GREEN FASHION.

Instead of buying, try borrowing, swapping or second-hand fashion instead of new goods. Slow fashion – why is this so important? Because fast and ultra-fast fashion, along with overconsumption, not only first exploits the planet, then contaminates it: but because our habit of “ever faster, ever cheaper, ever more” consumption means that workers in the Global South are grossly overworked and underpaid.

Do I want to spoil your fashion fun? Not at all. As a former editor of glossy fashion magazines, I can say that I love fashion. However, I have realised that something has changed dramatically in the recent years and decades: shopping has become a hobby rather than a traditional way of meeting needs. We buy fashion when we’re feeling good, when we’re feeling bad and when we’re bored.

The bad news is that this feeling of happiness usually doesn’t last long. As a consequence, more and more items of clothing are being disposed of after being worn for far too little time. Every second, truckloads of textiles end up in landfill or are incinerated. Less than one per cent is recycled. This can’t go on.

Why alternative consumption makes most sense
From 2000 to 2016, the number of garments produced each year doubled and, as of 2021, stood at 100 billion items a year: a this figure is expected to double further by 2030.

In the words of design icon Vivienne Westwood: “Buy less, choose well, make it last.”
Or: it’s better to buy less clothing, but of better quality – because buying cheap means buying twice. As the founder of the communication and community platform “Greenstyle”, I can here recommend slow fashion, i.e. fashion that has been produced with a sense of responsibility for people, animals and nature. In other words – and this is what this article is all about – choose alternative consumption models.


Mirjam Smend worked for glossy magazines for 16 years before switching her focus to sustainable fashion. With GREENSTYLE munich, Mirjam – a journalist, speaker, presenter and Fashion Revolution Ambassador – has created a 360-degree communication platform that uses contemporary formats to make a positive change to the textile industry.