Slow Fashion vs Fast Fashion

Hello Gaia lovers!

Today we are celebrating Earth Day, an important date to fight for the health of our planet. Although having an annual event to be conscious about our mother earth is very important, we want to work every day on changing habits and creating a more sustainable lifestyle. 

Fast fashion is one of the worst industries for the environment: consuming tons of water, causing water pollution, and creating a huge amount of waste. Building awareness and pushing ourselves to change our shopping habits are important behaviours that will help move the fashion industry in a more sustainable direction.

At Gaia Soul Designs we advocate for Slow Fashion, using natural leather, rubber and vegetable dyes. Our sandals are handcrafted in a small workshop in Spain where all our employers receive fair wages. We want to be part of the change of the fashion industry. 

What is Fast Fashion?

Fast Fashion involves the production of inexpensive, trendy clothes that are made fast with cheap materials. This way, everybody can afford the latest trends and brands can constantly offer new lines and styles. Unfortunately, this way of production has a negative impact on the environment and often violates the basic human rights of workers.

These things are important to consider when buying that $4 “leather” skirt on sale, that we will probably end up throwing away after wearing it twice. These items give us the immediate excitement of having the latest trends cheaper, but they don’t provide the long-lasting satisfaction that a well-made piece of clothing or footwear can bring us.

Unfair wages, cheaply made items, child labour, unsafe work conditions, and environmental pollution are some of the main concerns that are involved with Fast Fashion. As a result of these issues, a new movement based on creating and consuming fashion in an ethical and sustainable way came up, becoming the antagonist of Fast Fashion, and acquiring the name of Slow Fashion.

What is slow fashion and what can you do to be part of this movement?

Now a days more brands and people are advocating for Slow Fashion. This is a way of creating garments focusing on the quality of the product, fair wages and less environmental impact. This movement shares ideas with the Slow Food movement, which is also focused on sustainability, long-lasting benefits and fair trade. 

If you want to give slow fashion a try, these are some tips that can help you get started:

• Know where you are buying from, the history behind the brand and the way they produce and distribute their products. Understand the materials they use, where and in which conditions they produce their products, and the impact that your purchase is going to have on the environment.

• Buy quality: purchase goods made with good materials that are going to last. This way you will be contributing to waste reduction. 

• Take very good care of the clothing and footwear you own. Understand the materials you are wearing and learn how to clean and dry them out without damaging them. If we treat all our clothes with love, they will last longer, and we will consume less and recycle more. 

• Repair your damaged pieces. If your shoes are broken or there is a tear on your shirt, there is no need to throw them away. Learn some basic sewing skills or bring your broken shoes to your closest cobbler. This way you will be also supporting local businesses in your community! 

Let’s work towards being more conscious consumers and help leave the world better for future generations!

At Gaia Soul Designs we are proud to work hard every day to offer you the best collection of Slow Fashion women shoes ♡