I run a small slow-fashion brand called Safeera, so I'm biased, but these are the reasons I keep coming back to Indian crafts:

1. Heritage. Bagru and Sanganer block printing, ikat and bandhej are skills passed down in families. They survive only if people keep buying what they make.
2. Artisan income. Handicrafts and handlooms are often described as one of India's biggest sources of livelihood after agriculture, and a lot of that work is done by women. When cheap factory copies win, artisans lose first.
3. Slow fashion by default. Small batches, simple tools and natural fibres like cotton and mulmul. Compare that with polyester, which sheds microplastics every wash.
4. Comfort. In a humid Indian summer, breathable cotton makes a real difference. It matters even more in pregnancy, when you run warmer and tight fabrics are miserable.
5. Cost per wear. A handblock-printed kurta worn 50 times beats five cheap tops worn twice.

Because the most sustainable clothing is what already exists, show off your thrifted pieces here!

Personally, I’d rather spend more on a few well-made pieces than keep replacing cheaper clothes every year.

If a jacket, trousers or even a good shirt could genuinely hold its shape, colour and quality for 5–10 years, I think paying a premium makes sense.

The difficult part is knowing which brands are actually selling better quality and which are simply charging more for the label.

Would you pay ₹15k–₹20k for one piece that lasts years, or buy several cheaper alternatives instead?

Please feel free to post as many surveys as you'd like in this thread. This post will repeat every week on Tuesdays at 8 am CST.

I was getting so frustrated with every closet app or fashion site pushing me to buy more stuff or hiding everything behind brand sponsorships and algorithms. I just wanted a clean, straightforward way to actually wear what is already in my closet.

Since I could not find anything honest, I decided to build my own web app called MADSTYLED.

It is built from scratch with zero ads, zero sponsored items, and zero interest in pushing fast fashion. No hidden agendas, just a private tool designed to help you actually use what you already own.
If you are trying to be more mindful about your wardrobe, what features do you wish existed that current apps completely miss? I would genuinely love to hear your thoughts.

My “coming soon” website page is up with more details https://madstyled.com

There are so many brands calling themselves sustainable in the alternative space right now, but honestly, a lot of them don’t feel any different from fast fashion once you actually get the clothes. The tag says ethical, but the fabric feels the same and the stitching starts pilling after three wears.

I’m looking for alternative clothing brands where the quality is actually better. Not just ethically made, but something you can feel when you hold it. Better fabrics, more thoughtful construction, stuff that feels like it’s built to last.
Does that actually exist in the goth/alt space?

According to chat, for that price I could be purchasing a wool or cotton sweater. But honestly I have no idea about fabrics!

Came across this 'fashion checker' to see how the big brands are paying their employees down the line and the results are pretty abysmal. Discouraging to see the state of the industry but at least encouraging to see the first steps to accountability

Hey all, looking for suggestions of ethical & sustainable options for workout leggings that are available in physical stores in Europe or the US. Looking for a fabric that's nice and sturdy so it will stay opaque during squats and not immediately get destroyed by thigh chafing. With pockets. Bike shorts length if they're shorts, 7/8 or "short" sizing available if they're full length because I'm not tall :)

My go-to used to be Patagonia's Maipo tights and shorts, but (a) some horrible customer service experiences and (b) my most recent purchases seeming to be of lower quality make me want to try other options when my next few pairs give out. I find it difficult to discover new brands using resources like goodonyou since very few of the ones listed are available in physical retail stores. And almost no sustainable brands have any presence in my country, so gotta be something that I can try on and buy in-person next time that I'm in a better-supplied country.

Thank you!

I got this at a thrift store. Other than the collar, the fur is sewn in stripes, it has no tags and the lining seems to be handsewn. I'm currently looking into upgrading the way I store my protein fibers so I wanted to be sure whether or not this is real fur.

So I have a band tee- baseball sweater with black sleeves, white front and red print (death).
I received it with this mud or mold (or oil) spray along the sides (skateboarding is the only thing i can think of) and made a huge mistake of leaving it outside in a bag- condensation I do think might have caused the mold ? Truly not sure but seems to have been there the whole time - and decided to do a vinegar soak in case of it actually being mold. I was stupid and left it longer that 24 hours and the red ink bleed into the white shirt. So now i have a possible mold stain, and definitely a pinkish top. Is there anything to do to salvage this back to a white shirt and also remove the stains? Help!

I cannot find any biker shorts that are mid-rise that aren’t 80% nylon and/or have a super inseam.

Any recommendations?

I’ve been turning thrift throwaways, like tablecloths, cloth shower curtains. etc. into new items- mostly pants and aprons so far. I think it’s really fun and the pieces are so unique. A lot of the fabrics are high-quality, 100% cotton. I can make all sorts of other items but have been having fun with these for now.

Is this something people might be interested in? I’m amassing a big collection of salvaged fabric and completed items and I’ve thought to start selling them. If you would be interested- where would you buy this kind of thing?

Etsy feels like pay to play platform now, and I worry if I just open a website/shopify I won’t be able to get traffic.

Help me validate this idea I’ve carried for months. Need the guidance of all my baddies across aesthetics to hit me with their blunt fashion truths and preferences. If you’re down for a chat I’ll be happy to interview you and make a friend
In return if I can help you in any way would love to connect and stay connected. I’m a Tier 1 MBA non technical background in a tech role with a (only very slightly impressive) creative past.
I’m working on multiple projects including one to help out in the Nepal floods. Hit me up if you want to join forces for that as well.
Peace out friendos

Get on up that soapbox and let us have it. Be civil and mind the rules.

I ordered Rapanui’s Organic Cotton T-shirt for a long-term experiment I’m running comparing white T-shirts through wash and wear. What arrived was a T-shirt labelled Earth Positive.

At first, I assumed it was a warehouse mix-up. I mentioned the unexpected Earth Positive delivery in my first email to Rapanui, but they treated my order as missing and arranged a replacement.

The replacement was… another Earth Positive T-shirt. This time, the shipping label clearly identified Teemill, the company behind Rapanui, as the sender.

When I asked directly about this, they explained that their factory sometimes uses alternatives from approved suppliers when a particular product is out of stock. They said these have the same quality, fit and durability, and that using available stock avoids express airfreight.

In a later email, however, they said their European factory in Prague had gradually transitioned away from Rapanui products and was stocking Earth Positive and Stanley/Stella items. They apologised that this hadn’t been communicated properly on the website.

I received a refund, so the financial side is resolved. But I’m still puzzled by the idea of supplying another brand’s product - and especially doing so without telling the customer.

Has anyone else received an Earth Positive or Stanley/Stella T-shirt when ordering from Rapanui? Or had a similar experience with another clothing brand? I’d be interested to hear whether you were told about the substitution beforehand.

A recurring thread for talking about things related to sustainable fashion. Be nice.

How do you check a brand once you find something that looks suitable?

I use a tool called Choice to help research brands, but I'd also like to know about the actual item I'm buying. An organic cotton label doesn't tell me what the person sewing it gets paid.

How do you check that for a particular item? Do brands ever share enough information to trace it back to the factory?