Before we jump straight into saving money and the environment (so much easier said than done) I thought we’d best take some time to talk about cost.

If cost is something we are going to be measuring, and trying to get the most out of, then I think it’s important we do so consciously – by knowing the context and the facts around the cost of stuff.

Don’t worry we will get to the eco-nomical options soon! This context is just so important to start with as it will help us see the true value of our investment in the environment, and whether we are able to invest a little or a lot, our investment is valuable.

As I explained in my previous blog there are 2 main reasons environmentally friendly choices may be (remember not all are) more expensive:

1) We don’t fully appreciate the true cost of things and sustainable products do just take more money to produce

2) Some companies take advantage of the eco trend and are charging more because they can get away with it

Today I am going to address reason one as I have already done a blog series on greenwashing which addresses reason two.

The True Cost

I recently watched The True Cost (2015) which is a documentary on the fashion industry. What got to me most about it all was the distance - the disconnection - that exists between the clothing producers and me.

The normal way to buy clothes these days is to go to our favourite clothes shop, try things on and buy them. Preferably on a sale or at a ‘good price’. When I walk into my favourite store I will see clothes, price tags, adverts by that brand, and I will probably (apart from most fashion not catering to different body types and only to on trend styles) have a great experience.

What I won’t see in the store, or on the clothes I buy, is information about who was involved in the production of the clothes, what impact that production had on the environment and how much it cost at each stage. I am expected to trust that the clothing company has done their due diligence, treated their workers well, protected the environment from any harm and invested a good amount of money to ensure this.

Sadly, we know this is not the case. And when I say ‘we know’ what I mean is that the data is available (online and in books), documentaries have been made (along with headlines) to show the many ways in which fast fashion is unethical and unsustainable.

A side note:

Normally I try to keep these two issues separate because although Ethics and the environment are hugely interrelated topics, they are two different issues. The environment may be an ethical issue but not all ethical issues are environmental. As you can see its complicated, which is another reason I try to keep them separate. It is hard enough to navigate environmental issues, in and of themselves, let alone if I were to integrate further ethical ones.

What I normally say to clients is (oh yes, if you have forgotten you can work with me as an eco consultant!) I focus primarily on environmental impact in my work, however companies that care about the environment tend to care about human and animal rights too. They are also pretty good at being transparent about their values and investment.

Companies that are not so great, and by that I mean bad, at operating in a transparent, ethical or sustainable manner are fast fashion companies. Let’s get back to them.

Fast Fashion

As I was saying fast fashion companies are not looking out for their workers or the environment and the way they keep cutting costs to prioritise profits is harming both.

Here is some of what we know – the facts on fast fashion:

• The fashion industry is one of the top 5 largest polluters in the world. The first being the oil industry. (The True Cost, 2015)

• One-in-six people work in the global fashion industry. The majority of these workers are women earning less than $3 per day. (The True Cost, 2015)

• Fewer than 10% of brands publish a policy to pay suppliers within 60 days, meaning that clothes are often worn by consumers before brands have paid the factories that made them. (Fashion Revolution, 2022)

Terrible right?!

And yet fast fashion still exists. It is still a profitable industry. It still dominates the high street. And just to bring it even closer to home and not pretend this is a problem out there with someone else - I still buy fast fashion from time to time. Yup, I’m not proud of it but it’s the truth.

Why?

Because of the distance we have developed in western society from the rest of the world. The disconnect we live in, between us and others. We live disconnected from other people, animals, and the natural world.

And because it is convenient. Convenient for me.

Is that what I want? Convenience? And if so at what cost? It is definitely not convenient for garment workers in Bangladesh for example or their waterways polluted by the fashion industry.

What can I really afford?

As part of this series on how to save money and the environment it’s important we take time to consider the cost. Not to ourselves or our convenience. But the cost others are paying, the cost the environment is paying because of our demand for cheap convenience. 

‘The United Kingdom is particularly well represented in the upper echelons of global wealth, with 65 per cent of the population in the richest 10 percent of people globally and a whopping 93 per cent of the population in the top 20 per cent.’ (Lily Cole, 2021)

We my not consider ourselves rich but in the grand scheme of things a lot of us are and we must use, not abuse, our privilege. Next time you pick up an item of clothing or a product and think, ‘wow, this is expensive’ or ‘I don’t want to pay this much’ here are some questions you can ask:

Is this company really trying to rip me off by marketing this product as eco-friendly?

The answer might be yes, in which case, put it back down and make a note not to buy from that brand. 

Mmmm let’s SEE?

Use this tool to do some fact finding on the materials, sourcing, end of life considerations and environmental impact of the item.

Is it worth the cost?

Consider all the individual costs that went into making the item. When you take into account the potential cost of materials, labour, packaging and transportation etc. does it still seem expensive?

We are going to have to retrain ourselves to learn the true value of things - not just what it costs us to buy something - but what it cost others and the planet in the process. That way we will be able to invest wisely, for ourselves, our budgets, and more importantly for the benefit of the rest of the world.