Fast Fashion + Racism | Ways to Support the Black Sustainability Movement

Like many social movements or tragic events (and this one has been a mixture of both), the current Black Lives Matter movement has left many of us unsure about how best to get involved. There are so many layers in which white privilege and supremacy have permeated our society, and we’re left wondering which specific cause under the overarching umbrella of racism is most worthy of our attention. And at the end of the day, all are valid, important and certainly worth addressing. But where do we begin?

In addition to my own personal reading, research and involvement, I’m choosing to delve into what I already devote much of my time and attention to, as it seems like a natural way I might be of help. Over the last several weeks, I’ve zeroed in on the many ways the fast fashion industry is connected with racism and the lack of diversity that exists in the sustainability world. I already knew fast fashion exploited garment workers overseas, most of whom are women of color — which is the main reason I’ve avoided buying fast fashion for the most part. However, there’s a whole other piece of racism happening in the influencer space I haven’t addressed head-on (meaning, I’ve been aware of it but that’s about where it ended). But not anymore!

First, let’s set the stage. The many facets of racism in fast fashion include: 1) The unsafe workplace environment and unfair wages for garment workers overseas. According to The Guardian, of the 74 million textile workers worldwide, 80% are women of color. And conditions only got worse during COVID-19. 2) The lack of representation for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color) in the sustainability world. 3) The inaccessibility and general white-ness of the expensive ethical community (i.e. $200 shirts from a sustainable brand). PS This last one is why I’m so passionate about thrifting, as it makes sustainability approachable for all.

Regarding the last two points, Aja Barber (more about her later!) said it perfectly: “I think the key to my popularity has been talking about how privilege, race, fatphobia, and financial means absolutely play into all of this, and how sustainable movements have to be more accessible and diverse if we want them to work. We can’t claim our movement is ‘better’ while leaving out large groups of the population.”

So what now? There are a handful of practical ways we can all support the Black community through our clothing purchases and other small actions. While this does not solve the larger systemic issues at the root of racism and fast fashion, we can at least do our part to avoid contributing to the cycle. At the end of the day, we vote with our dollars. And here’s our chance to cast a vote for inclusivity, diversity and ethical treatment each time we make a clothing purchase or scroll through our Instagram feeds.

Buy fast fashion less.

This one is simple but an important place to start. If you haven’t yet concluded this on your own, I’ll go ahead and say it: fast fashion is rooted in racism. The end goal would be to eliminate it completely from your life, but just consuming it less is an important step! And the best alternative? Not buying anything at all — or thrifting, of course. The third best alternative is to buy from an ethical clothing brand — and even better if it’s Black-owned.

PS Get inspired to ditch fast fashion by watching The True Cost documentary or reading Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion.

Follow Black sustainable influencers + activists.

I’m embarrassed to admit that most of the people I follow on Instagram look a lot like me. From this point forward, I’m making a point to diversify my feed, allowing a variety of people with varying backgrounds, thoughts and skin colors to speak into my life. And I invite you to do the same! Eco Warrior Princess put together a list of 10 Black, Brown and POC Sustainable Lifestyle Influencers That White Allies Should Know. A few from that list (and others I’ve loved following!) include: @wowsancho, @ajabarber, @dominiquedrakeford, @mikaelaloach, @oldworldnew, @j.i.nnamani, @thriftnprosper, @alysonsimplygrows, and @aliviafields.

I’ve also added all of these accounts (and will keep adding more as I find them!) to my Resources page. Get the password by subscribing to my newsletter.

Join the PayUp movement.

In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic and the economic crisis that followed, many major clothing brands and retailers have pushed their financial fallout onto garment workers and factories. The #PayUp campaign demands that brands pay for in-production and completed orders in full and on time, including fabric that factories have already paid for. Get more information about the movement, see the full list of brands who have and have not agreed to pay up, and sign the petitions here.

Support The Fashion Revolution.

I’ve followed and supported The Fashion Revolution for several years now, but it takes on a whole new meaning in light of current events. The organization honors Fashion Revolution Week each year surrounding April 24, the date of the Rana Plaza collapse of 2013. The building housed a number of garment workers, over 1,100 of whom died when the building collapsed, making it the fourth largest industrial disaster in history. Ever since, The Fashion Revolution has posed the question: Who makes my clothes? There are several ways to get involved with The Fashion Revolution, including contributing financially, writing to policymakers, challenging brands to step up, and more.

Take the 15 Percent Pledge.

Black people in the United States make up nearly 15% of the population. 15 Percent Pledge is calling on major retailers to commit a minimum of 15% of their shelves to Black-owned businesses. And of course, this includes Black-owned sustainable fashion brands, which are largely overlooked. Sign the petition to collectively put billions back into Black communities.

Buy from Black-owned ethical brands.

Again, we vote with our wallets. And I know I’m far from perfect when it comes to the purchases I make! However, I’m trying to be more conscious of supporting ethical Black-owned brands — and adding them to my Instagram feed as well. If you’re trying to do the same, Conscious Life & Style put together a comprehensive list of 80+ Black-Owned Eco & Ethical Fashion, Home, And Beauty Brands that are worth supporting.

Follow Melanin & Sustainable Style.

Founded by Dominique Drakeford (one of the accounts I mentioned above!), Melanin & Sustainable Style is “bringing melanin to the forefront of sustainable fashion, beauty and wellbeing.” This evolutionary platform discusses the issues and celebrates the success of communities of color in sustainable fashion and beauty spaces. Follow their blog and Instagram to stay engaged in the conversation surrounding diversity and sustainability well beyond this current movement.

Remember: People, Planet, Profit.

I didn’t come up with this, but it has stuck with me ever since I heard it: We need to keep the order of importance as 1) People, 2) Planet and 3) Profit. At the mainstream level, we usually have that order completely backwards, or perhaps it might look like profit, people, planet (as the state of our environment isn’t even considered). And in the sustainability world, we can sometimes prioritize the planet over people even while putting profit last. I urge us to reorder our priorities in order to value humans above all, then care for the planet, and lastly, consider profits.

I acknowledge that these are small steps, and there are many more to take. Let’s all extend grace to ourselves and others as we make personal and societal changes for a brighter, more inclusive future for all.