How the Slow Fashion Movement is sewing the seeds for change.
Guest article by Meg Baresic

I might be alone in feeling this way, but I often loathe shopping for clothes. I love quirky and unique bits of clothing, and I love finding something that feels just like ‘me’. But I’m often overwhelmed by the volume of choice and the idea that I must be on trend. Thanks to a collaboration with The Nest, I’ve stumbled upon multi-purpose fashion retail spaces Practice Studio and Chev Lane, a salve in the world of slow fashion.     

Slow fashion is a movement that advocates for both environmental and social justice within the fashion industry. It’s a movement that focuses on designing, producing, and consuming sustainable and ethical pieces of clothing, and it’s a movement that’s here to stay. In 2021, Australia’s Minister for the Environment and Water, Tanya Plibersek, put clothing textiles on the priority list for product stewardship. Organisations within the industry are now required to take action to reduce the volume of clothing sent to landfill.

The role of The Nest Haberdashery

The Nest’s social enterprise, The Nest Haberdashery, is playing an increasingly important role in this fight to tackle textile waste. But with a rapid increase in donations they recognise that more needs to be done to engage the broader community with the issue. CEO Roz Holt says “While we are making an impact, we can’t win this war on our own. We need to engage more people and educate them about the sustainable use of materials. Collaborations with independent fashion retailers like Chev Lane and Practice Studio will help us reach the right audience and pave a path toward a more sustainable future.”

Collaborating with Brisbane’s Chev Lane

Founded and run by Charlene, Chev Lane is a Brisbane-based online retailer that focuses on ‘celebrating slow, conscious fashion and art pieces’. With a background in fashion, marketing and creative direction, Charlene established the gallery and event space to promote slow fashion and drive creativity. 

“If I was going to enter the fashion industry in any way, I wanted it to have meaning,” she told me. Sharing her thoughts on the slow fashion movement, Charlene said, “There is so much meaning in fashion, and fashion is deeply embedded into our political views. People within fashion are now trying to communicate conceptual ideas about different social issues which is really promising.”

In December, Charlene hosted a social sewing event, whereby long-time creatives and newbies alike were able to engage in the process of fashion-making, and receive advice from several designers. To support the event, The Nest loaned preloved sewing machines, allowing attendees to try sewing themselves. The workshop was a huge success, with Charlene telling me that she’s had “a lot of follow-up interest”. The success of collaborations such as these speaks to the desire we harbour for creativity, personal expression, and meaningful social change. 

Celebrating unfinished craft projects with Practice Studio

Kat Walsh’s Practice Studio is an incredible designer studio and retail store based in South Brisbane. Her aim is to ‘help people reconnect with the value of thoughtfully-made garments by offering an insight into the design process’. When I visited Practice Studio on a stormy day in December, the space offered a welcome relief from the wet and bustling cityscape outside. A beautiful, creative and inspiring haven nestled between city storefronts, home to an endless array of sustainable clothing and unique jewellery collections.  

Last year, part of Kat’s studio was temporarily transformed into a space dedicated purely to the completion of unfinished craft projects. The Nest supplied several UFOs (as they’re affectionately called) to help inspire visitors to pick up where someone else left off, with the collaboration tapping into a sense of nostalgia and the unrealised potential of unfinished craft projects.

Speaking to Kat on the day of my visit, she told me that The Nest provided her with “beautiful, rare pieces that can be repurposed”. Kat also shared with me that many of the designers who showcase their work at Practice Studio are frequently using materials from The Nest. “All of the designers and artists are doing what they do because they love it, they’re passionate about it,” she said. 

How to shop more sustainably

Chatting to Kat and walking through Practice Studio was an enlightening and inspiring experience. Designers’ personalities (and passion!) were undoubtedly present throughout their designs. Talking to Charlene further cemented how important it is that organisations and designers alike continue to advocate for, and learn to embrace, the emerging world of slow fashion. 

In Brisbane, a new cohort of young designers, creatives and shoppers alike are looking to embrace the slow fashion movement and learn more about the industry. Practice Studio, Chev Lane, and The Nest provide a safe and welcoming learning hub for people to do so. As the old adage goes, ‘we can’t be what we can’t see’. To truly facilitate meaningful social change, sustainable shoppers and emerging designers must be afforded spaces that continue to foster a love for slow fashion.

As someone who had not visited Practice Studio or Chev Lane before, I left both studios feeling motivated to learn more about the industry and how I can better support their missions.

 If, like me, you’re wondering how you can shop more sustainably, Charlene has some helpful tips. “Start by thinking about your relationship with yourself, your fashion and your identity. Fashion has always been a way for us to express who we are,” she told me. From there, we can attempt to be more mindful when considering where our clothes are coming from. “Seek out designers, makers, and shops that prioritise sustainability and transparency. Find like-minded people both in-person and online who adhere to your values and ethos.”

I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling more inspired than ever to source some sustainable fashion pieces!

 

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