I had the chance to work with zero waste brand Denim UnSpun and did a little interview for them as well. The zero waste method that they use is super cool! Essentially you go to a place that does full body scans where it takes all your measurements. These measurements are then sent to the brand for manufacturing. I went to Rapid Scan 3D just a few minutes from my place in Long Beach. This production method is much more sustainable than typical brands that mass produce. The jeans are very customizable; you can pick length, color, fit, rise, etc. Stoked that I got to work with Denim Unspun!
Denim Unspun: What inspires you to promote sustainable fashion?
Me: I’ve loved fashion ever since I was little, but I didn’t realize the devastating impact the industry is having on our planet until a few years ago. After being vegetarian 7 years, then going vegan 3 years ago, I started to be more conscious in my fashion purchases as I was trying to avoid animal products. I got more and more knowledgeable on the topic and it became something that I HAD to share with the world. It’s a topic so many people have no idea even exists or care about and we need to change that. The betterment of the planet, the health and well-being of others (workers/manufacturers/laborers), our own health (yes, the clothes you wear can effect your health by leaching toxins into your skin!), and not hurting or killing animals are my inspiration.
Denim Unspun: In what ways has conscientiousness made you look and feel even better?
Me: I wouldn’t say I necessarily look better by dressing conscientious, but my sense of style is still just as strong as it once was, however it has evolved through the years to be more mature (“adulting” you could say!). I’m just much more particular and thoughtful now in the things that I buy and wear. However, I do feel more emotionally and consciously happy knowing that I’m causing the least amount of damage as I can - that I’m not living with blindfolds on like most of the population.
Denim Unspun: Seeing that your feed is very nature-bounded, what do you think is your connection with nature?
Me: I’ve always loved traveling, adventures, being outdoors, and connecting and appreciating our mother Earth. It fills my soul with so much joy! In today’s world, there is so much waste EVERYWHERE, so I love to see areas where the environment is clean, it gives me hope!
Denim Unspun: What do you think is the future of fashion?
Me: The fashion industry isn’t going anywhere, but it will evolve. I see more and more ethical, sustainable, and vegan brands popping up all the time. Sure, not many of them are super huge, but the more we support them the bigger they’ll grow!
There are some really cool advancements going on with different plant based fibers like fabrics made from coconuts, pineapples, mushroom, oranges, grapes, apples, kombucha, yeast, etc., but for now, I think it will primarily be the more popular and commercialized plant based or sustainable fibers like bamboo, linen, tencel, modal, hemp, recycled polyester, recycled cotton, organic cotton, and eucalyptus.
I think the stigma of secondhand fashion is also starting to shift. Shopping secondhand is the single biggest way to shop sustainably because the items already exist and you’re creating less demand for new items from the manufacturers, less waste, and less pollution. I was brought up in a wealthy area that deemed secondhand shopping was only for poor people, so that was in my head for quite a while growing up! Now that I’ve had my “vegan, ethical, sustainable awakening” (haha), I’m much more educated on the topic and almost exclusively shop secondhand. Also when shopping secondhand, I make my buying allowance only the balance/credit that I’ve accumulated from selling so it keeps it at a nice cycle and I’m not dipping into my bank account for shopping. I would say 95% of the newer items in my closet that are not secondhand were a part of a collab with a sustainable, ethical, and/or vegan brand.
Denim Unspun: For anyone who wish to start buying sustainable fashion, what would be your first piece of advise for them?
Me: Think secondhand first! Thrifting in-store can be a little exhausting, I get it! If that’s too much for you, try Poshmark, Ebay, Mercari, Tradesy, thredUp, Depop, etc. You can also be more specific with online because you can narrow down the exact thing you’re looking for rather than scouring a whole store in-person so it can save you time. Unfortunately, with online though you also have shipping fees, transportation pollution, and have to wait much longer to get the product. Thrifting in-store is more sustainable and is more for leisure shopping. There are also other fun things like secondhand subscription boxes like Material World and clothing swapping sites like Swap Society. If you’re not looking to buy secondhand, seek out ethical, sustainable, and vegan companies. You vote with your wallet, and it’s always best to go with a company that has similar values.
Don’t think that you need to be perfect or give away your clothes that aren’t “sustainable” or pieces from fast fashion brands. It takes a while to accumulate sustainable pieces, however, wearing what you already have is the biggest way to make an impact. This is the part of the fashion industry that’s often overlooked. How we care for our clothes and how often we wear them makes a difference! For example, having a piece from a fast fashion brand that you’ve had 10+ years and worn 100+ times gives it a long life cycle and although the garment itself wasn’t made sustainably, how you care for it can be. In contrast, you buy something from an ethical brand that you maybe wear 5 times before you’re over it and then give it away/sell it; it’s life cycle with you as the owner is much less. Hopefully, if this is the case, you can give it a nice home with a different owner, rather than it going to donations or landfill.
