Let's be clear- I do not consider myself a Sustainable Fashion Authority: I still find it hard to walk away from a high-street bargain (work in progess) and have a weakness for a luxury fashion sale. I am sustainably minded with a small 's'. Sustainable Lite perhaps. The approach to fashion that I have stuck to all my life is the 'buy what you love and make sure you wear it a lot' method, which in my mind is something we can all do whether we are Sustainability Authorities or not. I've always worn clothes for a LONG time, and attach mass nostalgia to items (that i'll admit makes me hang on to pieces beyond when they officially reach the end of their life): The HONG KONG 1982 t-shirt ( the year my family went to live there) that i've passed off as rock and roll for the last five years of increasing moth-eaten-ness. Or the vintage sundress that I still wear 25 years after the holiday where me and my husband first met, ignoring the fact it now essentially resembles a well worn hanky.
The point is that we all vary in how we try to be more ethical with our fashion consumption and there are different ways to do it. I have given an overview in my blog 10 ways to shop sustainably in 2022' but It's a big subject matter to squeeze into a snappy sunday morning read. My plan is to run a regular 'sustainability edit' - expanding on the ideas in the original blog to help us choose what we want to add to our 'sustainable ammunition' .
Today i'm starting with 'educating ourselves using instagram”: Yes we usually associate instagram with consumption- and the evils of the ‘swipe up’. But there is an ever growing army of influencers actively prioritising ethical fashion consumerism, sustainable purchasing, and creative styling, that we can buy into guilt free, and that will educate at the same time; from activists and global ambassadors promoting sustainability with a capital S, to small creators teaching us ways to live sustainably , through vintage or even making clothes. Here are ten of my current favourites, all with specialist subjects we can learn from.
1. @styleinthestix
BEST FOR: Beautiful, whimsical showcasing of independant and ethical brands with an editorial feel
WHO ARE THEY: Penny and Nikki use their local rural countryside as a background for promoting both sustainable fashion brands and ways to style them, and escapism from the day to day.
2. @venetialamanna
BEST FOR: Exposing greenwashing and fast fashion practises, plus personal style tips.
WHO IS SHE: Ex tv presenter Venetia is a climate activist with a mission to slow fast fashion, and personal style we all want to buy into. She hosts a podcast ‘talking tastebuds’ where she talks to guests about food, wellbeing and conscious living.
3. @jasminehemsley
BEST FOR: Ethical fashion , fabulous food, living mindfully, and a smattering of celebrity glamour.
WHO IS SHE: Wellness expert Jasmine is an author and television presenter who has been listed in the top 20 uk chefs. She hosts two ethical podcasts, has a sustainable fashion line and is a women's and sustainability ambassador.
4. @mrspress
BEST FOR: What’s happening on the front line of sustainability, teamed with educational ‘wardrobe crises’ snippets.
WHO SHE IS: Clare was the first Vogue Sustainability Editor, is a writer, and creator of ‘The Wardrobe Crises Academy’ platform that runs courses focussed on sustainability. She is listed in the Australian Financial review’s 100 women of influence.
5. @ChloeHelenMiles
BEST For: Sustainable brand inspiration with a minimal aesthetic and slow living tips, plus beautiful photography
WHO SHE IS: Brighton based chloe is a commited advocate of the buying less and styling more ethos, and is the owner of @theslowvintageshop
6. @sophiebenson
BEST FOR: Thoughts on sustainable fashion, workers rights, and consumerism, plus excellent charity shop, ethical brand and hand made style.
WHO SHE IS: journalist Sophie is the sustainability columnist at Dazed and writes for publications with sustainability as her focus. Otherwise she's found sewing and upcycling secondhand clothes and fabrics.
7. @saintthrifty
BEST FOR: Super cool second hand styling tips, and more indepth sustainability snippets learnt along the journey to becoming a more conscious consumer.
WHO SHE IS: Content creator Sophie works in marketing, but has been cataloguing her mission to buy only second hand clothing on instagram since 2019.
8. @the_rogue_essentials
BEST FOR: The ethical fashion dialogue simply and snappily explained, along with tips on shopping your wardrobe.
WHO SHE IS: Heidi is a US fashion influencer and stylist converted to sustainability and dedicated to educating instagram on the small print of the fast fashion industry and the joys of repeating outfits.
9. @Mademywardrobe
BEST FOR: Inspiration and knowledge on how to start making our own wardrobes, with patterns available plus styling tips.
WHO IS SHE: Lydia has a mission to bring inspiration and resources to an international community of clothes makers to create an alternative dialogue to fast fashion. She only wears clothes she has made and produces patterns, kits and workshops.
10. @Aditimayer
BEST FOR: Sustainability and social justice issues mixed with beautiful photojournalism and more than a little glamour.
WHO SHE IS: Aditi is an Los Angeles based sustainable fashion blogger, labor rights activist and photojournalist published in Vogue, Harpers Bazaar and others. She is currently a National Geographic storytelling fellow.
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