A Guide to Our Favourite Online Slow Fashion Resources

At Paper Scissors Cloth we are passionate about fashion and making clothing but we are also cognisant that the fashion industry is in crisis. Depletion of natural resources, colossal amounts of pollution, waste and human and animal suffering; it is easy to fall into despair but we believe there is hope and that it lies within the slow fashion movement. 

If you are curious about the slow fashion movement and would like to learn more there are lots of great resources on the internet but it can be a bit overwhelming.

To help you on your journey we have compiled a short list of some of our favourite resources which we have found to be accessible, reliable and balanced. This is by no means an exhaustive list, but these are the resources we reach for most often. Whether you want to gently dip your toes in or do a bomb into the deep end you should find what you are looking for here.

 Image courtesy of Fashion Revolution

Fashion Revolution 

Co-founded by Orsola de Castro and Carry Somers, Fashion Revolution is a great source of information regarding the issues surrounding the fashion industry and a great way to keep up to date about what is happening in both the fast fashion industry and the slow fashion movement.

We highly recommend following their instagram account @fash_rev. They also have location specific accounts (@fash_rev_newzealand and @fash_rev_australia) which contain more locally relevant information.

Conscious Fashion Collective 

A digital platform and community dedicated to supporting the movement towards a socially and ecologically responsible fashion industry. They have a great instagram account @consciousfashion with a focus on information specific to the slow fashion movement and how to engage with it. On their website they have a global job board which is a great resource for anyone looking for sustainable job opportunities, an excellent directory of slow fashion small businesses and professionals, and a global events calendar for finding sustainable fashion events.

Good On You

An instagram account (@goodonyou_app), website and app which looks at fashion brands and analyses their social and environmental impact as well as providing lots of information about what an ethical business should look like, how to spot greenwashing and information regarding different fibres. It’s a great place to go to check out a fashion brands eco-credentials before you purchase one of their products.

Check Your Thread

A podcast created by Zoe Edwards (creator of #memademay) where she explores her journey to become a more sustainable maker. It is aimed at home sewers (and knitters) and full of really useful and practical information and presented in a very humble and relatable manner.

The Wardrobe Crisis

A podcast hosted by fashion journalist Clare Press addressing big issues in fashion in a positive, encouraging and approachable way. She interviews designers, academics, creatives, change-makers and more about fashion, ethics, social justice and environmental sustainability. It's a great listen and full of interesting and thought provoking information. She has also written a few books and is an international speaker on these issues.

The Sustainable Fashion Forum

Their instagram account @thesustainablefashionforum provides lots of really interesting information, articles and discussion points regarding sustainability and fashion. This is a a great one for making you think outside the box and challenging some of our ingrained views and ideas regarding fashion and sustainability.

Mindful Fashion NZ

A local initiative with the aim of uniting the clothing and textile industry to improve sustainability standards. They showcase local brands, provide information and events and support a stronger NZ fashion and textile industry through advocacy, sustainable business resources and collaboration. Paper Scissors Cloth is a member of this initiative and we are excited to support their mission. Their instagram account @mindfulfashionnz is definitely worth keeping an eye on! 

Industry Experts

If you really want to start nerding out The Sustainable Fashion Collective and Common Objective compile industry-led information and discussions regarding various topics in the fashion industry. They are predominately geared towards supporting other businesses to become more sustainable but they still provide a lot of really useful, reliable information that anyone can benefit from. They provide a pretty good amount of free information and if you want even more access to industry experts there are paid subscriptions.

‘Slow fashion is not a trend but the future’  Anotonia Böhlke (founder Mochni.com)

Have a favourite slow fashion or sustainable making resource? We would love to hear it so feel free to pop it in the comments below.