Style values

Outfit by Pure Pod: The Pink Vintage Tie Top is made of cotton voile, produced with natural dyes and block printed (size 6). Made to order, $155. The Rana Skirt is a printed cotton, tucked with zip opening and waistband (size 8). Made to order, $190. Both pieces are GOTS Organic certified and made in Australia.

I yearn for a time when ethical fashion and fair trade are the main options every time we’re purchasing something, instead of just being a small, niched category. For this balance to happen, it’s crucial that we support and celebrate the ethical fashion brands, like Pure Pod, who go the extra mile to ensure, to the best of their ability that fair wages and minimal environmental damage are a priority during production, consumption and disposal. This means that the intention for this to happen is designed into the product from inception. These are the brands who are happy to be open and transparent about their supply chains. 

This is not an easy feat for any company to accomplish, much less a small label with limited capital. Not all slow / ethical fashion companies are small businesses. Regardless of size, I feel like we have to give them accolades for clinging to the right values through thick and thin. I’m so proud of not only the work that they produce but also making so many sacrifices to show the world a better way of manufacturing. I’m so grateful they exist as living examples of what’s possible for our future. Here’s to all the pioneers of a healthier, happier fashion future!

Pure Pod’s Westwood Bodice Top with GOTS certified organic denim. Line fitted, contrast textile on both sides (size 6-8). $190. Made in Australia. Worn with the Rana Skirt.

Whenever possible it’ll really go a long way if we make ethical labels a top priority whenever we’re shopping. Every purchase makes a difference. These are some of the actions that will help turn the tide to make sustainable fashion mainstream. 

STYLING

The Look: I wore the Rana Skirt first with the pink Vintage Tie Top and then again with the black Westwood Bodice. To emphasise the elegance, I chose some gold, sequinned heels and then finished the look with a black clutch bag with embellishments. 

Styling tip: The multiple colours of the skirt give it a diverse range of colour options to match with. However, the style of the skirt limits it to a more formal yet funky look in my opinion. Therefore, a skirt like this even though it can go with many colours, will need an elegant top or something in that arena.

Sourced from:

Pink vintage tie top: Pure Pod (Made to order - $155)

Rana skirt: Pure Pod - (Made to order - $190)

Westwood bodice: Pure Pod (Made to order - $190)

Gold sequinned stilettos: Canberra Fashion Market

Black embellished clutch: Pandoras at O’Connor Preloved Fashion Op Shop

Photography by Bryant Evans

♥ Nina Gbor

Fashion, women's rights and free trade agreements

Photo courtesy of ActionAid Australia.

It’s now common knowledge that the fashion industry is not only one of the most polluting industries in the world, but it’s also laden with a lot of social injustice issues such as systemic poverty, unfair wages and lives being lost due to manufacturing. Through the efforts of activists, ethical brands and organisations like Fashion Revolution, Wardrobe Crisis, Ellen Macarthur Foundation and Eco-Age, many people are demanding ethical standards from the brands who make our clothes. However, for a more thorough and holistic shift in these issues, we need the involvement of governments, particularly where laws are concerned.

I wonder at what point in our modern history we degenerated into thinking human life was so worthless. When did it become okay to place profits and economic growth over human lives under the guise of progress? Or has this notion altogether been slyly omitted from the era of modernity and civilisation? Earlier this year the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) trade agreement came to my attention through AFTINET (Australian Fair Trade & Investment Network) and a human rights campaign created by ActionAid Australia called #TransformTradeForWomen. RCEP is a trade agreement potentially in its last leg of negotiations. If signed in its current state, it will have laws that in essence, trade corporate profits over human rights and the environment. Sadly, this notion of profit over people and planet appears to be a fundamental principle driving much of the top-level decision-making in many governments and business corporations.

Free trade agreements (FTAs) are international treaties between two or more nations that set the rules regarding trade and investment. FTAs reduce barriers to trade by giving more rights to corporations and reducing tax on imports for example. Through giving more rights to multinational corporations as an incentive to trade, they can create access to new markets for businesses in a nation and increased opportunities for foreign investment in that country. The idea is to boost economic growth of member nations. However, it’s quickly becoming a well-known fact that FTAs are rigged in favour of multinational corporations.  These agreements are increasingly becoming booby trapped with policies that heavily impact lives and rights of workers, especially women. RCEP is a massive free trade agreement between 16 member states that collectively make up nearly half of the world’s population. They include Australia, New Zealand and fourteen Asian nations, including the ten ASEAN member states. This agreement will have huge socio-economic ramifications on low-income countries – the workers, women and of course the garment workers. Therefore, if this deal goes through in the present form, it’ll boost the power of multinational corporations, to operate in ways that further damage the environment and human rights.

Whenever there’s a disaster of some kind, economic downturn or similar circumstance, women are always hit the hardest. About 80% of garment workers in the world are women. Because a significant portion of garments is made in some of the RCEP nations, the agreement can potentially have a lasting impact on the outcome of sustainability in the fashion industry (and other industries too). As FTAs are covertly designed to profit corporations at the expense of everyday people, the matter is systemically linked to women’s rights, gender equality and poverty. Therefore, signing a trade agreement with such a broad-stroke impact under these circumstances amounts to an act of brinkmanship.

According to information gathered by AFTINET, these are some of the ramifications of FTAs and RCEP:

1. The threat to women’s access to decent jobs

Trade agreements encourage multinational companies to manufacture in sectors like clothing by driving down wages and undermining worker’s rights. This is partially because normal labour rights and standards may not apply within designated “special economic zones”, drafted in some trade deals. RCEP will make provisions for corporations to employ and pay women unfair, low wages. It will validate corporations employing women in poor, sometimes unsafe working conditions. This is already a huge problem in low-income states; therefore, it will make it harder to find solutions to end exploitation and eradicate poverty cycles. Ultimately, it would make it even harder for female garment workers to find some form of self-empowerment.  

2. Temporary migrant workers could face increased exploitation

Temporary migration can be an avenue for women from low-income countries to make higher incomes, however, the reality is that these women often end up being exploited in poorly paid sectors.

3. Environment and climate change

FTAs can propel climate damage and threaten action on climate change. By inciting companies to take their manufacturing and polluting operations to nations with lower environmental safeguards, FTAs can contribute to climate change and other environmental issues. They also place barriers on the ability of governments to respond to climate change, which is unjustly impacting women around the world.

Some FTAs have a clause called the ‘Investor State Dispute Settlement’ (ISDS), which is a policy designed to give multinational corporations the impetus to sue governments if they feel a change in national law or policy will reduce their profits. For example, raising the minimum wage or laws to reduce carbon pollution. In other words, corporations can sue governments over laws that protect women’s rights over profits. Many cases presently being deliberated under trade deals include mining companies suing governments because of foregone profits from environmental regulations.

UN specialists have contributed to this theory, noting that the fear of being sued means governments are less inclined to pass laws that are crucial for people and planet. As of mid-September 2019, RCEP has excluded the ISDS clause from the deal.

4. E-Commerce inequality

In an article written in The Interpreter, Rahul Nath Choudhury has voiced concern from the perspective of most developing countries about the inclusion of e-commerce within FTAs. Some feel that it’s a covert method of using international rules that favour big tech corporations from developed countries to exclude developing countries from the digital economy.  

5. Access to public services like healthcare and education.

FTAs in general need tariffs to be reduced, which in turn minimises government revenue available for public services like healthcare, transport, and education which are a critical part of ensuring that women’s basic needs are met. By doing this they disable gender equality.

Healthcare – Amongst other health matters, AFTINET Convener, Dr Pat Ranald expressed concern over RCEP proposals for long-term monopolies on medicines that would delay the ability of affordable, generic medicines to be made available in developing countries.

Education - The lack of access to education for women and girls has a huge domino effect on so many things. It makes them more vulnerable to things like modern slavery, early childhood marriages, trafficking, etc.

Women make up more than half of the world’s population. And one can even say, that, that in itself equates to an enormous pool of resource and potential. UN Women has said, “Increasing women’s and girls’ educational attainment contributes to women’s economic empowerment and more inclusive economic growth.” Educating women and girls is the key to solving so many of the world’s problems. It means they’ll have opportunities to participate, contribute and have more leadership opportunities. And when it comes to issues like economic growth, empowering half of the population seems like a very long-term strategy for ensuring continued economic growth. So, when you look at it from that angle, it’s not practical to allow women to be disempowered in these ways. It really makes no sense at all to ignore the rights of women, particularly at the top level-decision-making. It affects economic development, politics, social development and the GDP. Billions of dollars of development and growth are lost from denying women access to education and from disempowering them. This is a fundamental pathway to creating positive change in the world. When women are empowered, the entire family, community and nation benefits. Which means the world benefits.

Just as women in the global north experience pay gaps, inequality, harassment and discrimination, women in low-income countries experience these injustices to a much higher degree. So, I believe that Western people being in a position of higher privilege, have the power to shift circumstances towards positive change, not only for garment workers but women in general.

FTAs can be a great way to systemise women’s rights. We have agency to use agreements like RCEP to change circumstances that will have huge ramifications on half of the globe in regard to women’s lives, communities and future generations. This is crucial not only for economic development but for progression in areas of politics, wellbeing, health, science and climate action. It will be on point for us to have RCEP amended to include the rights of women. And furthermore, using the gravitas of such an agreement, make it the standard for all future trade agreements to have women’s rights as a fundamental requirement before the drafting process even begins.

This is not just a women’s fight for women, it’s a people’s fight for the progression of humanity. And we hope that governments can see the value in it as well.

AFTINET - To stay up-to-date with developments on RCEP, follow AFTINET here.

ActionAid Australia - To learn more and support #TransformTradeForWomen, sign ActionAid’s RCEP petition here. You can also do the following:

• Look into joining your local activist group and find out how you can get involved with a campaign in your community.

• Watch their events page to find out if there is a campaign event happening near you. 

• Donate to help power the campaign and make sure they have the resources to run hard-hitting stunts, grow public support across Australia, and use creative tactics to target key decision-makers.

• Follow ActionAid on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to make sure you’re first to hear all the latest ways to take action on a campaign.

 Dr Patricia Ranald, Convenor of AFTINET will be speaking at The True Cost Movie screening event organised by ActionAid Australia on October 30th. Find tickets here.

- Nina Gbor

Sources: http://aftinet.org.au/cms/Regional-Comprehensive-Economic-Partnership-RCEP https://actionaid.org.au/actions/rcep-petition/

Circular Fashion and The Virtual Op Shop Mall

Preloved clothing is one of the popular ways to curate a sustainable wardrobe. Several platforms have emerged to support the need for a circular economy. Second hand clothing is rapidly gaining communities of people who are embracing style and sustainability. We spoke to the founder of Sell My Clothes (The Virtual Op Mall), Irena Trajkovska to hear her reasons for creating the platform and how it’s supporting sustainability in the fashion industry. 

Irena Trajkovska, Founder of Sell My Clothes - The Virtual Op Mall

1. Hello Irena, talk to us about Sell My Clothes.

Sell My Clothes (SMC) is a Virtual Op (shopping) Mall. It’s a new concept based on the physical shops, except it’s online. Many of us lead busy lives these days so it’s just easier to sell or get what you need online. This Virtual Op Mall is for buying/selling/swapping/donating/renting fashion items only, but it incorporates a Map of garage sales and markets all over Australia as well, maps of tailors, op shops and charities all over the country. We also have a personal eco styling services for those in need of wardrobe restyling or a wardrobe upgrade. On top of that, we’re excited about giving everyone the chance to guest blog and show their op shopped or preloved personal style because we believe that “Style has no price tags”.

2. Tell us how the idea for the platform was created. 

When we first moved to Sydney, I found myself hunting for new clothes for my kids every few months because like all children, they are growing. Somehow, deep down inside, I knew the fast fashion cheap stores were not the answer for our needs, although it seemed the only logical and financially sustainable solution at the time.

So, one day we mistakenly entered Vinnies thinking it was just another store. We later realised it was a second hand shop! To be honest I was initially apprehensive, even though excited about the prospect. I was, at the time fighting with the stigma that I had been engrained with my whole life that second hand clothes are only for poor people. It is truly hard when you are trying to wipe off decades of limiting beliefs about second hand. 

With a newly discovered and growing sustainable lifestyle, I noticed the impact that recycling clothes was having on our family budget. All of a sudden, we were left with excess money to spend on experiences, rather than material things that we or the children would outgrow or lose interest in. 

After spending a lot of time scrolling through preloved ads, engaging as an active member within second hand fashion groups and struggling with sales from all over the world, I decided to create a safe place for the Australian second hand fashion community, and this is how the Virtual Op Mall was born. 

3. What’s the link to sustainable fashion? 

We encourage people to reuse, resell and recycletheir fashion items. There isn’t a single person that hasn’t done impulsive shopping, and we’ve all had bad days when we bought something, only to find that we didn’t like it the following week. Our motto is: DON’T THROW IT AWAY, resell it and save it from being added to the landfill! The bonus is that you will earn some extra money. The same goes for reusing and recycling – this is why we have our map of tailors, the blog, and a personal stylist – you never know how a single piece can be reused, differently combined or recycled, so take the chance and give it another try!

4. With so many second hand platforms online, how is SMC unique? 

We LOVE that the market is waking up and all these platforms being born! I am sure we are all unique in a different way, but what makes The Virtual OP Mall one of a kind is that there are no transaction fees.  Compare it to a real shopping mall – we do not interfere in the stores’ policies and payment methods, nor we want to take percentage of their sales with the customers. It is also Australia wide ONLY (no worldwide competition), great filters that will help you find anything you need and other awesome features to help you maintain your sustainable life.

We are here to host their stores for which they pay a one-off, monthly or annual subscription fee (rent of $2 per product, $9 per month or $79 per year and that is all), give them a 24/7 technically supported platform and spread the word on the social media. We also have many other features (as mentioned above) that are FREE and there to help the second hand community in their sustainable journey (like creating groups, followings, ratings, adding events, sharing unique pieces found in the op shops around the country, etc.)  

5. What’s your hope and vision for the future of SMC?

We’d be delighted if we could see it growing with people who never ever thought of using second hand fashion pieces. You know, you can sell ice to Eskimos, as they know the benefit of it, and how to use it, but try doing that to someone from a hot climate who’s never seen it in their life. We are on a mission to try and do that – convert as many people as possible into a more sustainable lifestyle, and by doing that, to stop the devastating impact that fashion has on our environment. 

Instagram: @sellmyclothesopmall

Facebook: @SMCVirtualOPMall

Website: www.sellmyclothes.com.au

Living your personal style

Whenever you have to follow a dress code that doesn’t authentically feel like ‘you’, you might feel a stronger sense of self when you can bring elements of personality into it. 

Case in point, this outfit. Dramatic, quirky and unusual pieces are how I express the creative and rebellious parts of myself that I don’t verbalise. Because I don’t have a different outlet for them, they manifest in my style.

When I used to work in an office, this kind of outfit was typically how I styled myself to look corporate; monochrome chess board top paired with a multi-coloured small-pattern pencil skirt, chocolate brown belt and geometric pattern stilettos. Most of this outfit is preloved/second-hand. 

I say this often, but I can’t emphasise this concept enough. I’m always flattered if someone likes my style, but I don’t encourage anyone to necessarily dress like me. As an unconventional stylist, I encourage you to find your own unique, individual form of self-expression through your style. 

When you cultivate your style wellbeing, you’ll have your own personal style formula, which will naturally find you using your clothes for longer periods of time because they look amazing on you. And they’ll also make you feel so damn good!

 STYLING

The look: My love for uncommon pieces was the attraction for buying this chess board statement piece. The pencil skirt, also patterned, works with the top because they have a strong black colour in them that connects. The stilettos also have lines that add to the thread of black colouring, bringing it all together. And the chocolate colour belt? Well, a bit of chocolate is always fun so why not?

Styling tip: If you have several seemingly random pieces in your closet, use the colour threading system I described to put pieces together that you wouldn’t normally wear together. The outcome? A range of new outfits created from multiple combinations in your closet. You can apply this principle to patterns or more plain clothing, office wear and other types of styles. 

Outfit sourced from:

Chess board top: ANU Outdoor Preloved Market (2017).

Patterned and multi-coloured pencil skirt: Salvation Army (Salvos) Op Shop (2016).

Chocolate brown belt: PDSA Op Shop, (UK, 2009).

Geometric pattern stilettos: From my wardrobe. 

Photos by Brunela Fenalte Photography.

♥ Nina Gbor

How sustainable fashion leaders use technology to build more meaningful business

Fashion is the 7th biggest industry globally, currently worth $2.4 trillion. It is also the second most polluting industry in the world: creating 92 million tonnes of textile waste and 1.2 billion tonnes of carbon emissions, more than all international flights and marine shipping combined. 

With the global population expected to reach 8.5 billion by 2030 and our overall apparel consumption forecast to increase by 63%, there is no doubt that our current trajectory has us heading towards absolute catastrophe. 

Fortunately, change is in motion. 

Over the last 18 months there has been a radical shift in the overall mindset, reimagining the way we make, buy, use and dispose our clothes. Circularity being the goal, a means to achieve climate and resource protection whilst supporting economic growth.

Here in Europe, unique collaborations between Global Fashion Agenda (GFA), International Apparel Federation (IAF) and Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC) are stewarding transformative change to build a more circular economy, technology playing a pivotal part in facilitating this at scale.

I was curious to learn more about what sustainable fashion leaders back home are up to and how they are using technology to build more meaningful business. What better place to begin this conversation, than with a fellow female founder Natalie Johnson, CEO of Sustainable Fashion Marketplace, COVE.

Image: Natalie Johnson, CEO of COVE

What inspired you to move from “traditional" retail into sustainable fashion? 

I’m predominantly a fashion buyer with over 15 years’ experience in “traditional retail” but have spent a number of years working with start-ups in the fashion tech space. It was here that I was asked to be a judge at a pitch competition for fellow start-up companies in the ethical sector. One of the contestants was Gordon Renouf, Co-founder of Good on You. I was fascinated by his story and the huge traction he’d achieved. Everything he was creating aligned perfectly to my then side-hustle, COVE and I was keen to collaborate. It was actually Gordon who suggested I pivot my business model into the ethical space, which I did 18 months ago and have never looked back. When industry heavy weights like Farfetch, Yoox-Net-A-Porter and Matches Fashion are releasing “conscious” collections, and here in Australia The Iconic and David Jones have gotten behind transparency, you know it is not a trend – it’s here to stay.

 What significant differences between “traditional” and sustainable retail have you experienced?

The main difference I’ve noticed is mindset. There is a huge shift towards collaboration and community spirit in sustainable fashion. Everyone wants to share and help those around them succeed, it’s a very rewarding space to work amongst thought leaders taking risks and actually making positive impacts. The attitude of the customers in this space is also different. They’re incredibly passionate, kind and vocal. Gen Z in particular is an enormously powerful and educated sector, who wants to know the origins of items before they buy. This is making transparency a critical part of the value offering and will be price of entry for any fashion brand wanting to exist in 10 years. Another big difference with conscious shoppers is their loyalty and how they will become true brand ambassadors if they believe in your purpose. 

Can you share any particular insights around customer behaviours and how you are leveraging these to provide optimised experiences which directly impact your bottom-line?

Customers want to build trust, with where and how they shop. They realise that every time they’re opening their wallet, they’re voting for the world they want to live in. Whilst I don’t want to give away specific insights just yet, I will say our customers want to be heard. We have created a specific Facebook group for our most loyal VIP customers where we ask this community for their insights and road test some ideas before building out features. This has saved us valuable time and money and has been deeply insightful in how to map our priorities to deliver the most meaningful impact. Without our customers we are nothing, so it is important to us for them to feel involved.

Brands, like many businesses today, are more and more confronted with demands to play an active role to reduce their environmental footprint. What are some things your brand partners have adopted to get this balance right?

It’s not just about packaging however that is the biggest start. Many of our brands are switching from plastic polybags to biodegradable or compostable mail bags. We also have brands like Arnhem from Byron Bay that have incredible initiatives where they have a composting bin for their staff and even grow themfresh fruit & veg. Tigerlily are calculating and offsetting their carbon footprint, by only using sea freight vs airfreight to save tonnes on carbon emissions. There are other, simpler, considerations such as using recycled card and ribbons to tie on swing tags. From an apparel point of view it’s avoiding polyester like the plague. We want to ensure we never stock polyester garments. We can’t say with 100% confidence that a thread or label isn’t polyester, but we are working towards being polyester free and encouraging brand partners to never use it in their garments as there are enough green alternatives out there.

What tech solutions or changes have you made or are in the pipeline to reduce your environmental footprint and/or give back?

There’s little things such as the entire COVE team using Ecosia as our search engine, who plant 1 tree for every 45 web searches. They are currently up to over 60 million trees! We want to share our own contribution towards this with our community, so are in the process of developing a widget which will have a live counter of how many trees we as a company have planted and also how to offer this initiative to our customers at checkout so that together we can become carbon positive. One other element to our business model is licensing our Clo3D design software which helps brands improve efficiencies, reduce costs and lower emissions in the pre-production phase of garment sampling. Then there are bigger, more complex pieces of tech, such as building a blockchain with partners Flight Path for trusted radical transparency through brands & designers supply chains.We are also working on a new feature that will allow customers to either: buy new, rent, sell second hand or donate their product, in one convenient place. Plus at checkout, we’re partnered with i=Change; a charity platform where $1 is donated every time a transaction is made, which goes to empower young girls in underprivileged communities.

You're a passionate advocate for positive change. What is your secret to success? 

Collaboration. I cannot bring my vision to life on my own nor do I want to learn and build all the technologies required from scratch, especially when most of them exist. Instead my approach is to partner with masters within each area and work together to create a better future. We have been very strategic in our partnerships to ensure they not only align with COVE’s core values and long-term objectives but are positively changing behaviours and making a profound impact.

What shifts are you seeing brands take or not take to build a more circular economy?

Packaging is again the first visible and noticeable change. Fabric waste is starting to be minimised through the design process with tech like Gerber, which can layout your designs to optimise the fabric and eliminate/reduce waste. We’ve identified that designers do not generate revenue on the rental and second hand/donation side of the market. This could be a welcome change that tips behaviours towards building more innovative and circular models like those created by Threadtogether here in Australia or ThredUp in the USA. Moving to adapting a more circular model is slow. Not through reluctance. I think we can all agree everyone wants to be making this change, it’s through education and information. This may be because it is new, there are still many unknowns and costs associated that can make the changes seem prohibitive or restrictive. We think Anne Marie Bonneau says it best when she says “We don’t need a handful of people doing zero waste perfectly. We need millions of people doing it imperfectly.” and that’s what we encourage with our partners. 

It’s an incredibly exciting time in fashion tech, a sector which remains a Pandora’s box of opportunity to explore, create and transform in ways that delivers positive impact at scale. 

As we are witnessing the world over, the future does not need to be a compromise between achieving social, economic or environmental prosperity. We can have it all if we are collaborative, conscious and harness technology to create the much-needed systemic shifts towards a circular economy. 

Written by guest blogger, Penny Whitelaw, Co-Founder of To Me Love Me. 

Insta: @2meloveme I Facebook: @2MeLoveMe I Twitter: @WhitelawPenny