Bank holiday weekends used to really freak me out. It’s not the crowds, or the pressure to find things to do. It’s just that for someone who tries to follow the principles of sustainable fashion, bank holiday weekends represent this complete disaster – an explosion of opportunities to shop and discount prices from retailers, creating this battle field of ethics and savings.
Three years ago, on a Saturday morning of a May bank holiday, I was huddled over my laptop at 7 am, frantically hitting refresh on about 12 different ethical brands that I had been stalking for months. I hadn’t eaten breakfast yet, my coffee was cooling down, I was wearing my pajamas and I had that frantic energy of someone desperately trying to buy tickets for a sold-out concert. Instead of trying to buy tickets to Radiohead, I was trying to buy an organic cotton blazer from a B Corp certified brand that I’d been watching since February and was finally on sale.
The issue with sustainable fashion sales is they’re…different. Most ethical brands don’t do the massive 70% off of everything type of sale that most fast fashion retailers love. Since their margins are generally smaller due to the fact that they are actually paying their employees fair wages and using better materials, etc., they cannot simply reduce their prices to attract customers. Therefore, when a legitimate sustainable brand does put something on sale, it’s generally a 20-30% off sale and the good stuff is gone because their customer base has learned to swoop in as soon as the opportunity arises.
That particular morning, I was able to buy the blazer I’d been eyeing, along with a pair of jeans from another brand I’d been researching for months. Even though I ended up spending more than I normally would on a single outfit from a retailer like H&M, I still felt strangely virtuous. This was a piece of clothing that I’d actually researched, from a company whose supply chain I’d investigated, made from materials that wouldn’t release micro-plastic particles into our oceans each time I washed them. To date, I’ve worn that blazer to approximately 50 events. At this point, the cost per wear is getting pretty reasonable.
After years of attempting to shop ethically during sales, I’ve learned that you require a completely different plan than standard retail therapy. The traditional method of browsing for something that catches your eye while walking around doesn’t apply when you are shopping intentionally to consume less, and most of the brands that you are interested in supporting don’t have brick-and-mortar stores.
Currently, I begin preparing for bank holiday sales approximately two weeks prior to the sales. Although this may seem utterly crazy, I’m explaining. I continually create lists of things that I either need to replace or acquire to my wardrobe, with explanations of why I need the item(s), and what I currently own that is similar. Once the sale period begins, I review that list and research which sustainable brands produce the items I’m seeking.
Here’s where my background as an environmental consultant has helped — I’m accustomed to researching companies’ claims, and examining certifications that truly provide value. B Corp certification, GOTS organic certification, Fair Trade labeling, etc., are only a few of the numerous certifications that exist. I’ve gotten quite skilled at recognising when companies are marketing themselves as being environmentally friendly, but have no certifications, or lack transparency.
Timing is key with ethical brands, as most are small businesses that do not operate under the traditional retail schedule. While some start their sales early in the week, others do not begin theirs until Monday. I’ve learned to sign-up for newsletters from the brands I’m interested in purchasing from, which results in my email becoming totally unmanageable during sale periods. However, that is how I receive early access codes, and/or first chance at limited quantities.
Two bank holidays ago, I made the error of waiting until Saturday morning to cheque-in on a dress I had been interested in purchasing from a specific sustainable brand. Gone. Not only were they out-of-stock in my size; they were completely sold out in all sizes. I had been stalking that dress for months, researching the company, verifying that they were legitimate, and rationalizing that the expense was worth it. The FOMO was intense, and I learned a valuable lesson about being prepared to act quickly.
When shopping for sustainable clothing, physical stores are challenging because most ethical fashion brands do not have large scale retail locations. However, some cities have started to develop those multi-brand sustainable boutiques, and they can be gold mines during sale periods. There’s a store in Portland that I found last time I visited friends, that sells approximately 20 different sustainable brands. During their bank holiday sale, they offered additional reductions on products that had previously been discounted. I found a jacket from a brand I had never heard of, but whose business practices I verified via my phone within the store.
The research component of shopping for sustainable clothing during sales is where shopping for sustainable clothing becomes a time consuming activity. I am unable to simply purchase something based solely upon its aesthetic appeal and low price — I must know where the product was produced, what the product is manufactured from, and whether the workers involved in producing the product received fair compensation. I have developed the habit of maintaining a notes app on my mobile device containing brief information regarding brands I’ve already vetted, so I do not have to conduct research from scratch each time.
Something I have observed is that the second-hand market experiences a significant increase in listings during bank holiday weekends. I believe individuals are clearing their closets to accommodate new items they purchased on sale. As a result, the online consignment sites experience a surge in high-quality items. I have acquired some wonderful items this way — designer items from individuals who purchased them on sale, and wore them minimally.
On Sunday morning of the last bank holiday weekend, I spent several hours combing through Depop with the intensity of an archaeologist. I located a barely-worn dress from Reformation (brand I like, however it is typically pricey even on sale) for roughly 1/3 of its original retail price. The seller indicated she purchased the dress for a wedding that was canceled and simply needed to get rid of it. Her loss, my gain. And technically speaking, it was the most sustainable purchase I could have made since the dress already existed.
However, the psychological battle of shopping for sustainable items during sales is real. In my mind, the constant debate is “it’s sustainable, it’s on sale — it’s basically free money to buy it.” Obviously, this is not how money functions. Sale-induced brain causes you to think weird thoughts. I have certainly purchased items I did not need simply because they were from sustainable brands, and discounted. Afterward, I’ve attempted to rationalize that it was virtuous consumption.
As I look at a linen shirt I purchased from a sustainable brand during a bank holiday sale nearly eighteen months ago, I realise that I paid $40 for it. At the time, I believed it was a great deal. It was made from organic materials, and was manufactured by a worker co-op. Although it’s a beautiful shirt, it’s virtually identical to two other linen shirts I already owned. On occasion, being sustainable doesn’t protect you from making the exact same stupid purchasing decision as the rest of the world — although, at higher prices, and with more expensive, ethically-sourced materials.
In order to avoid falling prey to this mentality, I have developed some guidelines I attempt to adhere to with variable levels of success. First, if I am unsure of three different ways I could wear a garment, I do not purchase it. Second, I take a photo of items I’m contemplating, and revisit the image at least an hour later. Lastly, I ask myself if I would desire the item regardless of whether or not it’s on sale — if the response is negative, then the sale is not providing me with a discount.
Budget considerations associated with sustainable fashion are complex because all of these items are initially more costly. I have had to adjust my thought process from “How much did I spend this weekend?” to “How much am I spending per wear over the course of the next several years?” The blazer I referenced earlier seemed expensive at the time, but it has become a staple in my wardrobe, and I estimate the cost per wear is likely less than if I had purchased three less-expensive blazers that would have disintegrated or fallen out of favour with me.
During sales, my primary focus is on acquiring items that will fill existing gaps in my wardrobe with items that will endure. Last bank holiday, my list was rather detailed — I needed black pants for work that were not jeans, a warm sweater that could be layered over dresses, and comfortable shoes that were suitable for client meetings. A boring list, but I located all three items from sustainable brands that I had researched, and I wear them all frequently.
The online vs. in-store question is largely moot for me, as most of the sustainable brands I enjoy do not have retail locations that I can reasonably access. However, when I do shop in-store, I’ve learned to double-cheque the sizing of any items I consider purchasing, as returns to small sustainable brands can be difficult. Many sustainable brands offer less-generous return policies than larger retailers, and some do not offer free returns because their profit margins are narrower.
Additionally, I’ve learned to scrutinize reviews more thoroughly before purchasing any item online. The sustainable fashion community is relatively well-suited to sharing authentic reviews regarding the quality and fit of sustainable items. Particularly on Instagram, there are numerous accounts dedicated to reviewing sustainable brands, and they are invaluable for helping to avoid expensive mistakes.
An unintended advantage of shopping for sustainable items during sales is that you tend to discover smaller brands that you might have never encountered otherwise. When I’m researching sustainable alternatives for a specific item, I often come across brands utilizing creative ways to reuse recycled materials, or developing unique production methods. Several of my favorite items now are from brands I had never heard of until I began shopping for sustainable items in this manner.
Over the upcoming bank holiday weekend, I’ll be going in with a rather short list: a long-lasting coat that will endure for multiple winters, preferably manufactured from recycled materials. I have been researching options for weeks now, examining the different insulation types, and evaluating the sustainable credentials of various brands. It is not an exciting shopping list, but it is purposeful in a way that feels positive.
