How To Shop According To Your Values

When I first started Future:Standard in 2010, our about page stated:

“WE DO NOT COMPROMISE ON STYLE AND DO NOT THINK OUR VALUES SHOULD GET IN THE WAY OF LOOKING GREAT.”

Our entire philosophy was that you didn’t have to sacrifice your values or your style and that the two can co-exist. At the time, you had to do a little more research than you do now, and there weren’t as many options. Sometimes, on a buying trip, I would feel like my only options were organic graphic tees, yoga pants, and what I called “West County mom” clothes. If you’ve ever been to the west side of Sonoma County, you’ll know what I mean. If you haven’t, you know the look, it’s artsy hippy. A little crunchier than my personal style.

I desperately wanted to be able to express my personal style, without being harmful to the people and the planet. I also wanted (still do!) to make it easier for those like me to do the same.

At that time, I valued style over my ethics. Today, I choose my values over my style. It is likely just as much the result of a greater concern for the environment (I realize it is an emergency, in 2010 I did not) as it is an evolution of my personal style. I am a work-at-home mom now, so getting dressed up for a night out, a coffee date, or even just work doesn’t happen nearly as much.

But, I still don’t think it needs to be a choice. I think fashion needs to express our creativity and style. It needs to be functional (even 5” heels have function sometimes).

And fashion needs to be ethical.

Unfortunately, ten years after I started F:S, it still isn’t. If you would have asked me in 2013, after the Rana plaza collapse, I would have guessed that the industry would have changed dramatically. It hasn’t, at least not much. There are definitely bright spots, and the industry has moved (very slowly) in the right direction. There is also hope that industry in general will change for financial reasons.

But, for the most part, fashion is wasteful from production to disposal. It is a major pollutant. And there is still the sweatshop problem.

Doing Our Part

I believe it is the industry’s job to change and the government’s job to enforce higher standards. The climate emergency and unethical treatment of garment workers and farmers are not going to change through consumer choice alone.

But we can certainly help move to a more ethical fashion industry.

As consumers, we can vote with our dollars and directly ask our favorite brands to change.

Our choices have an impact.

We can and should shop according to our values.

This might mean different things to different people. There are different definitions of ethical fashion, and different values within conscious consumerism. To me, there are a few different ways to shop according to your personal values:

Minimalism.
Conscious consumerism.
Cruelty-free.
Sustainable or eco-friendly.
Ethical.
Slow Fashion.
Philanthropic.

For more on the different types of ethical fashion and how to get started, click here.

How To Shop According To Your Values:

1. Get Clear on Your Values

If you are new to shopping ethically, the first step is to determine your values. I have written before about how the first step to building an ethical wardrobe is to determine your why. If you don’t have a good reason to shop your values you won’t. You need to get super clear about what your values are and why you have them.

This can change (mine most certainly have), ethical fashion is a journey. It is just a starting point and can help clarify what you will and won’t buy, and when.

2. Set some guidelines

Now that you have your values, set a few guidelines. I say guidelines, because creating hard rules usually creates undue stress (and often leads to giving up), for me at least. Maybe you’ll stop shopping at fast fashion shops or only buy things made in the US. Maybe you want only recycled fabrics or vintage. Maybe you will only buy what you absolutely need. Or maybe you will be mindful overall. Whatever you decide, try to stick with it, but allow it to evolve as you see what is out there.

3. Do some research

You’ve set some guidelines and understand your why. Do a little research to determine what shops, brands, and individual items fit into your values shopping. Take a look at the brands you already know and love and see how their manufacturing processes and sustainability standards line up with yours.

4. Find alternatives.

After you’ve done a little research, you might be surprised that your favorite brand is transparent and ethically aligned with your values. Or, you might need to choose different brands.

Fortunately, there are so many ethical brands out there. The ethical fashion and clean beauty industries are growing so quickly now! It is so different than it was ten years ago. There is something for everyone, you just need to have a little patience and invest a little time.

5. Evolve.

Start small, and increase your commitment over time. Ethical fashion is a journey. Your values may change. Allow it. Your budget might change, your needs will change. As your life changes, so too should your values-based shopping habits.

Shopping according to your values can be daunting. It can be more expensive (but here are a few tips to ethical shopping on a budget). It certainly takes time to understand some of the terminology and stay away from greenwashed products. But it is worth it.

Knowing that you haven’t compromised your values to look great is a huge reward.

There is peace of mind in knowing that your style isn’t a result of someone else’s heartbreak or the planet’s destruction.

For more on shopping according to your personal values, take a look on my posts on:

Have you shopped according to your values? How has it gone? Have your values evolved? What about the way you shop? I’d love to hear your inspiring stories!

0 Shares

Already added to raising slow