Fashion month may be over but there’s still plenty of fashion and shopping to be done in 2020. Enter the delightfully decadent ‘end of year sales’’ (Black Friday anyone?) and of course, the inevitably delectable incoming Christmas rush. Indeed, no other time in the year elicits such a visceral response from casual consumers turning them into fierce shopping-bag carrying panthers on the hunt for a bargain. And with this year’s tenuous global retail sales records – hunters can expect to bag a real trophy or two to mount under the Christmas tree.
With that in mind, however, we implore fellow shoppers to take extra consideration during this season’s shopping binge and to slow down to reflect on their purchases. Now, perhaps more than ever, one must be conscientious of our purchases and take those extra moments of pause to consider the green and ethical implications of the things one buys.
Fortunately, we live in the 21st century and everything we need to know to make an informed decision is online. There one can find plenty of tools to help one research a brand’s eco or ethical creds before buying, we recommend ethical brand platforms such as ‘DoneGood’ to help weed through the endless information you may stumble across.
Particularly difficult can one’s shopping for new clothing; the very nature of the manufacturing and logistics of fashion mean that it is a murky and somewhat unintelligible web of production and delivery that can be overwhelming to try and unpick. Nevertheless, we encourage a minimum of a peripheral view of brands to check their supply chain transparency, cruelty-free / sustainable and fair-trade policies.
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Out of the fashion set – one of the most innovative sectors is undoubtedly the shoe sector which has evolved in leaps and bounds to produce new upcoming designers and main-stream players alike that are eco-first warriors. Adopting new techniques in everything from materials to production has pushed the industry forward in an increasingly positive direction. For those of you curious to refine your sights and explore the very best of this new category, DDW has made a short guide you through the jungle of options and help you nab this season’s perfect fashion shoe bounty:
All Birds
A fashion icon born of Silicon Valley, this innovative company makes its shoes out of New Zealand superfine merino wool, ensuring that they are both sustainable and incredibly light in construction. The wool and their modern form-fitting build makes them super soft and comfortable. The Allbirds Wool Runners are now staples of both forward thinkers and serious athletes alike.
Veja
If you’ve been anywhere in the world in the last few years you will have spotted the trademark Veja ‘V’ logo on the foot of a fashionable person on the street. The shoes are made from up-cycled and recycled raw materials with sustainably sourced environmental production. They not only boast serious eco creds, they have won over the fashion world also with celebrities, models and influencers flocking to the brand in droves.
Nisolo
Handmade by artisans paid a fare living wage in Peru and Mexico utilising traditionally sourced leather goods – these shoes are not only stylish footwear but also truly artesianal works of art. Nisolo offers a full range from sandals to Chelsea Boots so you can really get your inner eco-warrior to join forces with your inner shopper.
Everlane
Want to know how much it costs to make your shoe, who’s making it and where? Well – Everlane happily will tell you and show you how its made in the process. Espousing a strict philosophy of transparency paired with sustainability, these shoes are “Designed to be worn every day—and actually made to last.” Bonus points to Everlane for their incredible, stylish and forward-thinking design.
Rothys
If you like shoes or fashion, we guarantee that the incredibly cool range from Rothys is all over your Instagram thanks to their overly vocal global fanbase of customers. Made from recycled water bottles, rubber and wool – these shoes are leading the trend in showing what is possible when purpose meets fashion.
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