Let’s talk about ethics. The fashion world has been under a lot of scrutiny when it comes to ethical business practices. We may not fully understand the underlying issues that this industry has, but we can’t deny that some brands don’t really seem to care about the people they work with. IG profiles like @diet_prada will even put these brands and designers on blast, highlighting unethical practices. But there are brands who have been fighting against this in recent years, working towards producing clothing that is both affordable and ethical, while also highlighting the issues in the bigger picture. So how can we as consumers do our part to support brands that are doing the right thing?
Mission Statements & Advertising
Companies that make ethical decisions will usually try to get the word out about their choices as much as they can. This diminishes the effort in some people’s minds, but it doesn’t really matter if they make money out of being ethical; the end result is still a positive one. You can use a company’s mission statements and other advertising to get an idea of whether or not they are ethical. There are a lot of clothing brands out there that will plant trees or take part in other charitable acts whenever they sell an item, and finding them is pretty easy.
User-Generated Content
While we would all like to believe we can trust the brands we buy from, it’s not always easy to make sure that we can 100% believe what they tell us. This makes user reviews incredibly important for any online shopper. Check out this Hearts on Fire review here that shows you a breakdown of the diamond brand. The review shows that they care about their customers and truly want to give them a positive experience. This site may not go into full detail about the source of products, but it still gives you an idea of how well they treat their customers. So important for investment pieces.
The News & Media
Are you ever shocked when you find that the brands you love have been acting unfairly? What do you do when you see stories in the media about your favorite brand/fashion house making bad decisions? If you love wearing pieces from a particular brand / fashion house, you should also keep up with the news surrounding the designer brands. If you’re buying and wearing their pieces, you are standing for what they believe in. Not a lot of people realize that Hugo Boss had strong connections to Germany’s Nazi Party in World War Two, but there are countless news stories that cover this topic in depth. Just saying.
With all of this in mind, you should take time to learn about designer brands before you spend money with them. Right now our world is going through a major change. 2020 is the year to listen, realize the truth, and take action to make it better. It’s like we’re going through a deep clean and weeding out the bad at a rapid pace. Unethical companies would have been pulled out anyways, but now brands are being held accountable more than ever. So do your part.