Hello Justine. Thank you very much for all this information. There are many brands that personally I would like to know more about like "Camaieu", "Cache-cache" or "Marks and Spencer". I try for the time being to buy only clothes that are made by natural materials and after washing them (those that come from Camaieu) they smell badly even if the materials are natural. So maybe, it is the dye I don't know. Any ideas? Thank you very much!
I'm from Indonesia, from the city of Bandung in West Java. There's a river south of my city called Citarum. Yes, it's the same river that have garnered a lot attention because of it's pollution. THE MOST POLLUTED RIVER ON EARTH. It's so polluted because of the numerous garments and chemical factories around it. And guess who those factories are making clothes for : H&M! Thank you for calling them out Justine 🙏🙏🙏.
IKR. I hate it when orang Indo dijadikan budak2 perusahaan2 termasuk Nike, Michael Kors juga kayakya cheap labor semua itu. Pemerintah kita engga tegas karena mereka juga mana peduli menurutku. Sebab, kita akan tetap tertindas bagaimanapun juga. Udah gitu orang Indo ini sangat tidak bangga dengan produk2 lokal dan hanya mau "branded stuff" padahal buatan lokal juga kualitas bagus dan lebih ramah lingkungan. Dulu kan kaos distro menjamur banget dan barang2 distro menjamur tapi sejak mall dan brand2 import itu makin menjamur orang2 semakin gengsi :( sorry no english hehe
So sorry that this is happening. Your government should thoughen regulations, and take a look at possible corruption. In my country, this is the root issue.
As a professional in environmental management, I see greenwashing in every industry and we desperately need to talk about it. Thank you so so much for addressing this issue and in such a clear and comprehensive way. It shows that there is so much knowledge, research and heart put into this video and it makes such a valuable piece of information. You are amazing Justine!
I did go over the intro way to fast: yes, greenwashing is in full swing in fashion but it is indeed, by far, not the only industry where it's happening...
Oh yes. This is the feel good corner. These workers in third world countries need their jobs to feed themselves & their families. Take their jobs away from them and they have nothing. They will never be paid more - when wages go up, their jobs will be redundant. They will have nothing. But so long as you people from first world countries feel happy with yourselves, that's what's important. Very sad.
@@Nadia..J I’m from a third world country myself and I don’t agree with you one bit. It is not impossible for people to have a proper salary and a dignified life. Also, we are not just talking about low salaries, we are talking about child labour and slavery. Nothing in the world justifies child labour and slavery. Nothing.
The worst greenwashing has been happening in_government_recycling programs in 1st world countries lying to the households that their plastic waste that they put in their recycling bins for collections are being recycled but in reality they were shipped to China in the past, and more recently shipped to other 3rd world countries to be incinerated after China banned the importation of plastic waste from 1st world countries. These public officials lie to the public to make them feel good about taking care of the environment.
@@mahivivt Which third world country are you from Mahivi? What you have stated is only blanket info that can be obtained anywhere. I would like to ask you first hand questions. Then I will share my experience in twc.
I'm math teacher and during this week I plan to make project for my students where they would calculate waste produced by fast fashion and how much should garment cost for workers to make living wages.
Amazing!!!! I was in college (my second time around) before I learned to love math. Practical projects like this would have married my love of social sciences and math 20 years earlier. I needed teachers like you.
You’re a legend. Teachers are the front line in educating young people about topics such as green washing . I’m a geography teacher and I refer to this issue often when teaching about sustainability. Many people don’t realize that fashion is the third biggest polluter on the planet . The list is- 1) Fuel industry 2) Agriculture 3) Fashion
@@stephaniecaza9636 I am size 10-12. I am able to find clothes that fit me in Good will and some local neighborhood thrift shops but I agree the normal girly outfits are very hard to find on thrift shops for bigger sizes.
I am glad that i live in Indonesia so that i never ever in my entire life buy clothes coming from those brands.. The majority of my clothes are hand made by local dressmaker, or i buy it from local brand in my local city shop which i know they made it by themselves or their staff.. Thank you for sharing Justine..
Agree! Am from msia and basically most of the material i bought from Jakarta. Good quality and affordable. Some of my garment are stitched in Jakarta as well. Good workmanship 😉
I wish I had access to a local dressmaker so much. I live in Australia we've totally lost that tradition, instead we're drowning in cheap and unethical chain stores...
IKEA likes to greenwash as well... acting like they aren’t the fast-fashion of housewares and decor.... but at least these companies are taking notice that we are finally conscious of how garments are produced, the impact that the materials they are made with have on our environment etc... as long as we KEEP talking about it and addressing it we may see even more change going forward as the consumer chooses to make more informed and ecologically responsible choices.
I was recently made aware of the vast amount of products IKEA “makes” that actually come from China, a country whose government uses slave labor from people who are tortured and persecuted for following their deeply held cultural and religious beliefs. It was very disheartening. On Amazon it is virtually impossible to find out if a product comes from China. Large companies fo not want to disclose the source of their great profits.
@@thestraightroad305 Products made in China still have such a bad reputation, regardless of the impressive mechanization of the manufacturing industry in China. Simply by slandering the working environment or human rights of the people in the country seems be to a pretty convenient way for many brands to divert global consumers' attention. It is like switching the limelight onto a country that has different ideologies to the west, pick up some footage that the audience can't really verify, then claim "our products do not contain anything produced in this country", so all green-washing secrets will (hopefully) magically be ignored for a while. I really love Justine's suggestions that we should proactively do more research ourselves, and advocate for higher transparency. Knowing the origin of the product is not enough, there are deeper layers of understanding 💪 The whole concept of "fast fashion" is built upon short-term gains and over-consumption. For that I do not think the place of production is the only thing we should be careful about.
@@mool.9084 I agree with you. Justine has made it clear that answers will require a lot of work. I appreciate her exposure, which is also an exposure of my own motives around what I purchase.
The biggest change I’ve made is to opt out. I know who and where my clothes were made because it’s me in my house. My needles and thread are made in Germany and France, my fabric in the US, Italy, or France, etc. I print my patterns out and buy mostly from independent pattern makers. I highly recommend it. My clothes fit me because I make them for me. I don’t have to rely on spandex to be comfortable.
I've started knitting and sewing my own clothes as well as mending them. I use second hand material or seconds quality fabric from in country fabric mills
I love that you mention not needing spandex to be comfortable. It's in nearly every garment now, even by brands considered the most sustainable, and even in GOTS certified fabrics....because the certification allows up to a certain percentage of spandex. What most people don't know is how spandex is made and from what raw materials. It's a petroleum based synthetic that doesn't break down. The good news is that there are R&D teams in the fabric industry developing new alternatives, such as using a percentage of recycled spandex (not great, but better than from new raw materials) and from bio oils (which will still create new long-term issues, if we don't curb our collective appetite for over-consumption).
@@sheleia66 One of the reasons I started sewing for myself was to get away from plastic fibers that don’t breathe! There’s a lot of reasons to give man-made fibers the boot for everyday wear even if you’re just thinking about aesthetics in the right now moment.
Learning about the fashion industry from you, Justine, is like coming out of the abusive relationship and not being able to trust anyone ever again. Thank you so so much for all the amazing work you're doing on your channel!!
I see what you mean... it's because the topic is complex and unfortunately, "just paying more" and "trusting famous brands" are not necessarily good solutions either. But I have the feeling that all that is slowly improving...
@@justineleconte very slowly.. You Justine are extremely well versed in these matters, so it may automatically feel that everyone knows about that stuff. I feel that I've been educating myself and making more effort to make better choices, but I'm so far from where I'd like to be. But I guess it all helps.
@@justineleconte I agree! Unfortunately, the word 'sustainable' is becoming a trendy word that every other brand is now using, without the commitment. It's easy to see which brands are a fast fashion brand when they launch a new collection about twice a month. But many other brands are far from being sustainable and use this word as a marketing tool to keep their target customers, the ones that are not willing to research and feel less guilty shopping their brands because of this. My wardrobe is now 70% second hand and I avoid shopping fast fashion brands but that does not mean my entire wardrobe is 100% sustainable. It's a work in progress. What I also avoid is polyester and other synthetic materials.
@@justineleconte Welcome to the consumer culture ma'am, where we all are fools and an unconscious proletariats of these popular consumer brands and their bourgeoisie leaders with their capitalist ideas but, in a new colour.😞😞
If you are truly care about these things, it is virtually impossible to shop; not only clothes but cosmetics, cleaning products, food. Everything we consume actually a horrible burden on someone we don't know. As for clothes, -since second hand shopping is very complicated and suboptimal for me here in Turkey, I have decided to buy the most ethical fabric I can find and have a few pieces made for me at a local workshop. There are very few brands in Turkey which are open about their process. Thank you for the video, I am sure it will open someone's eyes and it is important!
There's no ethical consumption under capitalism unfortunately, in mass production and distribution (also of materials) there will always be someone who will abuse others to get more profits, it's a broken system
@@biancacamillagambrioli5830 I couldn't agree more. I understand the value of "doing your best" on a personal level but as a society, we should really rethink the whole system.
you should also talk about big brands like chanel. They are doing the same thing! For example, my mother worked for chanel and other 'sustainable' brands for years in a small factory in Romania. She earned like 200 E per month, working between 10 to 12 hours from monday to friday and 8 hours every saturday. They are all the same!!!
Indeed. Sometimes it seems like people who aren’t able to afford sustainable clothes are guilt-tripped, when even more expensive brands are usually not that much better.
This is so true. Rich people think they can buy their good and clean concious by buying lux brands. But none of the lux brands actually are any better. They are all the same unless they really prove it wrong by very transparent processes and I have seen no brand doing that yet...
Agreed, I think it is easy to always pick on H&M. At least they are doing something to make their chain more transparent. Designer brands do not do this.
It is fascinating. Halfway through this video I got interrupted by Mango add on how "sustainable" they are now and planning to be in the future. They are listening, Justine :)
One recent YTer was promoting $7 US jeans from Walmart. You know at that price, someone didn’t get paid, and it wasn’t Walmart! Price can be a good starting point, if the price is too good to be true, it’s safe to assume the garment worker was brutally ripped-off.
As a professional communicator, I know about the art of saying a lot while saying very little, or even nothing. Thank you for turning this sharp lens on the fashion industry. With all of us being far more environmentally aware, I think brands are finding a way to cash in on that growing consciousness while making little real change. You are fabulous for increasing awareness on what we need to pay more attention to!
This is real public service you are doing, Justine. We have a long way to go in terms of consummer literacy. I hope you don't mind if I show and discuss this video with my teenage students. I think it can raise their awareness to a lot of issues in fashion industry. I just want to add a big 'Thank you'!
I shop predominately in thrift stores. My size fluctuates too often to buy high-quality pieces, so I avoid supporting fast fashion companies by buying secondhand.
90% of my clothes are thrifted or ‘personally made’ and are of exceptional quality. Don’t even like to go into stores now after knowing what is available in the secondary market.
Makes sense to me. I do something similar to thrift store shopping: a lot of my clothes are second-hand from an American ap called Poshmark. It helps me to find nice clothes for a cheaper price, and at least this way, I'm not directly supporting fast fashion or unethical business practices.
The thing I love about Justine is that she's frank and genuine about what she knows. She's not trying to stir the pot for views or step on brands to bolster her own - she just wants people to know that the fashion industry can be dishonest and she's helping people to be more aware of how. It's really hard to fake sincerity and you can tell by watching her that she cares about not just fashion - but how the people who make the fabric and clothes are treated in the industry.
I wasn't aware of the term 'greenwashing' until I watched this video. I'm so proud of you for calling them out. You are the kind of content creator people should look up to rather than the ones who upload hauls of such brands and promoting careless consumerism. Lots of love from India🙏
I am from India and I remember seeing ads from H&M like 15 days ago... Thanks to the awareness I have due to this channel that I know what goes in the background. Here in India H&M is trying to be a premium brand of sorts not the same positioning as in the west....
I am from Bangladesh and I have seen the consequences of Rana Plaza accident when it took place. I came to study Urbanism in Belgium and I have not met anyone who has a clue of what is happening to country like Bangladesh. Homesickness is one thing but the fact that my country doesn't even exist in these people's mind was very disheartening. I told myself- we were colonized with guns and swords for so long and now we are colonized in a "sustainable way" and the worst part is NOBODY KNOWS OR CARES! I have always followed your channel because I love your wisdom and authenticity and this is the first time your video made me tearful. Thank you so much for telling the truth Justine!
Thank YOU for sharing your feelings & opinion here. I'm only speaking based on my research, so for me it's important to know that what I understand really reflects your experience there 💛
I'm cutting out my own blouse as I'm watching this and so happy that I can make my own clothes. Sourcing ethical fabric is difficult sometimes but I do my best!
She's one smart cookie. Funny enough I started watching her because I loved her voice and her beauty but have learned much from her about style. I love her!❣️
Just listened to an ad for h and m conscious collection on a very popular podcast I love. It is infuriating to me as it's so slick and deceptive and not questioned. It lets people off the hook a bit allowing them to carry on buying fast fashion and feel better about It, if you don't look below the surface. Thanks for doing this Justine It makes me cry inside too.
Years ago, I made an agreement with someone that I would not buy anything from China due to their practices. Except for electronics, I’ve been able to this. Besides saving me loads of money, I’ve decreased my consumerism. I’ve learned to live with less clothes and thanks to you Justine, have shopped very wisely, paying a fair price for well made clothes that will last a lifetime. Sometimes I see something online that is attractive and would fit my needs, but asking where they are made and from what fabrics and where those fabrics are made is sometimes difficult. I make the assumption that if this info is not readily available, then it’s not for me. Thanks for making me aware of these practices.
Thank you so much for sharing this! It is all a facade. They do not really care about sustainability or other people. IKEA is guilty of the same thing.
Recently Innis free, the Korean skin care brand produced a "cardboard" bottle and advertised it as such. But it was essentially a plastic bottle covered in a bottle shaped cardboard. They apologized after being called out.
This is a frustrating thing. They had very clear instructions that there was still a plastic bottle inside bc OF COURSE it was! Their instructions was very clear on that you where supposed to open up the paper bottle so you cold correctly dispose of the plastic bottle, that with the new packaging used less then 50% plastic then their old bottles. However it it definitely was a problem using big letters saying "HELLO IM PAPER BOTTLE". Also it's Innisfree, in one word.
I can't thank Justine enough for being the fashion educator i, personally, have always needed! These videos bring me so much understanding and definitely help me learn to consume consciously.
It's shocking to hear what these fast fashion companies will do for increased profits. I make all my own clothes and noticed that fabric shops now stock more and more organic cottons so it's a step in the right direction.
Great topic and video again! I can say honestly you were one of the reasons I realised how unethical and unsustainable the fast fashion industry is. I strictly only shop second hand and have been doing so for 2 years now! I also don't shop as much as I did before and only buy clothes I love so I save money too!
I was not aware of this but thank you for bringing this to my attention. I have for the last few years buying my clothes primarily from 2nd hand shops, especially my jeans. I will definitely be paying more attention to my labels from here on out!
I cry every time i see a video like this. It males me so sad! Thank you for this work of raising awareness, si necessary!! I stopped buying fast fashion since the first video i watch on your channel and been checking labels since then. 🤗
Same as sea food false labels , watch Seaspiracy on Netflix. Thanks for sharing Justine 🌺🌸🌼🌻 H&M’s conscious only means using less water 💦 so less cotton and more synthetic fabrics . Since Primark landed on our high st , H&M’s quality dropped and M&S, I frequently get holes in my clothes now and feel sweaty and fabric is cheap with an acrylic sheen fabric . I’ve never seen primark advertising.
Seaspiracy has one big problem -doesn’t tackle the buyers of illegal/unethical fishing (mostly food industry). Those are the real drivers behind the crisis, but no government dares regulate them. 😐
Thank you so much for making a video on greenwashing! I knew very little about the concept before watching your video and didn't realize all these marketing tactics fast fashion companies use. This is content that a lot more people need to see to know what sort of questions they need to ask before making purchases. Keep up the great work!!!
Your videos are always helpful. Since I watch them, I've tried to change my shopping habitudes and now it's been more than a year that I don't buy fast fashion. I've started to buy just the things I need to local producers. I know it's a long way, but I also think that small changes make the difference. Thanks Justine for the work you're doing, you're really inspiring.
I've seen their "eco" commercials everywhere and somehow it didn't ring true because they're known for being money grubbing fast fashion brands. So glad you looked into this.
I do love shopping for clothes that last forever and I like H&M. I can't afford higher prices in other brands. I find lots of basic clothes in H&M and all the stuff I bought there have served me for at least 3 years. I had a pair of H&M slip on which I bought at about 15$ on sale and I wore them almost every day through all seasons in 3 years until they worn out. It's good to learn from your videos, Justine. However I would like to share my experience and perspective.
It’s true , I buy cheap clothes, and use them a lot, and can wear for more of tree years, and It finish when they are very old, and broken. I have clothes of higher price, and it’s not different. The idea it’s use it not changing because it’s cheap ♥️🙏
I have been aware of greenwashing for about a decade now, and it's always infuriating to continue seeing it, especially on fast fashion brands. I always appreciate your research and the updates year over year on how these brands misbehave to get our money. Thank you!
This is such an important topic that everyone should understand! It is extremely frustrating for all these companies to be greenwashing. I hope more and more industry leaders and influencers like you are calling them out!
I am grew up in the 1970's in the US and was taught how to make my own clothes. Now it is hard to find fabric or patterns for home sewing. Thanks, Justine for the insightful video.
Hi Justine! Once I read that really luxury brands (like LV, Hermès, etc.) they actually burn their items if they don't sell them, because they prefer that than doing a really low sale or donating them (so they can keep the "desire" of wanting them). I don't know if that's true and I don't know how to check that information. Could you talk about that please? Thanks for all your videos! They're always super interesting to watch :D
Hi Justine, your channel should be mandatory for all fashion design schools. There's an enormous responsibility that brand names and high end labels are not embracing, and they should be. To teach these lessons early to EVERYONE in the industry, from design inception to sales, IMO, should be mandatory. I also want to say thank you for remembering the victims of the building collapse. You have a gracious and kind heart. 💖
Thank you for spending time on spreading this message! I love the awareness now focused on fabrication and not just sewing location. The reality is that very few brands actually have transparency into their supply chain (there are SO many hands 🙌 involved) and even for them to find out is quite and undertaking and can be difficult to verify. For Example- When the Rhana Plaza collapse took place, most of the brands didn’t even know they had clothing being made there due to factory outsourcing. Fabric processing and dyeing can be the most pollutant part of the process. Very few companies provide insight into where exactly their fabrics come from, so you’ll know a good brand when they do! A good thing to look out for are eco-friendly dyeing certifications like BlueSign certified. Thanks for getting the conversation started!
Hi Justine, Thank you for creating this awareness - on ethical fashion, green washing and how to be mindful about our own attitudes towards these brands. Each one of us can make a small difference. Totally appreciate your courage and efforts into the research done on these topics. Please continue the good work and create more content. Lots of best wishes
Thank you, for calling this out. I'm so grateful I learned to sew well and that I can find quality fabrics in my city. I've found that tailoring quality consignment and thrift items is a fun creative outlet too!
Thank you, Justine, I will check the links over the weekend. You do for fashion workers more than any others. All the sudden, all stores in London -clothes, food and cosmetics- have become eco- and workers friendly. Difficult to believe in this. But I am so happy that you raise the awareness on UA-cam. A lot of other positive things are coming, in some way related to what you do- London Wegeterian Week and UN Ocean Days. I am so happy to take some part in them. One more thing, yesterday, after work, I saw the notice from Royal Mail that the shirt I bought on your website is ready to be picked up. I will do it on Saturday morning. Thank you!!
I had no idea. ☹️ I was aware of the issues but not the deception. Thank you for bringing this to our attention. When we know better, we must do better! ❤️
Hi Justine, thank you for the great work on raising awarene among consumers and using your platform for a good cause, there is never enough resources on markets regulations and deceiving claims used in advertising.
I’ve been getting a lot of H&M adds recently about their sustainable clothing line, and I’ve been beyond annoyed at their posturing. I’m so pleased to see you discussing this topic so comprehensively and bluntly, and I hope more people watch this (and your other videos!) to learn more about fashion and all its intricacies ❤️ keep it up Justine!
Great video Justine! As a fashion designer myself, I've worked for fast fashion brands and this is necessary. Thank you for sharing all this valuable information with the world. It's crucial we, as fashion designers, inform others about this issue. Thank you for your amazing work
Hi Justine, I am so hapy to see someone that knows her business speak up about these practices. I was always quite ''surprised'' ( in a weird way, you know) to see that brands like Primark could suddenly be sustainable/concious. It just didn't seem to fit with my idea of what they stand for. It made me say: oh if they have a sustainable collection, why would I look at other parts of their collection anyway. Because I know it would be the ''bad stuff''.(which it all is of course) I am happy you bring your experstise to the table and reach people to wake up about this. I sew a lot of my own clothes and love to switch clothes with friends. I also shop at thrift shops. So we are getting a little bit closer to actual sustainability :D
🙌🏼 Justine. Hands up to you for caring about the earth and sharing your information. You accomplish this in a non-judgmental, and kind way. We can all learn from your style. Thank you!
So glad that you’re highlighting this topic. It’s so easy to become complacent and want to feel comfortable. But it’s so important that we consumers need to continue to educate ourselves and to read between the lines! Thank you!
Most of H&M’s “sustainable” garments are made of partly (like 40%) recycled polyester, not for me! I do shop at H&M because I can’t afford higher quality. I thought their textile recycling program as good, but they used the pandemic as an excuse to cancel it, and to extend their delivery times to 6-8 weeks!
@@IracebethLovett Yes and no. Some SH stores are just as pricey as first hands stores. It depends on many things of course. I saw a FF dress in a SH shop yesterday, being sold for as much as it would in the brand-store it came from.
It was after scandal that they dump them in African countries so that only 10% are used. Why not send them to poor countries with strong winters like Ukraine at least they would make someone warm and those with holes would be good fuel (provided they are not made out of synthetic fibres).
Here is what I can tell as a resident of a indian region that has been facing drought for past 5+ yrs because of over production of cotton. Organic cotton takes more water resources to produce than regular! What you need to is reduce consumption of cotton! Neither is sustainable for anybody.
@@tomjones2157 currently the advisory is to go back to traditional farming methods like crop cycles if you have a cotton crop cycle allow the land to breathe and up its fertilization in next sorgum crop cycle. This will also reduce strain on water resources as it is very difficult to supply water all year round for cotton. Neighboring hilly areas get enough rain that can be transported to allow alternative crop cycles. Farmers ended up growing only cotton to meet demands and in hope of earning large sums which never happened. Alternative food crop cycles can help the farmer and locals with food sources too.
I am so glad you talk about the damage fast garment does to the environment! Thank you! We consume so much clothes, I always wondered how does prices were possible and after a little (very little) research crossed out stores like the old Forever 21, H & M and Zara go
I thought h&m were doing so well on their sustainability efforts to ensure all their garments were made in a safe way.I will now take more notice of wording.Thank you for bringing these issues to our attention.
You have educated me so much and raised my awareness of shocking practices in fashion. I do not want any part in exploiting human beings of any age or ethnicity. Thank you for sharing and for all you do!
This video is amazing Justine. Another thing that comoanies do is use relative numbers instead of absolutes. For example "we have reduced CO2 emissions by 15%" : 15% of what?! If the baseline number of emissions is massive, then the imoact is still massive after reducing it by 15%. (I work in risk and evidence communication!)
Hmm, influencers also promote the conscious collection. It's also more expensive but the quality doesn't seem too different. So far I haven't bought anything from h&m (other than one tote bag) because I don't think it lasts very long, conscious or not.
They are actually kind of ok in terms of quality. Not great, but if you treat the garment well it's going to last you a few years. Or I'm just very lucky. I try to avoid them these days and buy second-hand but both second hand shops in my city (yeah we have only two) have a lot of H&M things so I still end up with a lot of those.
@@alinev5131 Oh wow, that's promising. Since my favourite pair of slacks are from H&M and I don't want to get rid of them (I've had them for around two years now).
@@elenanojkovic2554 that's a good point, I do machine wash quite frequently so I go for more sturdy stuff.. I do think some of their basics are good tho. Their jersey/knits are quite decent. I just don't like the polyester stuff and the cotton/linen is not good quality at all.. at least the ones I've come across..
About 15 years ago, H&M quality was quite good for its price tag, and I still own various pieces from that time. Both the higher end and lower end clothes. They were one of the first bigger brands here carrying organic cotton. But recently it has become pure garbage of low quality and I have stopped buying there.
Thank you very much! As a researcher, activist and campaigner of improving labour rights in this industry it is really nice to see professionals and insiders of the field explain these topics! You are doing this in a very simple yet comprehensive way! Kudos :).
This is why it is so important to do research into a brand and pay attention to the materials used in each garment you consider buying. Never take things at face value! Thank you for speaking on this topic!
Can you talk about the Xinjiang cotton issue with a bunch of fashion brands? It exploded recently in China and brands are backtracking so fast it's insane.
Thank you Justine for another informative video. Many of these facts I know in my heart but having the reminder is important as I've been known to get pulled in by the marketing. I am trying harder to focus towards consignment and thrift stores as my budget doesn't allow for me to purchase many responsibly made garments right now. I love to shop! So, this is a weakness of mine. Being able to work on purchasing good quality items that are classic and last a long time. This is something I'm trying to remedy in my closet. Thank you again for your videos and hard work!
I learn so much from you. I used to be a huge fast fashion shopper and bought new clothes every week. After discovering your channel, I check the tags, the fabric, the construction, everything! Lol I'm happier now that I'm buying less and although I'm not perfect, if I have the option, I'll choose to pay more for the better brand. 💚
This video is an eye-opener to the reality of greenwashing. Thank you Justine for all the useful & reliable information and no-nonsense content of all your videos in your YT channel. It actually made me stop buying from fast fashion brands.
Hi Justine, could you please do a video where you are mentioning some brands that are „safe“? I don‘t know who to trust and where to buy my clothes in the future without going bankrupt 😂
thanks so much for sharing!!! I spent last week (Earth Week and Fashion Revolution Week) spreading awareness through my social medias. Many friends sent me messages saying they did Not know about this! 🙏💪 Educating people is the first step Thank you!!💜
C&A has "100% recyclable "tags on a lot of their T-shirts. Meaning the tag is made out of paper and we are free to recycle it. I emailed them and got nowhere.
Thank you for these videos. You were the first person I came across on YT that was talking about this and I’ve learned a lot from you and changed the way I’ve shopped since. You are 100% making a difference!
I just bought what I like and I want to use everyday. I don't own many clothes in my house either. If the times has come to part ways with some of my garments, I just give them to someone who needs it. Simple... I still have a 'cheap' T-shirt that I bought in 2004 iirc, and I'm still use it to this day. Some of my trousers are from that year also. Try to spend less on advertising (esp. garments stuff) is also helps
You're one of only two channels I always stay notified for! You read my mind, I was wondering about this topic lately, looking at advertisements and feeling low that so many around me believe these unquestionably...
That’s a good idea! I wonder how nu-in can be sustainable with prices that low. But the app Good on you (the one Emma Watson used to promote) says that it is a good brand.. so weird
When you talked about primark I understood : ... jeans for 50€ I thought: wow that’s actually a high price for primark and then you showed the picture and I noticed I understood it wrong and it’s actually 15€ I gasped, and i hate that so much people are tricked by the claim sustainable
Hi Justine. I just wanted to say thank you for drawing my attention to fast fashion and the issues around it. I'm ashamed to say that I had no idea before watching your videos. I am now much more aware of where I buy. Keep up the good work in sharing the knowledge and awareness. 😘
This video deserves to be recommended (or even forced) to everyone in UA-cam. Thank you, Justine - once again! This is a serious issue that needs addressing on a whole new level.
This was very informative. Thank you for telling us which specific terms don't actually have a legal definition (which means these terms don't actually guarantee anything at all). It really helps us learn how to keep ourselves from getting fooled. It's amazing how sneaky they are. Have a great day, everyone. ❤
Young people fall for these fallacies that are used in all aspects of our society in print. No one looks, asks, investigates, but rather just take the written headlines at face value. So sad. It’s on college campuses, in business and more. Brainwashing in full force. Thank you for being one the smart ones, Justine, and educating the public! People in the US are still buying yogurt because it’s labeled “gluten free”!
I want to thank you, truly, for offering this focus on education. It's so important to clearly understand the manipulation of words to manipulate consumers.
Thank you for this!! I wonder if you have info on the fabrics at Joanne's or other shops and how they are made. I sew some of my clothes so your video has made me wonder about that! Thanks again🥰
Thank you for this video. I worked in (Italy) leather accessories for a very long time and can say that big brands have been asking suppliers for all sort of compliance to their "green/social" policies but at the same time require low "asian-like" prices. Therefore any cost is on the manufacturers, if they want to keep on working for them.
Hi everyone! 🙋♀️ Which brands would you like to know more about? PS: the videos mentioned at the end are now linked in the video description 😘
Hello Justine. Thank you very much for all this information. There are many brands that personally I would like to know more about like "Camaieu", "Cache-cache" or "Marks and Spencer". I try for the time being to buy only clothes that are made by natural materials and after washing them (those that come from Camaieu) they smell badly even if the materials are natural. So maybe, it is the dye I don't know. Any ideas? Thank you very much!
How about Orsay?
Hello! Thank you for this helpful video. Could you review the brands esprit and cassis, please?
Very cool content! I would like to know about sustainable local producers in Europe/Germany/Netherlands!
Everlane!
The tricky thing is, more expensive clothes does not automatically mean they are more sustainable :(
Not at all. They don't mean even better quality.
@@lonelyplanet2021 Exactly!
That is so difficult to navigate around!
Expensive clothes aren't always high quality, but high quality is never cheap.
@@Ulfscher That's a nice one hehe
I'm from Indonesia, from the city of Bandung in West Java.
There's a river south of my city called Citarum.
Yes, it's the same river that have garnered a lot attention because of it's pollution. THE MOST POLLUTED RIVER ON EARTH.
It's so polluted because of the numerous garments and chemical factories around it. And guess who those factories are making clothes for : H&M!
Thank you for calling them out Justine 🙏🙏🙏.
that is why noone knows and incredible, how these companies don't care at all..I will never shop in h&m! :( thank you for sharing this information!
So sorry to hear that.
IKR. I hate it when orang Indo dijadikan budak2 perusahaan2 termasuk Nike, Michael Kors juga kayakya cheap labor semua itu. Pemerintah kita engga tegas karena mereka juga mana peduli menurutku. Sebab, kita akan tetap tertindas bagaimanapun juga. Udah gitu orang Indo ini sangat tidak bangga dengan produk2 lokal dan hanya mau "branded stuff" padahal buatan lokal juga kualitas bagus dan lebih ramah lingkungan. Dulu kan kaos distro menjamur banget dan barang2 distro menjamur tapi sejak mall dan brand2 import itu makin menjamur orang2 semakin gengsi :( sorry no english hehe
@@sophie_4240 I'm a distro lover. Always support Indo product 😊
So sorry that this is happening. Your government should thoughen regulations, and take a look at possible corruption. In my country, this is the root issue.
As a professional in environmental management, I see greenwashing in every industry and we desperately need to talk about it. Thank you so so much for addressing this issue and in such a clear and comprehensive way. It shows that there is so much knowledge, research and heart put into this video and it makes such a valuable piece of information. You are amazing Justine!
I did go over the intro way to fast: yes, greenwashing is in full swing in fashion but it is indeed, by far, not the only industry where it's happening...
Oh yes. This is the feel good corner. These workers in third world countries need their jobs to feed themselves & their families. Take their jobs away from them and they have nothing. They will never be paid more - when wages go up, their jobs will be redundant. They will have nothing. But so long as you people from first world countries feel happy with yourselves, that's what's important. Very sad.
@@Nadia..J I’m from a third world country myself and I don’t agree with you one bit. It is not impossible for people to have a proper salary and a dignified life. Also, we are not just talking about low salaries, we are talking about child labour and slavery. Nothing in the world justifies child labour and slavery. Nothing.
The worst greenwashing has been happening in_government_recycling programs in 1st world countries lying to the households that their plastic waste that they put in their recycling bins for collections are being recycled but in reality they were shipped to China in the past, and more recently shipped to other 3rd world countries to be incinerated after China banned the importation of plastic waste from 1st world countries. These public officials lie to the public to make them feel good about taking care of the environment.
@@mahivivt Which third world country are you from Mahivi? What you have stated is only blanket info that can be obtained anywhere. I would like to ask you first hand questions. Then I will share my experience in twc.
I'm math teacher and during this week I plan to make project for my students where they would calculate waste produced by fast fashion and how much should garment cost for workers to make living wages.
Bravo svaka čast👏👏👏
wow great ! please let us know !
Amazing!!!! I was in college (my second time around) before I learned to love math. Practical projects like this would have married my love of social sciences and math 20 years earlier. I needed teachers like you.
You’re a legend. Teachers are the front line in educating young people about topics such as green washing . I’m a geography teacher and I refer to this issue often when teaching about sustainability. Many people don’t realize that fashion is the third biggest polluter on the planet . The list is-
1) Fuel industry
2) Agriculture
3) Fashion
Total legend 👊 I wish I had a teacher like you!
It’s so annoying to see green washing. Thank you for calling them out. I have stopped shopping fast fashion and only shop in thrift shops.
I would love to shop in thrift stores but finding plus sizes is nearly impossible.
Same! I actually love thrifting.... the thrill of the hunt
@@stephaniecaza9636 I am size 10-12. I am able to find clothes that fit me in Good will and some local neighborhood thrift shops but I agree the normal girly outfits are very hard to find on thrift shops for bigger sizes.
@@hmfoden me too. I love that my clothes are so unique and one of a kind.
Me too. And if I could find a good seamstress, that would be great. There are a lot of good fabrics one can find in thrift shops.
I am glad that i live in Indonesia so that i never ever in my entire life buy clothes coming from those brands.. The majority of my clothes are hand made by local dressmaker, or i buy it from local brand in my local city shop which i know they made it by themselves or their staff.. Thank you for sharing Justine..
How nice! I love the color of the wrap on your picture
Lucky girl !
Agree! Am from msia and basically most of the material i bought from Jakarta. Good quality and affordable. Some of my garment are stitched in Jakarta as well. Good workmanship 😉
Im from India and same goes for me. I buy the fabric , get it tailored from local tailors. They get their money , I get my well fitted garment.
I wish I had access to a local dressmaker so much. I live in Australia we've totally lost that tradition, instead we're drowning in cheap and unethical chain stores...
IKEA likes to greenwash as well... acting like they aren’t the fast-fashion of housewares and decor.... but at least these companies are taking notice that we are finally conscious of how garments are produced, the impact that the materials they are made with have on our environment etc... as long as we KEEP talking about it and addressing it we may see even more change going forward as the consumer chooses to make more informed and ecologically responsible choices.
I was recently made aware of the vast amount of products IKEA “makes” that actually come from China, a country whose government uses slave labor from people who are tortured and persecuted for following their deeply held cultural and religious beliefs. It was very disheartening. On Amazon it is virtually impossible to find out if a product comes from China. Large companies fo not want to disclose the source of their great profits.
@@thestraightroad305 Products made in China still have such a bad reputation, regardless of the impressive mechanization of the manufacturing industry in China. Simply by slandering the working environment or human rights of the people in the country seems be to a pretty convenient way for many brands to divert global consumers' attention. It is like switching the limelight onto a country that has different ideologies to the west, pick up some footage that the audience can't really verify, then claim "our products do not contain anything produced in this country", so all green-washing secrets will (hopefully) magically be ignored for a while. I really love Justine's suggestions that we should proactively do more research ourselves, and advocate for higher transparency. Knowing the origin of the product is not enough, there are deeper layers of understanding 💪 The whole concept of "fast fashion" is built upon short-term gains and over-consumption. For that I do not think the place of production is the only thing we should be careful about.
@@mool.9084 I agree with you. Justine has made it clear that answers will require a lot of work. I appreciate her exposure, which is also an exposure of my own motives around what I purchase.
@@thestraightroad305 ♥ same here!
@@thestraightroad305 Why would anyone that wants to buy a bit more sustainable buy from amazon? Amazon is like the China of online shops.
The biggest change I’ve made is to opt out. I know who and where my clothes were made because it’s me in my house. My needles and thread are made in Germany and France, my fabric in the US, Italy, or France, etc. I print my patterns out and buy mostly from independent pattern makers. I highly recommend it. My clothes fit me because I make them for me. I don’t have to rely on spandex to be comfortable.
I've started knitting and sewing my own clothes as well as mending them. I use second hand material or seconds quality fabric from in country fabric mills
Amazing! I'm just looking at sewing machines actually. May I ask you for links to the fabric stores I would love to buy there too!
I love that you mention not needing spandex to be comfortable. It's in nearly every garment now, even by brands considered the most sustainable, and even in GOTS certified fabrics....because the certification allows up to a certain percentage of spandex. What most people don't know is how spandex is made and from what raw materials. It's a petroleum based synthetic that doesn't break down. The good news is that there are R&D teams in the fabric industry developing new alternatives, such as using a percentage of recycled spandex (not great, but better than from new raw materials) and from bio oils (which will still create new long-term issues, if we don't curb our collective appetite for over-consumption).
@@sheleia66 One of the reasons I started sewing for myself was to get away from plastic fibers that don’t breathe! There’s a lot of reasons to give man-made fibers the boot for everyday wear even if you’re just thinking about aesthetics in the right now moment.
Liz, this is brilliant! I wish you the best!
Learning about the fashion industry from you, Justine, is like coming out of the abusive relationship and not being able to trust anyone ever again.
Thank you so so much for all the amazing work you're doing on your channel!!
I see what you mean... it's because the topic is complex and unfortunately, "just paying more" and "trusting famous brands" are not necessarily good solutions either. But I have the feeling that all that is slowly improving...
@@justineleconte very slowly.. You Justine are extremely well versed in these matters, so it may automatically feel that everyone knows about that stuff.
I feel that I've been educating myself and making more effort to make better choices, but I'm so far from where I'd like to be. But I guess it all helps.
@@justineleconte I agree! Unfortunately, the word 'sustainable' is becoming a trendy word that every other brand is now using, without the commitment. It's easy to see which brands are a fast fashion brand when they launch a new collection about twice a month. But many other brands are far from being sustainable and use this word as a marketing tool to keep their target customers, the ones that are not willing to research and feel less guilty shopping their brands because of this. My wardrobe is now 70% second hand and I avoid shopping fast fashion brands but that does not mean my entire wardrobe is 100% sustainable. It's a work in progress. What I also avoid is polyester and other synthetic materials.
What a great analogy. You are so correct!
@@justineleconte Welcome to the consumer culture ma'am, where we all are fools and an unconscious proletariats of these popular consumer brands and their bourgeoisie leaders with their capitalist ideas but, in a new colour.😞😞
If you are truly care about these things, it is virtually impossible to shop; not only clothes but cosmetics, cleaning products, food. Everything we consume actually a horrible burden on someone we don't know. As for clothes, -since second hand shopping is very complicated and suboptimal for me here in Turkey, I have decided to buy the most ethical fabric I can find and have a few pieces made for me at a local workshop. There are very few brands in Turkey which are open about their process. Thank you for the video, I am sure it will open someone's eyes and it is important!
Indeed, it can be so complicated. I'm glad you have found a solution.
@@tinmanluver35 Exactly, it's not a problem that can be solved by shopping.
That sounds awesome. Ultimately buying less is the most impactful thing we can do, I think.
There's no ethical consumption under capitalism unfortunately, in mass production and distribution (also of materials) there will always be someone who will abuse others to get more profits, it's a broken system
@@biancacamillagambrioli5830 I couldn't agree more. I understand the value of "doing your best" on a personal level but as a society, we should really rethink the whole system.
you should also talk about big brands like chanel. They are doing the same thing! For example, my mother worked for chanel and other 'sustainable' brands for years in a small factory in Romania. She earned like 200 E per month, working between 10 to 12 hours from monday to friday and 8 hours every saturday. They are all the same!!!
Indeed. Sometimes it seems like people who aren’t able to afford sustainable clothes are guilt-tripped, when even more expensive brands are usually not that much better.
This is so true. Rich people think they can buy their good and clean concious by buying lux brands. But none of the lux brands actually are any better. They are all the same unless they really prove it wrong by very transparent processes and I have seen no brand doing that yet...
@@empputoropainen540 everlane, karen kane, columbia, patagonia, are some brands that are eco conscious
@fg K Agreed about Everlane
Agreed, I think it is easy to always pick on H&M. At least they are doing something to make their chain more transparent. Designer brands do not do this.
It is fascinating. Halfway through this video I got interrupted by Mango add on how "sustainable" they are now and planning to be in the future. They are listening, Justine :)
Hahaha I hope they are 😆
Same, but with H&M!
I got the H&M add promoting the collection Justine just talked about, i also hope they are listening!
One recent YTer was promoting $7 US jeans from Walmart. You know at that price, someone didn’t get paid, and it wasn’t Walmart! Price can be a good starting point, if the price is too good to be true, it’s safe to assume the garment worker was brutally ripped-off.
7€?! How?!! 😤
Omg, it's even dollars...😳
Who is the YTer?
@@isabeldiaz9717 I bet many do this.
90 percent of my closet or more is thrifted. I like it because if something lasted prior use, it's well made. I find new with tag items too
As a professional communicator, I know about the art of saying a lot while saying very little, or even nothing. Thank you for turning this sharp lens on the fashion industry. With all of us being far more environmentally aware, I think brands are finding a way to cash in on that growing consciousness while making little real change. You are fabulous for increasing awareness on what we need to pay more attention to!
This is real public service you are doing, Justine. We have a long way to go in terms of consummer literacy. I hope you don't mind if I show and discuss this video with my teenage students. I think it can raise their awareness to a lot of issues in fashion industry. I just want to add a big 'Thank you'!
Great idea!
I shop predominately in thrift stores. My size fluctuates too often to buy high-quality pieces, so I avoid supporting fast fashion companies by buying secondhand.
Me too!
90% of my clothes are thrifted or ‘personally made’ and are of exceptional quality. Don’t even like to go into stores now after knowing what is available in the secondary market.
Makes sense to me. I do something similar to thrift store shopping: a lot of my clothes are second-hand from an American ap called Poshmark. It helps me to find nice clothes for a cheaper price, and at least this way, I'm not directly supporting fast fashion or unethical business practices.
Me too. 90 percent of my closet. I never go to malls now
Yep, best strategy.
The thing I love about Justine is that she's frank and genuine about what she knows. She's not trying to stir the pot for views or step on brands to bolster her own - she just wants people to know that the fashion industry can be dishonest and she's helping people to be more aware of how. It's really hard to fake sincerity and you can tell by watching her that she cares about not just fashion - but how the people who make the fabric and clothes are treated in the industry.
I wasn't aware of the term 'greenwashing' until I watched this video. I'm so proud of you for calling them out. You are the kind of content creator people should look up to rather than the ones who upload hauls of such brands and promoting careless consumerism. Lots of love from India🙏
Well said, I hope to make friends with you
H&M stir for kids toys
I didn't know about greenwashing very helpful information big wave from Australia
I am from India and I remember seeing ads from H&M like 15 days ago... Thanks to the awareness I have due to this channel that I know what goes in the background. Here in India H&M is trying to be a premium brand of sorts not the same positioning as in the west....
I am from Bangladesh and I have seen the consequences of Rana Plaza accident when it took place. I came to study Urbanism in Belgium and I have not met anyone who has a clue of what is happening to country like Bangladesh. Homesickness is one thing but the fact that my country doesn't even exist in these people's mind was very disheartening. I told myself- we were colonized with guns and swords for so long and now we are colonized in a "sustainable way" and the worst part is NOBODY KNOWS OR CARES! I have always followed your channel because I love your wisdom and authenticity and this is the first time your video made me tearful. Thank you so much for telling the truth Justine!
Thank YOU for sharing your feelings & opinion here. I'm only speaking based on my research, so for me it's important to know that what I understand really reflects your experience there 💛
I'm cutting out my own blouse as I'm watching this and so happy that I can make my own clothes. Sourcing ethical fabric is difficult sometimes but I do my best!
I like Promenade Fine Fabrics in NOLA. Their fabric is produced in countries that pay workers well. They have a website if you're not in the area.
She's one smart cookie. Funny enough I started watching her because I loved her voice and her beauty but have learned much from her about style. I love her!❣️
Your channel is definitely helping people understand more about fashion and of course the dark sides of the fashion industry. Thank you Justine!
Just listened to an ad for h and m conscious collection on a very popular podcast I love. It is infuriating to me as it's so slick and deceptive and not questioned. It lets people off the hook a bit allowing them to carry on buying fast fashion and feel better about It, if you don't look below the surface. Thanks for doing this Justine It makes me cry inside too.
Oh my, just got an H&M ad in the middle of this video claiming they are sustainable. I can't 😂
Love your content Justine 😊
Oh... 😓
Haha, me too! This just underlines your statement, Justine! :D
Oh, nice that H&M is sponsoring this channel! ;)
Years ago, I made an agreement with someone that I would not buy anything from China due to their practices. Except for electronics, I’ve been able to this. Besides saving me loads of money, I’ve decreased my consumerism. I’ve learned to live with less clothes and thanks to you Justine, have shopped very wisely, paying a fair price for well made clothes that will last a lifetime. Sometimes I see something online that is attractive and would fit my needs, but asking where they are made and from what fabrics and where those fabrics are made is sometimes difficult. I make the assumption that if this info is not readily available, then it’s not for me. Thanks for making me aware of these practices.
Thank you so much for sharing this! It is all a facade. They do not really care about sustainability or other people. IKEA is guilty of the same thing.
Ugh, Ikea... Fast fashion of furniture.
The only thing they are care about is MONEY
Recently Innis free, the Korean skin care brand produced a "cardboard" bottle and advertised it as such. But it was essentially a plastic bottle covered in a bottle shaped cardboard. They apologized after being called out.
They must think we are all idiots!
This is a frustrating thing. They had very clear instructions that there was still a plastic bottle inside bc OF COURSE it was! Their instructions was very clear on that you where supposed to open up the paper bottle so you cold correctly dispose of the plastic bottle, that with the new packaging used less then 50% plastic then their old bottles.
However it it definitely was a problem using big letters saying "HELLO IM PAPER BOTTLE". Also it's Innisfree, in one word.
🙄
Oh wow... I don't know that brand. Sounds like they think consumers are idiots 🙄
It just seemed like they 'apologised' for us 'misunderstanding' them because they suggested that they were only talking about their label😔😂
I can't thank Justine enough for being the fashion educator i, personally, have always needed!
These videos bring me so much understanding and definitely help me learn to consume consciously.
Literally got an ad from H&M about their sustainability point system (points for bringing your bag etc) before this...
What... Wow, they're on a another level of wickedness than I assumed.
So they specifically attack with their marketing towards those who are trying to be better.
It's shocking to hear what these fast fashion companies will do for increased profits. I make all my own clothes and noticed that fabric shops now stock more and more organic cottons so it's a step in the right direction.
Well said, I hope to make friends with you
Great topic and video again! I can say honestly you were one of the reasons I realised how unethical and unsustainable the fast fashion industry is. I strictly only shop second hand and have been doing so for 2 years now! I also don't shop as much as I did before and only buy clothes I love so I save money too!
Liked before watching because I wish she'd post more ❤
Sameee
I was not aware of this but thank you for bringing this to my attention. I have for the last few years buying my clothes primarily from 2nd hand shops, especially my jeans. I will definitely be paying more attention to my labels from here on out!
I cry every time i see a video like this. It males me so sad! Thank you for this work of raising awareness, si necessary!! I stopped buying fast fashion since the first video i watch on your channel and been checking labels since then. 🤗
Same as sea food false labels , watch Seaspiracy on Netflix.
Thanks for sharing Justine 🌺🌸🌼🌻
H&M’s conscious only means using less water 💦 so less cotton and more synthetic fabrics .
Since Primark landed on our high st , H&M’s quality dropped and M&S, I frequently get holes in my clothes now and feel sweaty and fabric is cheap with an acrylic sheen fabric .
I’ve never seen primark advertising.
Seaspiracy has one big problem -doesn’t tackle the buyers of illegal/unethical fishing (mostly food industry). Those are the real drivers behind the crisis, but no government dares regulate them. 😐
Thank you so much for making a video on greenwashing! I knew very little about the concept before watching your video and didn't realize all these marketing tactics fast fashion companies use. This is content that a lot more people need to see to know what sort of questions they need to ask before making purchases. Keep up the great work!!!
Your videos are always helpful. Since I watch them, I've tried to change my shopping habitudes and now it's been more than a year that I don't buy fast fashion. I've started to buy just the things I need to local producers. I know it's a long way, but I also think that small changes make the difference. Thanks Justine for the work you're doing, you're really inspiring.
I've seen their "eco" commercials everywhere and somehow it didn't ring true because they're known for being money grubbing fast fashion brands. So glad you looked into this.
I do love shopping for clothes that last forever and I like H&M. I can't afford higher prices in other brands. I find lots of basic clothes in H&M and all the stuff I bought there have served me for at least 3 years. I had a pair of H&M slip on which I bought at about 15$ on sale and I wore them almost every day through all seasons in 3 years until they worn out. It's good to learn from your videos, Justine. However I would like to share my experience and perspective.
It’s true , I buy cheap clothes, and use them a lot, and can wear for more of tree years, and It finish when they are very old, and broken. I have clothes of higher price, and it’s not different. The idea it’s use it not changing because it’s cheap ♥️🙏
I have been aware of greenwashing for about a decade now, and it's always infuriating to continue seeing it, especially on fast fashion brands. I always appreciate your research and the updates year over year on how these brands misbehave to get our money. Thank you!
This is such an important topic that everyone should understand! It is extremely frustrating for all these companies to be greenwashing. I hope more and more industry leaders and influencers like you are calling them out!
I am grew up in the 1970's in the US and was taught how to make my own clothes. Now it is hard to find fabric or patterns for home sewing. Thanks, Justine for the insightful video.
Same, and it’s expensive to sew ironically!
Hi Justine! Once I read that really luxury brands (like LV, Hermès, etc.) they actually burn their items if they don't sell them, because they prefer that than doing a really low sale or donating them (so they can keep the "desire" of wanting them). I don't know if that's true and I don't know how to check that information. Could you talk about that please? Thanks for all your videos! They're always super interesting to watch :D
I love that you share, explain, and stand up for quality and employees- and our world. Magnifique!
I love how structured her content is.
Hi Justine, your channel should be mandatory for all fashion design schools. There's an enormous responsibility that brand names and high end labels are not embracing, and they should be. To teach these lessons early to EVERYONE in the industry, from design inception to sales, IMO, should be mandatory.
I also want to say thank you for remembering the victims of the building collapse. You have a gracious and kind heart. 💖
1:15 you definitely do a great job of informing us about ethical fashion Justine! Before you I knew nothing about it.
Thanks 😁
Thank you for spending time on spreading this message! I love the awareness now focused on fabrication and not just sewing location. The reality is that very few brands actually have transparency into their supply chain (there are SO many hands 🙌 involved) and even for them to find out is quite and undertaking and can be difficult to verify. For Example- When the Rhana Plaza collapse took place, most of the brands didn’t even know they had clothing being made there due to factory outsourcing.
Fabric processing and dyeing can be the most pollutant part of the process. Very few companies provide insight into where exactly their fabrics come from, so you’ll know a good brand when they do! A good thing to look out for are eco-friendly dyeing certifications like BlueSign certified. Thanks for getting the conversation started!
Hi Justine,
Thank you for creating this awareness - on ethical fashion, green washing and how to be mindful about our own attitudes towards these brands. Each one of us can make a small difference. Totally appreciate your courage and efforts into the research done on these topics. Please continue the good work and create more content. Lots of best wishes
Thank you, for calling this out. I'm so grateful I learned to sew well and that I can find quality fabrics in my city. I've found that tailoring quality consignment and thrift items is a fun creative outlet too!
Thank you, Justine, I will check the links over the weekend. You do for fashion workers more than any others. All the sudden, all stores in London -clothes, food and cosmetics- have become eco- and workers friendly. Difficult to believe in this. But I am so happy that you raise the awareness on UA-cam. A lot of other positive things are coming, in some way related to what you do- London Wegeterian Week and UN Ocean Days. I am so happy to take some part in them. One more thing, yesterday, after work, I saw the notice from Royal Mail that the shirt I bought on your website is ready to be picked up. I will do it on Saturday morning. Thank you!!
Thank you Justine for opening our eyes to these issues. I never even realised how bad the situation is.
I had no idea. ☹️ I was aware of the issues but not the deception. Thank you for bringing this to our attention. When we know better, we must do better! ❤️
Hi Justine, thank you for the great work on raising awarene among consumers and using your platform for a good cause, there is never enough resources on markets regulations and deceiving claims used in advertising.
I’ve been getting a lot of H&M adds recently about their sustainable clothing line, and I’ve been beyond annoyed at their posturing. I’m so pleased to see you discussing this topic so comprehensively and bluntly, and I hope more people watch this (and your other videos!) to learn more about fashion and all its intricacies ❤️ keep it up Justine!
Great video Justine! As a fashion designer myself, I've worked for fast fashion brands and this is necessary. Thank you for sharing all this valuable information with the world. It's crucial we, as fashion designers, inform others about this issue. Thank you for your amazing work
Justine, I LOVE your ethics! I THANK YOU for bringing ethics to fashion! Bless you.
Hi Justine, I am so hapy to see someone that knows her business speak up about these practices. I was always quite ''surprised'' ( in a weird way, you know) to see that brands like Primark could suddenly be sustainable/concious. It just didn't seem to fit with my idea of what they stand for. It made me say: oh if they have a sustainable collection, why would I look at other parts of their collection anyway. Because I know it would be the ''bad stuff''.(which it all is of course) I am happy you bring your experstise to the table and reach people to wake up about this.
I sew a lot of my own clothes and love to switch clothes with friends. I also shop at thrift shops. So we are getting a little bit closer to actual sustainability :D
🙌🏼 Justine. Hands up to you for caring about the earth and sharing your information. You accomplish this in a non-judgmental, and kind way. We can all learn from your style. Thank you!
So glad that you’re highlighting this topic. It’s so easy to become complacent and want to feel comfortable. But it’s so important that we consumers need to continue to educate ourselves and to read between the lines! Thank you!
Most of H&M’s “sustainable” garments are made of partly (like 40%) recycled polyester, not for me! I do shop at H&M because I can’t afford higher quality. I thought their textile recycling program as good, but they used the pandemic as an excuse to cancel it, and to extend their delivery times to 6-8 weeks!
Have a look at second hand clothes. (: you’ll find some beautiful pieces at an affordable prices
thrift shops and flea markets are amazing, especially on the wealthy side of town, or you can shop second hand at depop
@@IracebethLovett Yes and no. Some SH stores are just as pricey as first hands stores. It depends on many things of course. I saw a FF dress in a SH shop yesterday, being sold for as much as it would in the brand-store it came from.
It was after scandal that they dump them in African countries so that only 10% are used. Why not send them to poor countries with strong winters like Ukraine at least they would make someone warm and those with holes would be good fuel (provided they are not made out of synthetic fibres).
Thanks for making us aware, Justine. Our poor planet is suffering so much. Its heartbreaking. Not supporting these brands.
Here is what I can tell as a resident of a indian region that has been facing drought for past 5+ yrs because of over production of cotton. Organic cotton takes more water resources to produce than regular! What you need to is reduce consumption of cotton! Neither is sustainable for anybody.
What would you grow instead? Like what crops are suitable for the area and can farmers make a living selling them?
@@tomjones2157 currently the advisory is to go back to traditional farming methods like crop cycles if you have a cotton crop cycle allow the land to breathe and up its fertilization in next sorgum crop cycle. This will also reduce strain on water resources as it is very difficult to supply water all year round for cotton. Neighboring hilly areas get enough rain that can be transported to allow alternative crop cycles. Farmers ended up growing only cotton to meet demands and in hope of earning large sums which never happened. Alternative food crop cycles can help the farmer and locals with food sources too.
I am so glad you talk about the damage fast garment does to the environment! Thank you! We consume so much clothes, I always wondered how does prices were possible and after a little (very little) research crossed out stores like the old Forever 21, H & M and Zara go
I thought h&m were doing so well on their sustainability efforts to ensure all their garments were made in a safe way.I will now take more notice of wording.Thank you for bringing these issues to our attention.
You have educated me so much and raised my awareness of shocking practices in fashion. I do not want any part in exploiting human beings of any age or ethnicity. Thank you for sharing and for all you do!
Finally, the only fashion youtuber that I watch come back with a great content❤️
@@j-n-y thank you❤️
This is why I like your channel! You always educate us and this is valuable
I have started to make my own clothes because I can choose what fabric I want meaning how it's produced
This video is amazing Justine. Another thing that comoanies do is use relative numbers instead of absolutes. For example "we have reduced CO2 emissions by 15%" : 15% of what?! If the baseline number of emissions is massive, then the imoact is still massive after reducing it by 15%. (I work in risk and evidence communication!)
Hmm, influencers also promote the conscious collection. It's also more expensive but the quality doesn't seem too different. So far I haven't bought anything from h&m (other than one tote bag) because I don't think it lasts very long, conscious or not.
They are actually kind of ok in terms of quality. Not great, but if you treat the garment well it's going to last you a few years. Or I'm just very lucky.
I try to avoid them these days and buy second-hand but both second hand shops in my city (yeah we have only two) have a lot of H&M things so I still end up with a lot of those.
I have pants from H&M from 10 years ago and still wearing them. Its really hit or miss with H&M quality-wise
@@alinev5131 Oh wow, that's promising. Since my favourite pair of slacks are from H&M and I don't want to get rid of them (I've had them for around two years now).
@@elenanojkovic2554 that's a good point, I do machine wash quite frequently so I go for more sturdy stuff.. I do think some of their basics are good tho. Their jersey/knits are quite decent.
I just don't like the polyester stuff and the cotton/linen is not good quality at all.. at least the ones I've come across..
About 15 years ago, H&M quality was quite good for its price tag, and I still own various pieces from that time. Both the higher end and lower end clothes. They were one of the first bigger brands here carrying organic cotton. But recently it has become pure garbage of low quality and I have stopped buying there.
Thank you very much! As a researcher, activist and campaigner of improving labour rights in this industry it is really nice to see professionals and insiders of the field explain these topics! You are doing this in a very simple yet comprehensive way! Kudos :).
I'm ecstatic you talked about the vegan leather issue!!!! I had always raged because if it doesn't say it's plastic which is so bad. Love you
This is why it is so important to do research into a brand and pay attention to the materials used in each garment you consider buying. Never take things at face value! Thank you for speaking on this topic!
Can you talk about the Xinjiang cotton issue with a bunch of fashion brands? It exploded recently in China and brands are backtracking so fast it's insane.
Thank you Justine for another informative video. Many of these facts I know in my heart but having the reminder is important as I've been known to get pulled in by the marketing. I am trying harder to focus towards consignment and thrift stores as my budget doesn't allow for me to purchase many responsibly made garments right now. I love to shop! So, this is a weakness of mine. Being able to work on purchasing good quality items that are classic and last a long time. This is something I'm trying to remedy in my closet. Thank you again for your videos and hard work!
I learn so much from you. I used to be a huge fast fashion shopper and bought new clothes every week. After discovering your channel, I check the tags, the fabric, the construction, everything! Lol I'm happier now that I'm buying less and although I'm not perfect, if I have the option, I'll choose to pay more for the better brand. 💚
This video is an eye-opener to the reality of greenwashing. Thank you Justine for all the useful & reliable information and no-nonsense content of all your videos in your YT channel. It actually made me stop buying from fast fashion brands.
Hi Justine, could you please do a video where you are mentioning some brands that are „safe“? I don‘t know who to trust and where to buy my clothes in the future without going bankrupt 😂
Same here
@@indira.creates Thank you!!
Yes pls!
Allbirds seem like one of them
thanks so much for sharing!!! I spent last week (Earth Week and Fashion Revolution Week) spreading awareness through my social medias. Many friends sent me messages saying they did Not know about this! 🙏💪 Educating people is the first step Thank you!!💜
C&A has "100% recyclable "tags on a lot of their T-shirts. Meaning the tag is made out of paper and we are free to recycle it. I emailed them and got nowhere.
Papers smaller than an envelope can't be recycled.
C&A is not green. I worked at one of their factories for 2 weeks. Their conditions are terrible!!!
You can compost them.
Thank you for these videos. You were the first person I came across on YT that was talking about this and I’ve learned a lot from you and changed the way I’ve shopped since. You are 100% making a difference!
I just bought what I like and I want to use everyday. I don't own many clothes in my house either. If the times has come to part ways with some of my garments, I just give them to someone who needs it. Simple...
I still have a 'cheap' T-shirt that I bought in 2004 iirc, and I'm still use it to this day. Some of my trousers are from that year also. Try to spend less on advertising (esp. garments stuff) is also helps
You're one of only two channels I always stay notified for! You read my mind, I was wondering about this topic lately, looking at advertisements and feeling low that so many around me believe these unquestionably...
I would love for you to talk about the brand nu-in because they claim to be really sustainable eventhough they aren‘t
That’s a good idea! I wonder how nu-in can be sustainable with prices that low. But the app Good on you (the one Emma Watson used to promote) says that it is a good brand.. so weird
Thank you so much for this video, Justine! I mostly shop at consignment stores in my city. I hate what some of these stores are doing! Disgusting!!
When you talked about primark I understood : ... jeans for 50€
I thought: wow that’s actually a high price for primark and then you showed the picture and I noticed I understood it wrong and it’s actually 15€
I gasped, and i hate that so much people are tricked by the claim sustainable
I thought the same thing!
Me too!!
My English pronounciation... 😅
@@justineleconte rather the idea that something "eco/organic" etc can be sold at 15€...?!
Wow, really?! It was 15€? Oh good Lord...
Thank you, Justine, for point out this problem so directly.
Thank you Justine, for educating us! It's very much appreciated 💙💙💙
Hi Justine. I just wanted to say thank you for drawing my attention to fast fashion and the issues around it. I'm ashamed to say that I had no idea before watching your videos.
I am now much more aware of where I buy.
Keep up the good work in sharing the knowledge and awareness. 😘
This video deserves to be recommended (or even forced) to everyone in UA-cam. Thank you, Justine - once again! This is a serious issue that needs addressing on a whole new level.
This was very informative. Thank you for telling us which specific terms don't actually have a legal definition (which means these terms don't actually guarantee anything at all). It really helps us learn how to keep ourselves from getting fooled. It's amazing how sneaky they are.
Have a great day, everyone. ❤
I’ve been shopping second-hand for five years now and I’m never going back. 😊
Young people fall for these fallacies that are used in all aspects of our society in print. No one looks, asks, investigates, but rather just take the written headlines at face value. So sad. It’s on college campuses, in business and more. Brainwashing in full force. Thank you for being one the smart ones, Justine, and educating the public! People in the US are still buying yogurt because it’s labeled “gluten free”!
I love your energy in this video and great content! One can tell that it is a topic you feel passionate about!
I want to thank you, truly, for offering this focus on education. It's so important to clearly understand the manipulation of words to manipulate consumers.
Thank you for this!! I wonder if you have info on the fabrics at Joanne's or other shops and how they are made. I sew some of my clothes so your video has made me wonder about that! Thanks again🥰
Thank you for this video. I worked in (Italy) leather accessories for a very long time and can say that big brands have been asking suppliers for all sort of compliance to their "green/social" policies but at the same time require low "asian-like" prices. Therefore any cost is on the manufacturers, if they want to keep on working for them.