My journey from a shopping beast to a conscious freak!

I still remember queuing up, giddy over a Burberry piece that screamed Cate Blanchett in Ocean’s 8, and it was on sale. I returned home triumphantly with a limited edition haul at half the price. Shopping mojo: unmatched.

But a few days later, I was shortlisted for a job interview with an ethical fashion enterprise in Sydney. Cue: existential wardrobe crisis. 

I stood before my (overflowing) closet, tags still on many items, and realised I had been consuming fashion without questioning the cost beyond the price tag.

Like any other job interview, I went through their website to find out more about this business. They were an ethical fashion marketplace that dealt with sustainable and ethically made brands…only.

And I suddenly became distinctly aware of my “shopping beast” ways, where I would consume without thought of the consequences of such consumption.

I stood before my (overflowing) closet, tags still on many items, and realised I had been consuming fashion without questioning the cost beyond the price tag.

The interview was a turning point in my notion of fashion. When their director asked me if I had any questions, I recalled the Bangladesh factory collapse in 2013 and asked, “I will be working for an ethical fashion brand. Is it okay if I wear garments that lead to the fall of a tree in the forest or exploitation of laborers, because sustainable clothes can be expensive, and being a student means buying everything in sale and in bulk?”

Their response was one of kindness and compassion, saying that going home and throwing out all of my non-ethical clothes would be just as damaging. There was nothing to be done about past purchases, but there was a lot I could do about future purchases.

That moment shifted everything. I couldn’t shop the same way again. I passed on a “must-have” white shirt for my graduation photos because I didn’t “need” it — I just wanted to twin with my flatmate. Not a good enough reason to exploit the workers in the supply chain and harm the environment.

Thanks to Thread Harvest, I’m unlearning and relearning the habit of impulsive consumption and waste reduction. 

The conscious buying journey is still a process, better than my past self. I find myself looking at sustainable labels and switching to a capsule wardrobe for a more sustainable lifestyle. 

If you’re having the urge to go on a shopping spree? Let’s…

> Reach out for ethical, sustainable, organic, vegan products and brands.

> Ask ourselves, “Is it absolutely necessary?” 

> Thrift, donate, exchange to promote circular fashion and reduce waste. 

> Despite the challenges, let’s avoid stores that lean towards sweatshop and unethical practices towards workers. 

At the end of the day, fashion doesn’t have to be flawless, but it can be thoughtful. Every choice — whether it’s thrifting, swapping, or saving up for that one ethical piece — adds up. I’m still learning (and unlearning) along the way, but maybe that’s what sustainable style really is: less about keeping up, more about slowing down.