WHERE TO SHOP

When it comes to clothes shopping, it's important to consider the social and environmental impact of the clothes we buy. The fashion industry is notorious for its negative impact on the environment and the people who work in it. However, there are steps we can take to shop more ethically and sustainably, whether we're shopping on the high street, online, or in vintage or charity shops. For the purpose of this article, we will refer to these options for shopping locations as “Shopping Spaces”.

Before you shop, it’s important to consider the many factors depending on the place you are considering to shop from. Here is some key information to think about before you decide to shop:

1. Research the brands you can find at that shopping space

2. Consider the materials they use

3. How will you obtain these clothes? Will they be shipped to you?

4. Do these brands have a bad history or reputation?

5. Are the brands in this shopping space apart of a local or global community?

By reading this guide you should have a greater ability to consider and answer these questions. It should be noted that your location is a great factor that impacts our accessibility to these shopping spaces. For example, growing up in rural Mid Wales resulted in having very little access to large shopping spaces. Because of lack of options, me along with many other people my age opted for shopping online as it was the most accessible way of buying clothes that appealed to our interests in style. However now that i live in Brighton, i now have a much larger range of shopping spaces including high streets, online as well as local shops, because of this I now opt for shopping locally. So when shopping, don’t be discouraged when shopping online because your options are limited due to rurality.