11 Aug Gladstone’s Emerging Slow Fashion Scene
Businesses around Gladstone are leading the way for the Region’s approach to shopping sustainably.
In the middle of June, the team at the lovely gallery and specialty coffee house ‘The Blue Mirror’ organised a stylish and thrifty evening of pop-up stalls, showcasing vintage pieces and wardrobe collections dating back forty years. Helen Holden, The Blue Mirror’s owner said that this was largely inspired by their family tradition of repurposing.
“Our family has always believed in shopping in a thrifty manner. This has been passed down from our grandmas who loved to sew and remake items when it was time to repurpose, revamp or renovate a piece,” said Helen.
The Blue Mirror’s philosophy is sustainable communities, with bespoke art pieces that are affordable and enduring. Not only does this encourage the production of original pieces to decorate your home, but can also pertain directly to the clothes that you put on your body.
“What we choose to wear, with our clothing, is a form of art or more broadly body decoration. Being able to share special items of clothing and pass them on for others to enjoy is important.”
Helen said that learning to appreciate quality is crucial when it comes to style. Not only does this mean the physical quality of the garments, but also the production of these items. Are ethical standards being met where your clothes are made? How about fair pay and working conditions? What sort of material is being used, and is it sustainable?
“Fast fashion has come to mean disposable fashion. However, if we are looking for brands in thrift shops or pop-up shops that support the idea of quality of workmanship, then we can feel like we are contributing positively to our ethical footprint.”
The Blue Mirror will continue to host pop-up stores on the last Friday of every month, and all are welcome to attend whether they have the intention of purchasing clothes, or simply to have a look at people’s collections. The next event will run on August 26, from 4-6pm.
The ‘Gladstone Amateur Boxing Club’ is another local brand that is considering their ethical footprints. The Club will be launching their new pre-loved clothing market called ‘New to You’ towards the end of September. The event’s organiser, Jacki Daly, said that the market was founded as a platform for members of the community to sell their pre-loved clothes.
“The landfill and waste that is being generated by fast fashion is tremendously concerning. We want to take action by creating an environment that will allow people to buy clothing without contributing to the growing major climate change problem we face today. With the increasing cost of living, it will also help to put money back into the pockets of local families,” said Jacki.
The ‘New to You’ market is offering stalls to people who are wanting to sell some of their pre-loved clothes. Stalls are $35, and can be arranged by contacting New to You on Facebook. The event will run from 8am until 12pm on September 24.
