Did you know that the United Kingdom sends 11 million items of clothing to the landfill every week? Fast fashion is harming people and our planet, but the charity Oxfam has a plan.

The carbon footprint of new clothes bought in the United Kingdom every minute is greater than driving a car around the earth 6 times! The fashion industry is the 2nd biggest contributor to pollution and with the environment and planet very much in danger Oxfam have created the campaign #SecondHandSeptember. The aim is to encourage people to pledge to say no to new clothes for 30 days – decreasing the amount of pollution and waste. The charity want to send a message to fashion retailers and consumers that the price of our planet is not worth any item of clothing.

As someone who loves the environment I think this is a great campaign and definitely one I will be taking part in. I am already a massive fan of charity shops, eBay and Depop and tend to purchase most my clothes from second hand places like this. I do this because I don’t want to contribute to any kind of pollution. I think the campaign will bring more awareness to the issues that as a planet we face – the public lack a lot of knowledge in my opinion hence why we haven’t seen bigger changes. The campaign is on social media which I think is a great idea because it allows the company to target a mass amount of people, the ability for sharing and the potential to go viral which is what we need! I decided to blog about this because I think it’s something everyone should take part in.

SAVE OUR PLANET!

Inspired by a post on social media, I decided to blog about something that I think people need to hear. People need to stop being so ignorant, neglected factory workers are risking their lives to fuel the demand for fast fashion and it needs to stop!

80% of garment workers are women aged 18-35 who have not access to maternity leave.

These women are being stripped of their rights. It is inconsiderate, in humane and upsetting that in 2019 women are still being treated less than they deserve! By purchasing fast fashion you are telling retailers that this kind of treatment is okay!

These workers are often forced to work 14 – 16 hours a day, 7 days a week.

In the United Kingdom on average a person works 40 – 44 hours a week – that is less than half of what’s expected from the factory workers! As a society we purchase 400% more clothing than we did 20 years ago, the increase in greed for fast fashion is rising and as a result these people are suffering by working horrendous hours to keep up with demands!

Factory conditions are cramped and unsafe which can lead to injuries or fires.

No item of clothing is worth risking your life for – especially when the pay usually isn’t enough to live on. In 2013 1134 people were brutally murdered in the collapsing of the garment factory Rana Plaza in Bangladesh. Despite this horrible incident fashion retailers seem not to care and continue using sweatshops to this day in the same unsafe conditions. Why would you want to be part of something that is responsible for the death of thousands of people? All for a cheap item of clothing.

I think it is really important to share this information to spread awareness of the neglect garment workers have to endure. I think there’s a lack of knowledge or perhaps ignorance on the subject but the more people know the more of a chance we have to work together and campaign for better rights for these people. I think it’s sad that in 2019 people are still being treated like this all for fast fashion. It shows just how materialistic we are as a society but it’s time for change.

90’s fashion, it’s back baby and better than ever – dig out your best pair of mom jeans and get stylin’!

Oval sunnies

Despite being seen as goofy and nerdy at the time, millennials have since adapted this trend to suit modern culture and look cool. They are now a staple piece in the wardrobe. With rave culture becoming more and more popular the oval glasses fit perfectly and are now the go to sunnies to take to a festival or rave.

Low rise… EVERYTHING!

A trend you either love or hate, regardless it’s here to stay. With the lack of high street brands jumping onto the fashion phenomenon the likes of Depop and Ebay are your best bet to gaining that classic 90’s look and not at a cheap price! These staple vintage pieces are unique and original they can come with patterns, jewels or even just plain, they are in high demand with millennials!

Hair accessories

From butterflies clips to scrunchies, a lot of have grown up with the trend that has never really ended. People today are going crazy for the hair accessories with more clips being added by the day! Many high street brands have hopped onto the trend and now sell their own range with a modern style to appeal to all consumers.

For part of my referral brief I have looked into the brand ALLSAINTS. From my research I have created a consumer profile which I think best matches the brand.

ALLSAINTS offer trendy, alternative garments that appeal to style conscious individuals. The age range is eighteen to early thirties and they can appreciate quality items come with a price. They must have the disposable income to shop at this brand regularly. The grungy aesthetic appeals to them because they are creative and expressive. They have specific taste in music, art and culture which relate back to the brand.