly pressures us to be serial consumers, it's necessary if we want to see any change at all.

However, even when we make the decision to do this, there will still be items from our past that we have and don't know what to do with. In this case, I present a couple of solutions to you to get rid of them without contributing to the problem of textile waste.

sell your clothes online

There are a couple of ways to do this, and the benefit is that you directly ensure whose hands the item is ending up in. This is super important!

Facebook groups: chances are, your town, city, or university will have clothing swap/buy and sell groups that you can sell old clothes on.

Depop: this platform is incredible! Simply create an account, list your items for sale, and set a price for shipping. A bonus is that Depop has all kinds of gorgeous items for you to buy, too - check out my article here about how to use it effectively. Another tip: when you're setting shipping prices, your post company should have a price calculator online for you to use. Canada Post's (which I use) can be found here.

order a cleanout kit from thredUP

thredUP is self-acclaimed to be the largest online consignment shop, and it is amazing. If you're looking for designer items for cheap, it is the PLACE. They have a ton of sales and offer 20% off your first order. Trust me, if you haven't tried thredUP yet, you really need to.

Anyway, the way that thredUP gets what they sell is through donations from their customer community. If you have any items you think they'd want, order a Cleanout Kit from them here. They'll ship you a big bag with a return label with the promise that they'll return or responsibly recycle any items they can't sell. With part of the profits, you can choose to either earn the money or have it donated to charity.

Unfortunately, this service is only available in the states for now. :(

repurpose your items for something else

Old t-shirts can easily be cut up to make rags, and there are also all kinds of tutorials for other items - especially if you have a little bit of sewing knowledge.

• Fabric Bowl Covers via Hearth and Vine - use instead of plastic wrap and reduce your waste!

• This Hoodie Scarf made from an old sweater! This is so freakin cute! (via Instructables)

• Beanies from recycled sweaters! (via Mother Earth Living)

• Denim scraps? Try this Denim Clutch! (via Paper & Stitch)

As well, I use old t-shirts as reusable Swiffer pads (I just add water and Dr. Bronner's cleaner!) and I have been known to cut the toes out of socks to use as a mug cozy for mason jars of tea or coffee.

donate to a shelter/to someone directly

If you really want to give your items to someone in need (and actually ensure it goes to them), the best way is to pass from hand to hand. Reach out to your friends and family and see if they know of anyone or their children who could use what you have. Or, contact a local homeless or womens' shelter and ask them if they are in need of donations. Whatever you do, don't give it to them without their consent and present them with the problem of trying to get rid of it instead.

Another option is to hold a clothing swap with friends, or look and see if your university or community is having one. Usually this just means you have to bring a couple of your own items and then you get lots in return!

recycle!

And last, recycling is an option. There are some items, such as socks or underwear, which can't really be donated but still should not end up in the landfill! For these, search up local textile recycling centers near you. They will make sure your items get as much use out of them as possible.

conclusion

Thank you all for reading this extremely important article about getting rid of old clothes responsibly. It's something that I care very deeply about, yet something that not nearly enough people are aware of.

If you're looking for more information about this topic, I'd recommend watching The True Cost on Netflix, which is just all around a great documentary about the clothing industry that everyone needs to see.

With love and sustainability,

ethigirl

slow fall fashion: ethigirl's lookbook

Y A Y  F O R  F A L L ! ! !

Wow wow wow I used the HEADER option for those words because it is absolutely, positively my FAVOURITE time of year. I am so excited that it's finally here! If I'm being completely honest, though (and I'm not going to try not to be because my roommates would totally call me out if I wasn't!) I've been in fall mode for several weeks now. Oh yes...the acoustic indie Spotify playlists have been made, the fresh cookies and cinnamon buns have been baked, a cute scarf has been thrifted, and I am just too far off the deep end to ever return. (Please do not remind me of the iced-over wasteland that we will be experiencing far too soon. I am not prepared and I'm definitely ignoring the reality.)

It's not that I don't like summer - I love it! But there's just something so magical and romantic and EXTREMELY cozy about fall. Candles, tea, blankets, CARDIGANS, baking, big coats, and so many other things...I absolutely adore it. And the leaves!!

And as well - probably my favourite part of this incredible season - THE FASHION. I think fall is the loveliest for getting dressed in the morning (except for when you wear a warm coat in the morning and then once the sun comes out you reduce into a pile of sweat. But just let me be idealistic okay).

Picture this: you awake to the smell of cinnamon buns fresh outta the oven. You throw off your eighteen blankets and immediately put on fuzzy socks and a hoodie. After you eat a cinnamon bun you adorn yourself in a beanie, cardigan, tights, and ankle boots, (reusable) mug of tea in hand. You are ready. You are autumnally-prepared. You are thriving.

Did it feel like you were there? My elementary school English teachers did tell me I was good at descriptive writing. ;) Anyway, now that I have set the scene, you are ready for this post. It's all about the pursuit of adorable fall fashion and how to craft ethical, sustainable outfits for every autumnal occasion! Grab a latte and a blanket. I hope this helps you and inspires you to live your best (pumpkin-filled) life this fall!

Also, an extra special thank you to my two friends Mollie and Psalm for contributing so much to this post. Mollie took beautiful photos (and let Psalm and I try clumsily to do the same), and the two of them both love thrifting and shopping slow so they volunteered their Sunday afternoon to shoot photos of their favourite fall outfits!

I've also linked my fall Spotify playlist below!!! It's got all my all-time faves and some new discoveries. If you have any suggestions for autumnal music please also send it my way! (WOW! GETTIN HIGH TECH (I literally just hit a button on Spotify to achieve this but STILL PROUD OF MYSELF)!)

Fall Look #1: A STYLISH DAY AT SCHOOL

Aspen: I love a cozy flannel, and this one is a secondhand Fjallraven BABE that I found for such a great deal on Depop. You can find the same one new here. I tucked it into a pair of boyfriend Levi's which I purchased prior to my slow fashion switch. To finish the look I've got on my number one companion (my Kanken backpack), some cozy socks from United By Blue, and I'm borrowing Mollie's Blundstones!

Psalm: My dear friend and this! amazing! look! Psalm has paired a gorgeously-vintage Levi's denim jacket with a basic white tee, then added some thrifted plaid pants that give off very chic prep school vibes. Seriously, she is School of ROCKING this outfit! To polish it all off, she's wearing a pair of Matt & Nat loafers! You can find a similar pair here.

I don't know about you, but at my university, as soon as I walk onto campus I immediately feel inferior...people do the MOST when it comes to outfits. But I actually love it! These beautiful individuals are constantly providing me with inspiration for new ~looks~ from these beautiful individuals.

The entire ensemble is totally something you could wear to school and be comfortable, casual, but still ON FIRE. As well, a tip from Psalm: clothing swaps!!! At our university there are tons of buy and sell groups on Facebook where tons of very fashionable people sell their items for really cheap prices.

We also often have actual clothing swap events, where attendees are required to bring a couple of their own items to contribute and then they are welcome to take as many others home with them as they'd like! It's completely free and reduced so much textile waste!

She also found a lot of her items from friends or even her mom who didn't use them any longer and felt as though she'd get more love out of them. What's so special about this tip is the idea of fashion as a social and communal thing! Sharing clothing and bonding over fashion can be a great way to "shop" (sometimes without even spending anything) sustainably and have an amazing time while doing it.

Fall Look #2: ROMANTIC DINNERS (or other assorted "dress-up" occasions)

Mollie: Even if your love life is in shambles (RIP) there is still always an excuse to dress up and feel GOOD! Heck, one of my best pals had a housewarming party last week and she made the dress code black tie just so everyone had an excuse to look nice. It reminded me that I do not get to wear heels and red lipstick as much as I would like to!

Okay, so the key to a FALL dressy outfit is to pair it with an amazing coat/blazer. (Unless, of course, you're going for the classic post-date "I'm cold" move to get your romantic conquest to offer theirs ;).) But if instead you decide, no, I'm gonna be independent and save my OWN self from this autumn evening's chill, make sure you bring your jacket!

And Mollie did the MOST for this tip with this beautiful fur coat! One thing you should know about Mollie - her mom works in a thrift store and is constantly picking up new things for her!!! I, personally, am quite jealous, as this coat is one of those items.

Underneath the coat is a thrifted dress with black detailing around the boatneck and sleeves. It has a gorgeous grey, pink, and blue print. I love this dress because of its versatility - you could also definitely wear this to work with a blazer and tights and look so put-together!

Mollie has finished off the look with a pair of strappy black heels, making it truly elegant and unforgettable. She is truly date (or other formal event) ready!

One thing that Mollie and I have spoken about is the stories behind thrifted items. When we're thrifting, we don't always know where things come from, or the stories they hold, but it's so special to think about what their origins might be! And sometimes we do know. For instance, Mollie's heels in this outfit were made in Italy, and she has a half-sari scarf from India. The dress she thrifted and wore to prom was also vintage from the 60s!

These are items from everywhere that we'd likely never find if it weren't for thrifting, and it's crazy to think of the journey they travel to end up with us and to hopefully be well-loved for a lifetime!

Fall Look #3: LAZY SUNDAYS...

Who doesn't love these?! I adore those amazing autumn Sunday afternoons where you just sort of get cozy with your biggest sweater, softest leggings, warmest mug of tea, and favourite book/show/study subject (maybe the latter isn't so much a fave). Everybody needs this important self-care time whenever they can get it, and setting aside a few of those hours can really reset everything.

Psalm: This cozy friend has paired a freshly-made mug of tea (actually made just for these photos because #aesthetic) with an extremely soft, extremely comfy striped crewneck sweater which she thrifted with some also comfy leggings. It's a simple look but if this doesn't inspire you to stay in this weekend, I don't know what will!Also, how is her smile THIS radiant?!

An additional side note! The black blanket on my bed is so soft, so wooly, and from United By Blue! I think it inspires the outdoorsiest of vibes, and you can find it here if you're interested.

Fall Look #4: AFTERNOONS SPENT OUTDOORS

Fall is filled to the brim with opportunities to embark outside and take in the crispness of this magical season. Whether it be a visit to a pumpkin patch or an apple orchard, a coffee with a friend on a park bench, a relaxing hike, or simply a walk to clear your head, please take every chance you get to enjoy it.

This last outfit, I must say, has got to be my favourite - which partially has to do with where we traveled to take the accompanying photos. We visited the most golden of parks in my favourite part of the Plateau (the neighbourhood in which I live) - Square Saint-Louis! Although the light was quickly dimming and it was extremely chilly, the big beautiful streetlights were gorgeous and the squirrels were so cute and we were surrounded by the oldest, most amazing houses there are! I'm sorry to ramble on but I just love where I live and I'm so thankful to be here, feeling so swept up by the beauty of it all.

Aspen: In my look, I'm wearing a chambray button-up top that I purchased from thredUP, as well as a pair of thrifted army-green mom jeans from Depop.

A quick story about the jeans - they were too small! Well, I could wear them, but they crushed my insides, and I respect my organs so I decided I needed to stretch them out. I did this by throwing them in the wash, and then putting them on before I hung them to dry (yes, damp jeans - as uncomfortable as it sounds). I then proceeded to do squats, toe touches, and honestly just some crazy air kicks and dance moves for about half an hour before I got tired and hoped for the best. And actually, after I tried them on again, they fit much better!

Finally, to "tie" the look together, I'm wearing a thrifted orange and black (ooh, Halloween-y?!) bandana around my neck that I just knotted twice. I am so obsessed with the way it looks.

Well, that's all from me for today, and for ETHIGIRL's first post in my fall series! Thank you so very much for reading this, for looking at the pictures, and for supporting me. Just to be sappy for a moment, whenever someone reads or comments or shares, or even comes up to me and tells me that they like what I'm writing, I always do an internal happy dance! So thank you a million times.

With so much love and sustainability,

Ethigirl <3 

tips for shopping on depop

One of the biggest challenges for me when I went slow fashion was finding ways to look cute while doing less harm. It’s tough! And while my morals will always come first from here on out with what I put on my body, it’s nice to wear nice things.

Depop is an incredible resource that I talk more about in this post, but the basic idea is that it's an online secondhand and vintage marketplace. Anyone can sell or buy items, which are usually clothing, but sometimes also include accessories or even homeware. I love it so much that it’s honestly becoming a bit of an addiction. Scrolling through while eating a bowl of cereal...never knowing what cute treasure you’re gonna stumble across in your travels...well, it’s like thrifting but online. And more curated. And with CEREAL.

(ALSO I don't know where the best place is to have this plug but...if you wanna follow me on Depop... my handle is @aspeniris. <3)

But while there are tons of great finds available, it can be a bit difficult to locate them! It’s actually a bit discouraging if you don’t have the proper tools to shop on Depop. It’s important to know that even if you don’t have a super artsy, vintage, retro, or alternative sense of style, Depop is still awesome for you. There is, I think, sort of a reputation surrounding thrifting and vintage shopping that there's a distinct alternative style or aesthetic associated with it, but I don't think this is true! You can find things in any style. You really, really just have to know where and how to look in order to find what it is that you desire. Here are a few tips that’ll help you save the hassle when you inevitably sign up for Depop and fall in love just the same as I have.

#1: Use Different Search Terms

This is a tip that I originally found in a post by British Mermaid on the same topic I’m currently writing about. Essentially, if you’re looking for a pair of combat boots and running out of luck, you might consider trying search terms other than “combat boots,” such as “lace-up boots” or “brown boots.” It seems like something really simple but it’s actually so powerful. Allow me to demonstrate with a real-life ETHIGIRL success story!

Once upon a time, your girl Aspen was on a mad hunt for a midi-length linen button-up dress. And if you’ve looked for this item before, you KNOW how expensive linen is (which is not to say that it isn't worth it)

! If I’d had the money to drop on one from a local slow fashion brand I totally would have, but I didn’t...so I decided to take a little gander on Depop and see what I could find. Armed with a determined scrolling thumb and an eye for the ultimate picnic gal aesthetic, I hunted!

Aaaand after one quick search of “linen dress”, I fell short. Nothing that I wanted. But this is only when the story gets interesting! This is when noble Aspen persevered. I then decided to try other search terms, like “button up dress” and “midi dress.” Still no dice. Until...finally, FINALLY! I stumbled upon “seersucker dress.” I hadn’t considered that something like seersucker might be a close alternative for the linen I so desired.That’s when I found it: I found the dress. Heart eyes emojis galore. I hurried to order it and I have gotten so many compliments on it since it arrived. The science of this is that Depop is run by its users, which means not everyone looks at a piece and calls it the same thing. Every clothing piece on the site is unique! And even though I didn’t end up with an actual linen dress, the final product looked exactly like what I wanted.

#2: Build A Strong Feed

It’s important on Depop to follow people, seriously. At the beginning, you’ll have nothing - the only place you’ll know where to go to look at items is in the little Discover page, which is cool to look at sometimes but not often what you need or want. So, spend some time at the beginning of your Depop journey finding accounts to follow and then following their friends. That’ll make it so much easier and better in the future to find things that are your style. The way you find accounts that you want to follow is by searching not only for items you want, but items you already have and love. Then you’ll find people who are selling items like these and you know then that their shop will have things you’ll want to buy now and in the future.

#3: Don’t Sleep on the Saved Section

The way to continue building that feed I have stated is so important is by going onto the shops of people you already enjoy following and taking a peek at their saved section. Here, you’ll see all of the items they have their eye on and, thus, be able to look at those peoples’ shops if you like them too. It’s like a great minds think alike sort of deal.

#4: Know What You Want Going In

This is an easy tip but, before you get a strong feed (and even when you do) you’ll have a hard time finding the item you want to find unless you go looking for it. Eventually you’ll browse aimlessly and that item’ll come to you, but at first you gotta head in with a goal in mind.

#5: Check Internationally

Remember that beautiful picnic dress I was going on about before? That baby didn’t come from Canada, it was shipped from the states. Little plug by the way, I bought it from the kindest sellers Annie and Logan (@7gemini), who are proud to run a genderless, LGBTQI-owned vintage shop. Anyway, since not everyone is as nice as them and won’t agree to ship internationally, and because international shipping can get very expensive, Depop prioritizes domestic items. They will always be shown first (at least that is what it’s like for me on the app). But if you have a dream item, check out the international selection!! It’ll be right below what Depop gives you for domestic items.

#6: The More You Look, The Easier It Gets

I guess this is what I’ve basically been saying the whole time, but once you’ve got your feed going, you’ll really be on your way to finding lots of cool items. Depop gets really good when you don’t go looking for items, but instead, they come to you. Not to mention, the more you use Depop, the more familiar you’ll become with the way it works and you’ll start to develop your own techniques for shopping on it. And I promise, once you do, you’ll never go back!

Needless to say, I am a huge fan of this secondhand platform. The items you can find on Depop are almost always amazing, and the community aspect of it is so cool. Sellers are generally quite responsive (depending on how committed they are to running their shop) and friendly. They will even barter with you some on item prices to try and come up with something that works for you. I sincerely recommend that you try out Depop and, as always, if you have any questions or want to talk more about these tips, feel free to comment below.

With love and sustainability,

Ethigirl

how to go "slow fashion" on a budget

Yes, it’s difficult to argue that shopping sustainably and ethically isn’t better than doing otherwise. You would be hard-pressed to find a lot of people who think that (aside from maybe some economists who write on Forbes, and people who work for fast fashion corporations…). The problem, however, is that slow fashion is not that cheap. We have to pay a lot more than we’re used to paying. And for those of us on a budget, that can seem just about impossible.  

But it doesn’t have to be! Even on a budget, in my opinion, you can make responsible choices that won’t break the bank. I recognize that I am speaking about this from a place of privilege because, although I’m a university student on a tight budget, I don’t struggle severely or have a lack of resources to obtain clothing, food, or shelter if in need. Therefore, I write this post as someone in that position and want to be clear that I realize not everyone is in it.

Everyone's story is different. In high school I worked a relatively well-paying part-time job, and I used large portions of my paychecks (looking back, much more than I should have…) to buy ethical clothes and products. Once I started university, however, that changed - and at first, my consumer habits didn’t change with it! I was spending far too much money. It was then that I realized I needed to be saving a lot more - which I did start doing! But I never stopped buying ethical clothing, and I never went back on my promise to not support the fast fashion industry even though I had less to spend on clothes. To do that, I’ve learned a few tricks to be able to do a bit of both: live comfortably on a budget but still make a difference.

Tip #1: Literally Buy Less Stuff.

Something I can’t state enough is that starting a slow fashion lifestyle does NOT mean getting rid of all your other clothes and buying all ethical, sustainable ones. Not only is that really expensive, in all honesty, it’s the opposite of what I think being an ethical consumer embodies! When I started switching to slow fashion I took my time, and now, about two years into the journey, I still have a great number of pre-slow fashion pieces that I love.

I think it’s really important to squeeze every last bit of life out of those pieces. We have to start appreciating the things we wear and thinking about where they may have been made. Understanding that they came from unethical conditions shouldn’t cause us to just throw them out, but instead to hold onto them and use them for all they are worth. Otherwise, not only are we not appreciating what the maker of that item went through to create it for us, but we are also encouraging the pollution of the earth, which the fashion industry is so very much to blame for.

Something that saves you even more money is just to stop buying clothing in general, like Project 333 suggests. My minimalist best friend, Daniela, told me about it, and added this:

“I’m realizing that consuming responsibly is just about consuming less in general! It’s about using what you have and making it last - getting it repaired and all! I’m still in the process [of “ethicalizing” my wardrobe] but I’ve realized it’s possible to live with 30 pieces of clothing and shoes and some people can even do it with less! I’m hoping to fit all of my belongings in a suitcase before the end of the summer.”

Therefore, starting a slow fashion lifestyle isn’t an enormous change that you prepare to create overnight. Instead, it’s a slow, lifelong journey. I promise you that it is less scary and expensive than you think!

Tip #2: Shop Secondhand

I LOVE secondhand and vintage shopping! They are two of my biggest hobbies, and two of my biggest money-savers. There are so many things I love about it, and so many ways to do it.

(Something I want to note about secondhand shopping is that it’s one of the best ways to reduce fashion’s impact on the environment. As much as I love supporting and promoting my favourite fair trade companies, making something new always will affect the environment, no matter how much we try to limit our footprint. We’ll still be using fossil fuels and a lot of water. Therefore, I think it’s important to try and limit this as much as possible. I’ll be exploring this concept in a later blog post, too!)

Depending on where I am living at a given time (the joys of university - moving around lots!), there are different ways I shop secondhand. When I’m at university in the big city, I have a few favourite vintage stores I love to visit! It’s such a unique way to find new items of clothing for fair prices. When I’m in a more rural area, like back at home, I shop from two online platforms: Depop and thredUP. I love them both! The only thing I’ll note is the shipping, which does have a carbon impact on the environment. Therefore, I try to buy bulk orders online if I need something.

Me wearing a fave pair of thrifted pants.

Depop is a global fashion marketplace run by its users. Anyone can create their own “shop” wherein they post photos of the item they want to sell, with a price, size, and description. I have found SO many amazing deals on Depop and the other sellers are so incredibly friendly. I love the community aspect. As well, many of the sellers are students or younger people who are simply selling their old clothing to make a bit of money. I love helping them avoid having those clothes go to the landfill or to a donation store where they likely won’t be sold.

thredUP is the self-proclaimed world’s largest consignment store. It’s based in the United States but does offer international shipping. There are literally hundreds of thousands of items available on the site, so it requires a lot of filtering, and even then you might catch yourself hunting for hours to find a gem! For the fashion-lover, however, this can actually be pretty fun. Again, the deals on here are pretty fantastic! I’m so happy with everything I’ve bought from them.

Tip #3: Sell on Depop/Consign to thredUP and Save the Money

Speaking of Depop, why not sell your clothes there?! It requires pretty minimal work: simply list a couple of items, follow some other people to build a network, and just make sure you get yourself to the post office to send them. This can give you some pocket cash to get out there and buy a new ethical item or two! Also, thredUP will send you a free donation bag, return shipping label included, to fill with your gently-used items to send back to them. In return, they’ll credit your account with a cut of the profits when they sell. Although I have heard it’s not the fastest way to make money, it’s certainly something to consider.

I also love these alternatives to donating your clothes because it’s a far more surefire way to ensure the lifespan of your clothes is extended. Donating clothes more often than not means they’ll end up in the landfill, impacting the environment, or being sold in a developing nation, stealing work from artisans trying to sell their own items.

Tip #4: Buy Investment Pieces, and Don’t Impulse Buy

When you do buy ethical clothing, however, the way to save money is to invest in staple pieces that you absolutely adore and know you’ll wear all the time. One item that for me comes to mind is this locally-made, delicately floral-printed tee shirt shift dress that I own. I just love that thing, and wear it probably more than anything else in my wardrobe! It’s versatile, it’s flattering, and it just speaks to my personality and what I want my style to portray about myself to others. FIND THAT ‘DRESS’, WHATEVER IT IS FOR YOU. And BUY IT!

This is the dress, folks!

Think hard about that piece of clothing before you buy it. Will you actually wear it? My rule of thumb is that it has to be wearable in at least two seasons and with more than one outfit for me to buy it. And you have to feel confident about it. I recently bought a pretty expensive bikini that I thought about for at least six months before I made the decision to hit “purchase”. I’m not saying do that every time, but I’m just saying I’m so glad I did, because I love it and have no regrets about spending my hard-earned money on it! These harder decisions have, I really think, caused me to spend less money in the long run.

These four tips have definitely helped me out lots in my pursuit to not spend all my money but to also still make ethical choices. I hope they can help you on yours. Please feel free to send me any questions you have about your own experiences and I guarantee I’ll do my very best to help out!

With love and sustainability,

Ethigirl