Despite the lure of Black Friday campaigns, an estimated 58 per cent of British shoppers will disregard the season’s bargains, a new survey has revealed.
Goldsmiths University of London Warden, Prof Frances Corner (Photo credit: Goldsmiths University website)
Standing with these changing attitudes is Warden of Goldsmiths University of London, Professor Frances Corner. In a quote for Raven News, she points out that “fashion retailers are producing more collections than ever before, often sold at discount prices. This encourages consumers to keep buying and to see clothes as disposable.”
In a Gumtree report, Head of Marketing, Hannah Wilson revealed: “A whopping £855 million was wasted on Black Friday purchases last year that Brits either don’t use or even remember buying.” She suggests that shoppers approach the season by“either selling or giving away an item they no longer use or need”.
Image by Arek Socha from Pixabay
At an evaluation of £5.6 billion, this year’s Black Friday has noted a plunge in consumer spending, comparison site Finder observed. The four-day shopping weekend that comprises Cyber Monday will also see just 42 per cent of participating adult British shoppers this year, compared to the 62 per cent last year.
Ethical choices
The year 2019 is proving to be a year of anti fast-fashion. An emerging segment of conscious fashion and green retailers in London are encouraging consumers to opt out of Black Friday and Cyber Monday through a range of sustainability-driven events and workshops.
Not only do they reduce excessive spending, these initiatives offer new life to old clothes. Prof Frances upholds that they are a “great way to help consumers extend the life-cycle of their clothes and keep them from languishing in wardrobes or ending up in landfill.”
In Bloomsbury, a trailblazing sustainable couture fashion studio, Atelier Tammam, is going against unethical consumerism with the event, Let it Slow, ongoing till November 30.
Founder Lucy Tammam explains that the multi-label independent pop up is a platform for sustainable designers. “Let it Slow asks people to shop consciously on Black Friday, if you have to buy something to make it a good quality product by an independent brand who work to high standards and pay people fairly.”
One of Tammam’s rules of thumb is to “ensure what you buy is something you love and will last”. Let it Slow not only offers fair prices for consumers, it also ensures that all involved in the production and sale are paid properly.
Agents of change
Julie Marie Chaussende, Olivia Lara Weber, Anna Schuster (Photo credit: JOA Local)
Personalisation is the forefront of JOA, a circular, zero-waste brand founded by a trio, Julie Marie Chaussende, Olivia Lara Weber, Anna Schuster. For Black Friday, the women are hosting Make-your-own sentimental JOA Jackets and on November 30, partnering with clothing charity TRAID and their Leyton edition of the Repair Café to offer patching services. Drop-ins can embroider, sew on their garment, and extend its life and uniqueness.
“Having people to mend their own garments is also a great way to implicate them in the making, and getting the merit of having done it themselves,” JOA co-founder Chaussende tells Raven News. “Outside of Black Friday, we also make workshops where people can learn how to make a jacket out of clothes they don’t wear anymore.”
Although against Black Friday, JOA doesn’t condone shopping at this time of the year, as long as done right. The brand will be showcasing at Lone Design Club‘s Anti-Black Friday pop-up store that ends December 1.
At the end of the day, though, JOA believes that fashion should be sustainable all year-round. As Chaussende emphasises: “the Fashion industry is one of the most polluting ones in the world, destroying people and planet.”
Expressing support for sustainably sourced fashion, Prof Frances weighs in that “Black Friday is the perfect time to stop and think about the way we shop, and in particular to consider our relationship with our clothes.”