online thrifting/slow fashion roundup
by nina bunn
While we’re all stuck at home and not thrifting as much as we used to, here are some great companies to look into! Spending money at businesses that share our values is a really easy way to show support while also finding some cute new items. I’ve compiled a mix of slow fashion companies and online thrifting / vintage sites.
Some helpful markers:
Good On You
First of all, Good On You is a website that rates clothing brands based on how sustainable they are. You can either search a particular clothing brand, or read through their articles to find new ones (I used them a bunch for this article!). They’re owned by Ethical Consumers Australia, which is a nonprofit committed to helping people “make ethical consumption choices that match their personal values”.
http://consumersfederation.org.au/ethical-consumers-australia/
Poorly Curated
Poorly Curated is Jamie Espino’s personal vintage store! They buy items and then resell them, sometimes adding embellishments in the process. Everything’s fairly affordable depending on the item, and their shop is a great alternative to Urban Outfitters!
Chelsea Bravo
Chelsea Bravo creates contemporary art-inspired, gender neutral fashion! Her brand is fairly high fashion and each piece sells out quickly on the website, so check back often.
Thrilling
Thrilling is a website for online vintage collected from stores all across the US. You can search by store, brand, item, or basically anything you’re looking for (there’s also collections for inspiration!). It’s owned by Shilla Kim-Parker, a woman of color who is dedicated to providing alternatives to fast fashion and uplifting small businesses.
Thred Up
ThredUp is fairly similar to Thrilling; a VERY large online collection of clothing from various thrift stores. I would suggest starting out your search at Thrilling since it’s owned by a woman of color, and then using Thred Up if you’re looking for a particular item that’s not on Thrilling.
Ace & Jig
Ace & Jig is owned by Cary Vaughan and Jenna Wilson, who work with weavers in India to create unique textiles for each of their collections. They’re all about slow fashion and ethical working conditions for their weavers. They also have a scrap project every year, where people can buy fabric scraps collected from the past year for their own projects!
Nello
Nello is a vintage company owned by Chanelle Harris focused on self love and individuality! They value style over fashion, meaning focusing outfits on your personal style, rather than whatever’s ‘in’ at the present moment. They also offer a wide range of prices!
Outland Denim
Outland Denim is a sustainable denim company based in Australia. Their three main goals as a company are empowerment, sustainability, and transparency. It was founded as an avenue to provide career paths for exploited women and other people who have experienced injustice discrimination.
Fyre
Fyre is a black-woman-owned, curated vintage shop (with some VERY cute stuff). 10% of their profit goes toward Fyre Gives to provide “sustainable clothing and essential care packages for women in need in Detroit, MI”.
The Drift Collective
Drift is a company founded by Emily Stearns that sells sustainable surfing and skating apparel. They have a combination of handmade new apparel and repurposed vintage! I bought something from here a couple months ago, and am still obsessed with everything on their site.
Oh Seven Days
Oh Seven Days is a slow fashion company based in Istanbul that creates their clothing from deadstock fabric rolls (the leftovers from large fashion houses). They’re big on transparency of the fashion process, and have a blog where they discuss equitable working conditions and sustainable fashion tips!
Orenda Tribe
Owned by an indigenous woman, the Orenda Tribe employs indigenous makers and artists to create hand-dyed pieces and repurposed vintage. They work to uplift indigenous peoples and fight against injustices: some current projects include their Children of the Nááts'íilid Project and protecting Chaco Canyon in New Mexico (more information on their website).
