Hey There,
Welcome to September and our third iteration of our newsletter! By now you should know how this goes, but if you forgot here it is. We created this newsletter to curate some of our favorite products, places, and just things to do.
This week, in honor of Fall season almost being upon us (we’re looking at you pumpkin spice), you can expect an in-depth look at how clogs are making a comeback, the weirdness of Boohoo’s new “eco-friendly” wardrobe, and the deets behind the totebag crises.
Hopefully this will be a better companion than that sweater shopping you’ve been doing– because it’s still hot no matter how much we wish it weren’t. See you here, every Wednesday.
-Jaclyn + Michelle, Founders
The Latest: Newest Brands to Join Our Crew
Hilos: Ever wanted to wear heels that felt like sneakers? Hilos prioritizes comfort, the environment, and beauty with their clogs. Yes, you read that right: clogs. Hilo wants to innovate slow-fashion. Using 3D printing technology, each shoe blends modern digital design with the timeless techniques of local craftsmen.
Busy Doing What?: Our Founders Keeping it Real
Jaclyn’s Busy…
- Learning about the tote bag crisis– and yes I have too many.
- Reading about people’s obsession with the exercise dress, and wondering if I need one??????✨
- Marveling at the fact that Studio Gang transformed (recycled) a power plant into a student center in Wisconsin ????
- Working on my Fall wardrobe and wondering if I should prioritize white sneaks or boots, decisions…
Michelle’s Busy…
- Experimenting with CBD on my brother’s pup– send help!????????
- Trying to read AT LEAST 1 book this summer (yes, by cramming it into the final two weeks): “Untamed” by Glendon Doyle.
- Obsessing over fall trends: hello to Alohas’ shoes & a secondhand bag from Rebag ????
Diving Deep: Something you didn’t know about The Hypocrisy of Fast Fashion Greenwashing.
You may be familiar with fast fashion retail brand Boohoo. They are notoriously known for dressing anyone who wants a cheap, easy, trendy look. More often than not, Boohoo rapidly changes their products as the market changes. For example, now that Bella Hadid made low-rise jeans a trend again, we can expect to see an array of those amongst all the cute colorful crop tops and slips. So, it shouldn’t be a surprise that Boohoo has decided to unveil an “eco-friendly” capsule.
In a recent instagram highlight (to preface their soon-to-be-launched capsule), Boohoo tried to play the ethically conscious card by giving their consumers tips and tricks for (aka guilting them into) a more sustainable lifestyle: setting an alarm on shower time, air drying clothes, walking their commutes, and buying reusable coffee cups. Basically the same old face-value sustainability that marketers have been feeding consumers since they asked us to turn the water off when we brush our teeth.
So, when Boohoo did launch their eco-line “Ready for the Future,” which boasted about their use of 20% sustainable materials and their dedication to outfit repeating and multi-purpose pieces, people raised some brows. Was this in-line with Boohoo’s values? Was it actually sustainable? For starters it’s contradictory to ask people to outfit-repeat by buying new clothes so that they can “save the planet.” Secondly, this Boohoo collection is heavily trend-based and features clothing that probably can’t even be worn in a month’s time due to the weather shift, let alone in a year’s time. Oh and that “sustainable material”? It’s just recycled polyester (aka plastic).
Meanwhile “Ready for the Future” is only a small percentage of Boohoo’s total products (which are heavily soaked in fast fashion ideals and poor-quality materials). The eco-line features about 466 products, compared to the 500-plus “New In” pieces alone. An article done by Vice had tracked Boohoo’s weekly product uploading rate and found that they averagely upload 116 new products daily. So, do 466 “eco-friendly” products really make a difference?
Outside of this collection, it is Boohoo itself that is actually problematic. The brand lacks ethics, to put it simply. They risked their employees’ lives during Covid (not allowing for proper precautions to be taken). They also severely underpay their employees. In the UK, the living wage is £8.91 an hour. The UK Boohoo employee makes about £3 per hour, and the garment workers about £1 per hour.
So, let’s do better. Choose slow fashion that is ACTUALLY environmentally conscious.
See ya next week, same time same place.
