FASHION AND ETHICS

Recently, clothing giant Primark came under fire for using Indian sweatshops in their clothing production. (Telegraph article)

However, the problem isn’t just Primark’s dodgy manufacturing record, and it isn’t just Primark who have questionable ethics. Anyone who has read No Logo by Naomi Klein will know that some of the biggest fashion retailers in the world also prefer to employ cheap outsourced labour – Levi’s and Nike to name just a couple – and big companies such as Mothercare and Walmart regularly procure their clothing lines from places such as Bangladesh.

This mass production causes problems on many levels.

Firstly, products are made at breakneck speed to satisfy the fashion-hungry demands of Westerners. Cheap materials are frequently used, meaning that garments tend to fall apart faster. And what does a person do when their item of clothing wears out? They buy a new one. And where does the money go? Straight into the profiteer’s pocket – certainly not to the worker who toiled over the item in less-than-salubrious conditions. This not only creates an endless money pit, it’s also far from green. An average pair of Converse boots lasts about six months – a pair of Doc Martens lasts about six years (in Freaky Styley’s experience anyway). Both cost a similar amount of money, yet the Docs last a whole lot longer. And once a pair of Converse is worn through, it can’t be mended, thus creating unnecessary waste. Back in the old days, clothing was made to last. Sturdy materials and design meant that one not only got a life’s wear out of something, it could be repaired if necessary. People had respect for their clothes. These days, it’s hardly worth repairing something when you can buy a replacement for peanuts.

Secondly, there’s just TOO MUCH of it. An average shopper’s turnover is 6 weeks in this day and age, and the chain stores are gagging to satisfy this lust. There is so much bought in by the stores that, come sale time, the racks are bulging. But this greed also affects other areas – disposal, for example. The old-fashioned way of dealing with your cast-offs is to take them to the charity shop – nowadays, some charity shops actually REFUSE clothing because they’re inundated with cheap tat that hasn’t worn well and can’t be sold on easily. Once again, back in the old days, people didn’t have such choice, and it certainly didn’t come at a bargain price. Those who lived in wartime remembered the restrictions of rationing. Both of these factors led to people really respecting their clothes, and making the effort to look after them.

Thirdly, what exactly is the carbon footprint of shipping a billion units of clothing from India/the Far East? Consumers seem to be blinkered when it comes to considering the global implications of their actions. Also, buying cheap imports in bulk also affects domestic manufacturing, in particular small, independent designers and the like. How can they compete with the strong=arm tactics of multinationals? Outsourcing, while providing employment to thousands overseas, not only destroys small business in the homeland, but it also destroys individuality and creativity.

Here at Freaky Styley we are a low-key affair with big ideas! Our products are hand-made with love, and are either one-offs or limited editions, crafted by a single pair of hands. We also love clothes enough to give them the respect they deserve, so you know they’re made to last. What’s more, you won’t find a million other people wearing the exact same thing!

Visit us here to see our sweatshop-free, eco-friendly, ethical goodies!

FAVOURITE SHIRT

Did you ever have an item of clothing that you adored? An item of clothing that you lived in and loved in until it fell off your body? That you wore so often that you memorised every flaw and stain, every bobble and snag from hours of idle study and contemplation? And, as if by magic, you can still recall the feel of it against your skin, even though it has been years since you wore it?

Special garments come and go; they are worn with love and in love.They are remembered for their patterns – from patterns to plaids, from weaves to prints. They are remembered for their texture, a feeling that remains in the mind long after the garment is gone. They are remembered for both embellishments and flaws, from the ladybird buttons on a dressing gown which looked great but were fiddly to fasten, to the tiny hole that has been slowly growing in your jeans until it is now a rather revealing rip.

They may even be remembered for their departure – a sudden loss through theft or forgetfulness, It may have been a happy adieu – the passing on to a loved one, or simply worn into unwearability.

Clothing can evoke memories, not just of textures and smells, but of times and places, parties and people, feelings and emotions.Where would we be without our favourite cardigan on cold dark nights – a handknitted hug in the form of a cardigan, a full-body flanellette massage from hand-me-down pyjamas, even the sensual caress of a silk undergarment.

Do you have an item of clothing that you just can’t bear to part with, even though you know it’s halcyon days are well and truly over? If so, Freaky Styley is here to help you maintain your memories. Subject to consultation and agreement, we can transform your old item into something brand spanking new and totally fabulous. Maybe you’d like an old pair of jeans transformed into a bag. Maybe you’d like your wedding dress turned into a christening outfit. Whether you have something in mind or you have an item but no idea of its potential,drop us a line and we’ll work something out!

For the record, of all the well-loved items to linger in the Freaky Styley wardrobe, the most tragic has to be a 1980s reversible 101 Dalmations sweater – bought new at the then-extravagant price of £25. This double-sided embarrassment is currently in the process of being converted into a quilt.