Goodbye Fast Fashion: How sustainably and ethically made is what you wear?

What fits into our carry-on backpacks is pretty much all we own these days. We have researched almost all our gear, and whatever made the cut fits our needs as location-independent, minimalist travelers and is sure to stand the test of time. Quality over quantity is not just a snappy phrase but a necessity for us.

Since (re)watching some of the documentaries on (anti)consumerism and sustainability that inspired us to embark on our minimalist journey, we have added another dimension to our research: We want our gear not only to be technically the best gear for our lifestyle but to be sourced in a way that does not harm our environment nor the people and communities involved in the process.

Where to learn more about my clothes and how they’re made?

If you too want to make sure that what you buy wasn’t manufactured by poisoning rivers in India or by forcing the seamstress in Bangladesh to work in an unsafe building, start asking where your clothes came from (and I don’t mean the department store three blocks away).

Unfortunately, manufacturers are not always forthcoming with that sort of information, and there is no single global, independent body that keeps an eye on the manufacturing industry and gives us reassurance that they are doing (and we are buying) the right thing.

So, how do you know? Firstly, there are a bunch of institutions out there that have made it their mission to find out. While their methodologies cover different aspects and thus don’t always come to the same conclusion, their databases and reports are a good starting point:

• Business & Human Rights Resource Centre
• CSRHub
• Ethical Consumer
• Fair Labor Association
• Good on You (which joined forces with Rank A Brand in October 2019)
• Know the Chain
• Shop Ethical!
• Tear Fund.

The other port of call are the manufacturers themselves. Many publish Corporate Social Responsibility Statements (and all sorts of other information) but if you actually spend some time reading them you can tell which ones are just marketing gimmick/greenwash and which ones genuinely address the sustainability and ethics of their supply chain.

How sustainably and ethically made is what we own?

We were curious to have a baseline and therefore started researching the companies that manufacture our packing list items (Female | Male). Some of our findings so far have been a mere confirmation of what we knew already, others have been eye-opening (and not in a good way) – incentive enough for us to look for alternatives once these items have reached their end of life.

So, how do our packing lists (Female | Male) stack up? Below table lists all the brands we own that have been independently assessed.

Last updated: 19 October 2021

Ratings explained

• CSRHub – Benchmarks companies based on their overall environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance; from 100 = Best to 0 = Worst
• Ethical Consumer – Scores brands on 300 topics in 5 main areas (animals, environment, people, politics and product sustainability). Every company starts with a score of 14. Points are being deducted when the company lacks in an area, but it can also earn points for product sustainability or company ethos; from 15 = Best to 0 = Worst
• Good On You – Rates brands based on their impact on workers across the supply chain as well as resources use and disposal; 2/5 = Not Good Enough, 3/5 = It’s A Start, 4/5 = Good
• Know the Chain – Benchmarks companies based on the forced labour risks within their global supply chain; from 100 = Best to 0 = Worst
• Shop Ethical! – Rates companies considering their environmental and social impact, including the treatment of animals; B = Some Praise/No Criticism, D = Criticism/Some Praise, F = Criticisms
• Tear Fund – Grades manufacturers on the strength of their systems to mitigate against the risks of exploitation in their supply chain; from A+ = Best to F = Worst
• N/R – Not Rated

Feature photo by Fancycrave on Unsplash

Enjoyed our article? Share in on Pinterest.