If you came here expecting to find the answer, it might be best to Google something else because I don’t know exactly. Every day I search for answers. Sometimes I get them, sometimes I don’t.
Like any industry, fashion and apparel is its own universe. It has a language all its own and a lot of people who have years of experience. Sometimes they share, sometimes they don’t.
Last week, I attended the MAGIC show in Las Vegas. It’s not for aspiring magicians but it is aptly named. This is a semi-annual event that is the largest fashion marketplace in the country.
It’s so big it needs two different convention centers to house everything. There are textile manufacturers from every country in the world that makes apparel. There are brands showing new lines. There are equipment makers, fabric weavers, seminars and experts. Every trend on the horizon is represented here.
Imagine the largest department store, the largest fabric store, the largest shoe store and then make it ten times bigger than what you are thinking. That is MAGIC. It is both inspiring and eye opening.
Amidst all of the chaos, tucked away off to the side of one of the pavilions was a non-descript “booth” wrapped in black curtain. Out front was a sign called “X Ray Fashion,” promoting an amazing virtual reality film. It’s a sensory experience that puts you in a front row seat for how fast fashion garments are made and the impact they have on the environment and the people who make them. If you can find a way to see it, do so.
Here are some of their recommendations for how consumers can be smarter about the clothes they buy:
- Look at the tags on your clothes
- What are the garments made of
- Note sustainable companies trying to make a difference
- Call out manufacturers with bad practices
- Stop buying clothes from unsustainable sources
- Above all, wear clothes as long as you can
We are on a mission to make beautiful things from sustainable materials. We manufacture in the US. And we make really high-quality items. All choices that make the whole effort harder. Films like X Ray Fashion are a good reminder why.