Fast fashion is costing us more than we think.

Human rights exploitation, huge environmental impacts and rampant animal testing are undeniably linked to the industry.

Big fashion labels are practically getting away with murder whilst benefiting economically from huge profits.

This is nothing new. Anyone with any interest in living an ethical, mindful life would already be aware of, and probably have dug a little deeper, to find out more about these issues.

For the ethically minded human, there is more and more transparency in many industries that is (mostly) readily available on the internet. The food industry, for example, continues to be held in the spotlight as more and more people demand to know where and how their food has been produced.

The fashion industry however continues to be less forthcoming.

I love clothes. I love selecting an outfit that complements my mood and reflects my personality for that day. I also love a good deal. There is something really satisfying about coming away from a sale with a solid bargain don’t you think?

Yet for me, there is something less than satisfying in the discovery that the bargain I just landed was manufactured in a factory with horrific conditions that not only endanger workers’ lives but flood our planet with poisonous chemicals.

Being able to mindfully purchase clothes without compromising my values is something I have chewed on how to navigate for some time now.

Enter Good on You.

The app that allows you to check your favourite retailer’s overall footprint—socially, environmentally and their attention of animal welfare.

Designed by a small group of Australians “who are passionate about making it easier for consumers to act on their values” it presently allows you to see the rating of over 3000 retailers and discover how ethically minded their business decisions are. It also boasts a blog that discusses important topics and allows the app user to send suggestions, questions or feedback to their favourite retailers thanking them for the efforts or urging them to do more.

While it’s unfortunately only available to the Australian market at the moment, they will be launching worldwide in the (hopefully) not too distant future. If you’d like to know more, head over to their website and check it out—they’re totally transparent about their rating system and what they’re hoping to achieve.

For those of you outside of Australia who would like to know more about the underbelly of the fashion industry, take an hour to watch The True Cost. A documentary that unpicks the rotting threads of the fast fashion industry so graphically, I guarantee you’re likely to turn away from it voluntarily for life.

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Relephant: 

6 Things You Didn’t Know About Fast Fashion.

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Author: Sarah Kolkka

Images: Good on You screenshot & Kenji Mori/Flickr