The Myth of Retail Therapy | Remake

If you weren't already skeptical of Big Fashion marketing schemes that convince us to buy more than we actually need, then this article will do it for you!

The piece breaks down a brief history of mass consumption, how the fast fashion hamster wheel rewires our brains, the dangers of promoting retail as "therapy", and how we can break free of the cycle of constant consumption.

"Fast fashion is a state of mind: our modern consumerist culture is constantly reinforcing the message that we need more stuff, that we should buy cheap things and that we should not expect them to last. We are constantly being trained—our brains rewired—to accept this message unthinkingly."


MORE READS:

🔍 Inside the Global Fashion Summit: takeaways on the progress and shortfalls of the industry's sustainability commitments | via Dazed

🛍 What if we treated shopping like dating? | via Refinery29

📈 A rule to make corporate climate action more transparent is one step closer to reality | via The Guardian

👏 The US ban on cotton from forced Uyghur labor is coming into force | via The Guardian

📣 Workers in one of Pakistan's largest garment-producing regions achieve historic victory of 40% increase to minimum wage | via Clean Clothes Campaign

*Unfortunately (and unsurprisingly) fashion brands sourcing from the area have made no public assurance they will increase what they pay to suppliers.

💪 Artist sues Shein for $100 million for stolen design | via SmartCompany (found through Aja Barber)

🧵 DIY is more than a trend — it's a necessity | via Atmos

♻️ Even as brands embrace recycled clothing, recycling them further proves to be a challenge | via The Conversation

🔥 Climate justice cannot be separated from garment worker justice. Just one month after India's deadly heatwaves (made 30x more likely by climate change), Bangladesh faces worst flooding in 100 years | via The Guardian and Independent

🌏 Accurate climate science reporting should be repeated more often to influence public, study finds | via The Guardian

🧐 What happened to those calls for a post-pandemic fashion industry "reset"? | via British Vogue

"A social enterprise is a cause-driven business that has a core focus on creating positive social impact. Positive social impact is a broad ambition and there are many different social causes.

But in the fashion industry, fashion social enterprises often aim to center the experiences of their workers and advocate for ethical working conditions and sustainable livelihoods. They are also often artisan-led which allows for the preservation of traditional skills."

Check out the 8 social enterprises here.

Travel & Lifestyle Writer Alicia recently took a trip to the Catskills in New York and is sharing her fave eco-minded spots from her stay!

Alicia's sharing where to stay, where to eat and drink plant-based, where to shop local, sustainable + vintage, where to hike, and even where to get your arts & culture fix.

Check out the guide here.