Slow fashion: how the pendulum has been swinging away from instant gratification

When we use the term fast fashion, we are usually referring to clothing fashions that are mass produced to meet the fast moving trend cycles. It 's a retail strategy that is driven by hyper-consumerism, and relies on using the lowest cost labor and materials across the supply chain.

When you think about how brands like Zara were creating a new collection every week, it's clear how in a bid to stay on trend, people were tossing out clothes after just a handful of wears. Years of sustained hyper-consumerism has been responsible for millions of people in the poorest of places being subject to unfair work practices as well as putting huge pressure on the environment.

Slow fashion is the philosophy of being charitable towards the environment. It is a philosophy that many of us have been hearing about and it is not difficult to see why so many are leaning towards adopting it.

There are endless blogs, newspaper articles, and videos that focus on the minimalism lifestyle, decluttering living spaces, mending and repairing...it has all prompted a fundamental rethinking of how we purchase, and how we can reduce our negative impact on the planet. So buying quality clothing made from durable materials is the natural next step.

The concept for slow jewelry is entirely the same.

By using ethically sourced natural materials to produce small batch jewelry, slow jewelry designers and sellers are bringing consumers a responsible option.

We have other options too, for example vintage jewelry which is not only a sustainable choice but easily a more stylish choice if you enjoy wearing something a little different.

Some great places to find your next vintage jewelry piece are online marketplaces such as Ebay, Etsy, Poshmark or at local thrift stores.