What is slow fashion?
Today, we live at a thousand miles an hour and we consume more and more. We buy as much as we throw away. We want more and more novelties, and if possible at more and more attractive prices.
Today, haute couture brands no longer produce 2, but 10 collections a year, and the major brands release a new collection every two weeks.
How can we stay in fashion with an industry that produces and renews itself faster than ever? Perhaps we need to take a step back and question our current mode of consumption.
This is where slow fashion comes in. In concrete terms, it's a movement opposed to fast fashion and the whole spiral of excessive, impulsive consumption.
Slow fashion is above all a desire to consume responsibly, preferring quality to quantity.
It means buying into a brand's history and commitments. It also means fighting against the incessant consumption of fashion clothes and accessories, and the harmful effects that go with it. We're talking here, of course, about the extremely precarious and inhumane manufacturing conditions of textile workers, and the enormous environmental impact caused by the manufacture and transport of clothing and accessories produced further and further away.
Let's not forget that the fashion industry is the second most polluting industry in the world, and that there are 6 million tonnes of clothing waste every year in the European Union at m2 that ¾ of our clothes are unused. Slow fashion is also about opposing the standardization of style brought about by globalization.
In short, slow fashion is a way of thinking or rethinking society in order to consume differently, less often, and above all to consume better.
How do your Elia menstrual panties fit into the slow fashion approach?
First of all, the manufacture of Elia panties. We have a guaranteed French origin. This means that all our panties are made in France. Our menstrual pants are woven, cut and assembled in France. We even reuse the offcuts from our panties to produce new ones!
We use organic cotton and eucalyptus fibers to minimize our impact on the environment.
We produce our pretty menstrual lingerie on demand to limit overproduction and our impact on nature!
Last but not least, your Elia period panties can be used for years to come! Once washed, they're as good as new! A boon for the environment and for your wallet. In fact, we offer menstrual briefs at the right price.
How do I go slow fashion?
The key to slow fashion is to ask yourself the right questions before you buy: where was the garment produced, what materials is it made from, do I really need it? Or before throwing it away: could someone else benefit from it, could I use it for something else?
Slow fashion also means finding brands that correspond to your values and that are themselves committed to a less consumerist and more transparent approach, putting know-how, quality, environmental impact and working conditions at the heart of their concerns. This often comes at an extra cost, but buying quality also means you can keep your clothes longer and consume less.
Another option now seems to be emerging: clothing rental. Whether it's for a big event, a small party or even a vacation, it's possible to rent clothes for a few days. This avoids buying a garment or accessory only to wear it once and end up throwing it away.
It's also possible to sell clothes you no longer need, and buy second-hand. Whether on Vinted, at a flea market or in a vintage store, buying second-hand clothes is an excellent way to find something to suit your taste without having to produce a new garment.
Of course, it's possible to donate, exchange or recycle for another use, but the aim is to keep in your closet only clothes and accessories that you're sure you'll want to wear again, and that have been produced in line with your values.
Of course, this takes time, and it's not something you can do overnight. We have to be indulgent with ourselves, and becoming aware of the impact of fast fashion by wanting to change our buying habits is already a big step forward, and one that will lead to more and more effort on a daily basis.
