Why Slow Fashion is what the world needs.

Sustainability arose during Covid Pandemic, though for us at Italo Ferretti it has always been something we believe in, something that’s always been a core part of our work. The environment and the fashion industry are facing eachother more and more everyday, considering the pollution amount generated by fashion companies, and today we desire to share with you what is slow fashion and why it is so foundamental.

What is Slow Fashion?

In short slow fashion is the exact opposite of Fast Fashion – fast production of huge amounts of garments, normally of low quality, mostly made with cheap fabrics, and at very cheap prices. Moreover, workers (who sadly often are not even adults) tend to make low wages and work in an unsafe environment.

Slow fashion is no news really, fashion was born “slow” and now slow fashion is back, and we hope it’s back for good! For our world, our nature, and the environment, but also and mainly for the people behind the clothes and accessories. High-quality materials (often fully recyclable), and careful manufacture performed by skilled and very experienced professionists.

Slow Fashion Versus Fast Fashion

The major differences between fast fashion and slow fashion environment wise is the amount of waste produced to realize the products. Also, Fast fashion brands with their big marketing budgets create the urge of buying, whether we need them or not. What could stop this is thinking about what happens to whatever is not sold.

Slow fashion brands realize designs, and patents (as per Italo Ferretti for instance), produce a small batch, and check the reaction in the market. When it’s selling, they produce more, when it’s not selling, the waste is still minimum, and often not even waisted. In fact, many products can be re-adapted in terms of design, fit, and also fabric as the creation is handmade, and thus perfectly editable. Moreover, slow-fahion clients (we don’t like the ‘consumers’ word for conshous customers), they enjoy luxury garments, made with unique designs, with top quality raw materials, and they even get to customize their favorite pieces, often creating a special connection, as we know who is behind the order and work, and thath’s what makes that piece so special.

Why is Slow fashion so important today?

The crazy consumption way of life we perpetrated is inevitably depleting all our natural resources, and believe it or not, it is changing our climate. All fashion brands need to overturn their business model, and go for quality and not quantity. So that we can slow down production levels, and rise quality and durability of our products (i.e. “luxury products” as we intend them at Italo Ferretti HQ). We need people, clients who use fashion to really express their individuality, instead of going with the “uniform” all big fashion brands want them to buy. If you are among them, well, welcome home at Italo Ferretti.

We also need to mention that slow fashion workers are generally hired in small family factories, where they get paid a living wage and work in a safe and clean environment. They also get weekends, holidays and they work regular hours, as per the fair ethical fashion, and it is a key aspect we need to consider when shopping from a specific brand, mostly because it’s not granted in fast-fashion realities.

Best Shopping Habits

Slow fashion is moreover a method, a quality life-style that suggests us to examine our shopping habits and question whether we truly need all the items we have. Indeed, it is all about purchasing one high-quality product rather than 5 low-quality items that will fall apart after the first time you wear them. This shopping style is called  investment pieces shopping. Facts: Slow Fashion items last longer (ask our clients). If stitching is not good, if the materials are not great, the piece will not stand the washing and wearing. And so, eventually will not be good enough to be worn, and (here we go againg) you’ll need to buy a new piece, and so on, and on. In the end, it is honestly cheaper to purchase a more expensive item, a luxury item (when expensive and luxury mean: carefully handcrafted by master tailors using with quality materials). It is a win-win for you and the environment.

One last example, when it comes to food (us Italians are obsessed with it, we know), whould you rather have a slow-cooked meal with carefully selected ingredients and that traditional taste like your grandma’s cooking, or a random fast food? There you go. Slow living applies to all our daily aspects, and at the end of the day, we all want to enjoy life and be more aware of what we are living in the present.

The 3 P’s and 3 S’s of Slow Fashion

People, Profit, and the Planet, and Slow, Sustainable, and Socially Responsible are the three P’s ans 3 S’s that clients should consider to evaluate companies’ and product’s real value. That means the working environment, the positive impact on the economy, and the natural resources used to minimize the environmental footprint.

And now, upgrade and up-style your shopping by taking a look to our latest Italo Ferretti slow-fashion collections HERE

Photo credit: Giulio d’Adamo – Italo Ferretti HQ