Learn who makes your clothes and make ethical choices

It's important people understand the footprint they are leaving when purchasing brands, despite how reputable they may seem, Shayla Bulloch writes

Fast fashion isn't attractive, Shayla Bulloch writes. Picture: pexels

OPINION:

FAST fashion isn't attractive.

As I've grown older, the importance of choosing ethical clothing brands has come before my urges to take advantage of the flash sales on my favourite online shopping sites. While this means my wardrobe isn't draped in on-trend outfits, it means I'm doing my part to raise awareness about the truth behind fast fashion.

I've travelled to Cambodia twice in the past two years to visit my best friend, and on each visit, I've become more enlightened about how inhumane our cheap "two-for" clothing deals can be.

On my last visit in July, we ventured out of Phnom Penh to go see a temple and on the way were rows and rows of factories with thousands of women inside making clothes for brands we all know.

They were huge sheds with no windows, and on further conversations with people in the industry I learned women weren't given breaks and were paid below base salary.

But it is the reality of so many high-end brands running at mass production and consumers need to start being more concious of where they buy from. Multiple ethical clothing brands based in Cambodia were waging a war against these brands and employed local women at well-above base wages in comfortable environments.

Even purchasing from local Sunshine Coast brands helps, or perusing a market stall for your next outfit instead of shopping online.

While there is still a long way to go, and I am by no means wearing solely ethical brands (yet) it's important people understand the footprint they are leaving when purchasing brands, despite how reputable they may seem.

Originally published as Learn who makes your clothes and make ethical choices