Sustainable fashion brand, COW Vintage recently opened a new store in Nottingham, Hockley.
With two prior stores within Nottingham City Centre, the store promotes the sustainable fashion agenda steadfastly making its way into the fashion world.
I visited the store on the grand opening day and was amazed at the selection of vintage fashion products for a vast array of fashion styles, appealing to their young target market.
While the store sold a vast array of womenswear, menswear, and accessories, what is the consensus of sustainable fashion within the UK’s population, and, even more so, across the world?
The store, recently opened on 11th May, sells high-quality branded products seeking a new home, combining vintage and second-hand clothing.
However, sustainable fashion has a long way to go before individuals’ attitudes accept sustainable fashion and thrift shops as a strong option for a high-quality yet affordable clothing balance.
As the UK, and Ireland are the top two countries whose ahead of the sustainable fashion trend, with other Western countries such as Canada, Netherlands, and Denmark.
Therefore, research suggests Western attitudes positively perceive sustainable fashion.
However, while the UK may be the leader of sustainable fashion, its population’s recycling and reusability performance ranks poorly, intensifying attitudes may not translate into behaviour.
The attitude-behaviour gap can explain why while individuals generally have good intentions, but people tend to repeat behaviour due to ease than change their harmful behaviours.
As Generation Z’s desire to create their own individualistic fashion style, it’s out with following fashion trends, and in with carving their own fashion.
It’s also no surprise that the surge of social media, people catch FOMO when friends or influencers purchase amazing fashion finds and wear their recent thrift find as a trophy.
While social media has its faults, though few and far between, it can have its benefits on triggering a sustainable fashion movement.
Amy Yang, a current NTU Postgraduate Fashion and Textiles student said: “Fashion is one of the industries that causes the most damage to the environment, and as a consumer, it’s important to think before you make a purchase. Therefore, supporting sustainable fashion makes individuals think about their consumption habits.”
Conclusively, as the Spring weather brings associations of positivity and renewal, now is the time to cleanse your wardrobe by donating clothes not needed anymore.
With the influx of sustainable fashion stores across Nottingham, and clothing donations bins, time to thoroughly begin your spring cleaning.