I know this is off-topic, but lately I have been thinking about how bad the makeup industry is both for the environment, but also ethicaly. I was really inspired by your fast fashion and candy industry videos, so it would be very exciting if you could make a video about the makeup industry! I really enjoy your channel - you have inspired me to make a difference! 🌍🌿 Edit: thank you for the support on this comment!
Thank you so much!!! 💖 When it comes to makeup I've only made videos on what my mental relationship with it was, I know a few things about unethical and toxic ingredients, so I'll try doing a bit more research on it and see where it goes! ☺️
I worked for a pretty big make-up store before and to me it's pretty bad. New products come out every "season" just like fast fashion, lots of little things wrapped up in little plastic wrappers, bigger pieces of plastic, acrylic displays according to what is new and what's hot while the old ones get discarded and thrown in the compactor. Ingredients wise I can't imagine all of those chemicals (most of which are tested on animals) to be getting disposed of correctly. But I can see your point in that it could be exagerated due to the vanity issue.
I was waiting for someone finially to say it, so thank you! I can't see those people anymore who starts using glas/metal/paper in order to avoid plastic without proper knowledge of environmental impact of these materials and than trowing it away and consider themselves as environmental friendly...don't do that, please!
If Viscose is so damaging as a material, how can H&M use Viscose in their ‘conscious’ clothing line?? 🙄 I’ve been put off H&M so much in the past couple months and it used to be my favourite. Glad to have opened my eyes.
greenwashing is how. H&M are just lying to us, they've never made anything "conscious" in their brand's history. they're just consciously ripping everyone off... I also used to love them, it really sucks.
Im aware you do "research" for these videos, however some of which you say is misinformed and incorrect. The part about viscose was 30% of it being from ancient forests, thats the minority of viscose production. The majority of viscose comes from farmed trees in countries such as Austria so they are not cutting preexisting trees, but rather planting new trees for this fibre. Further, viscose is moving towards a closed-loop chemical cycle in which the chemicals used arent being dumped but rather re-used. One last thing, my mum grew up on a wool farm and the only time wool gets infested is when it is not being sheared regularly, and on top of that, there is something known as quality control, and if the sheep has any signs of cuts such as the ones you mentioned, the farm would be boycotted immediately I could be slightly mistaken but im speaking with a history of a bachelor of fashion and textiles majoring in sustainability
Let's go naked then...lol but seriously, whatever you choose to buy, just buy as little as possible and only things you will truly love in the long term.
My favorite type of video of yours: informative and clear! None of these fabrics are inherently bad on itself, but rather it's our consumerism and materialism that does the job. If only people changed their attitudes more and thought twice before buying whatever their impulses tell them to buy... But I agree, the most efficient and effective way to better these problems is through political actions. I'm studying European law just for that reason, so hopefully, one day, I'll be able to help the world become a little bit better.
Your passion for the environment, ethics and animal welfare is contagious. Thank you for sharing Kristen your voice is heard and you’re inspiring many people!! You would be a great politician and you should consider your talents in that sector!
At first I thought you were only going to talk about polyester and was about to comment about some of the negative aspects of the cotton industry. But you just covered everything. Seriously educatinal video as always.💪👏 Thank you for teaching us things that our educational systems mostly ignore. ❤❤❤
My mom has been saying FOR YEARS that hemp is going to change the world. People just need to be aware of all the possibilities we have to change our own environment.
About wool, I have to say it all depends on where it came from how ethical it is. My family has a countryside in Argentina with around 5000 sheeps and I’m glad to say we don’t do that thing you mentioned about those kind of layers of skin and haven’t seen anyone do it within the area. What most people here do to remove wool takes around one day and then they are free (basically you gather a group of sheeps, remove the wool and return them to the area you gathered them).And lastly, not all of them ger slaughtered, it’s in fact a small percentage and they live most of their life in their land. As much as I hate this last thing, I’m not in charge, it’s my grandparents, sooo
as someone who eventually wants to start my own ethical fashion line - on top of ethical manufacturing, ive been thinking about what materials are sustainable ajd ethical. so this is actually a very useful video for me !! :-)
I agree that we should just consume less in general, as it is quite difficult to just rely on one type of fabric. While people in hotter climates have more options when it comes to choosing more sustainable fabric like bamboo and hemp, those who are in colder climates will still need to use wool or duck down to survive, plants just don't give you the same insulation in the cold. Also, if you do certain activities, you may need certain fabric. Like you can't go swimming without synthetic material gears, if you are riding a motorbike, leather protective clothing is essential for safety. But if everyone tries their best to shop second hand and use everything till the end of its life-cycle it will still improve the overall situation by a lot.
I was just about to comment this. I’ve seen so many people angry at others using leather, wool or down but they just can’t have tried going out into snow wearing linen. Also I haven’t seen any non-synthetic alternatives for core-tex or similar materials for outer-layer winter jackets. There’s not really that many options.
Hey Kristen, I really love the solution that you gave! I totally 100% agree with you. I think buying less is the only solution, thankfully I've been a minimalist for years now and I' m no longer obsessed with buying more clothes or stuffs that I don't need. I love how calm you deliver all the messages and educate us with these knowledges. Keep it going! I always support you 🌱❤️
i absolutely love your channel. you don't discriminate with what occurs. like you include both human, animal and environment effects. child labour with slavery but also animal cruelty with eco-system damaged.
about animal products though: arable (plant) agriculture is only possible with manure. most of the earth was covered with wild bovines before we killed them all - good ecosystem management includes bovines. Its VERY possible to produce animal products sustainable - its intensive agriculture of all kinds that does damage, not weather your growing plants or animals. See: Scottish Crofting (traditional small scale agriculture in Scotland relies heavily on livestock which manage the land in a way that improves biodiversity.) death is not the opposite of life - its a necessary stage in life. quality of life and death is more important than preventing death at all costs. animals and plants have an equal right to life but that doesn't mean they should never die. context: i come from a big family of mixed intensive and small scale farms with some environmental scientists mixed in. I've seen all sides of agriculture in first hand. I'd never buy intensively reared plants or animals because i know how they're produced. I regularly buy meat and veg from local small family farms (especially subsistence farms).
I’m so happy you are talking about this because I work at a print shop that uses a lot of plastic on the jobs. I really want to have a convo with my boss about this.
I think its also very important to talk about the pestizides used in cotton production. Especially when looking at companies involved such as Monsanto.
What about bamboo? I feel like it's better and I'll choose it over cotton but I'm not sure about harvesting- I live in a place that bamboo grows and try to buy domestic products (if I buy new which is only for certain things for specific reasons). Recently there's been a 'hemp clothing' stand at the market relatively near me and I'd love to buy something from their if I can ever afford it. I love hemp!!
there are actually a few brands that make not harmful bamboo or other viscose fabrics, like tencel for example. however, if there isn't info on how the fabric is manufactured then it's probably greenwashing. make sure to check on certifications etc.
Hi Kristen! With regards to your video being sponsored by an Amazon company and some people finding that curious, I would like to say something. I know you care a lot about workers rights, and I do too. For this reason I have recently stopped buying from Amazon (as well as from fast fashion brands and any other company that does not respect humans, every time it is possible). In the past years here in Italy there have been some "scandals" following Amazon's warehouse workers revealing the oppressive working conditions they have to work in: their gestures speed is constantly monitored, they have to run throughout their entire work shift in order to meet the company's productivity standards and not being fired, they have to pass through metal detectors every time they enter or leave the workplace, and all their belongings are checked in order to avoid thefts (here is an italian article about the Piacenza warehouse issue: www.linkiesta.it/it/article/2016/11/12/smistare-e-spedire-cosi-i-lavoratori-amazon-non-vanno-piu-nemmeno-in-b/32353/ ). There is also a french journalist, Jean Baptiste Malet, who has written a book entitled "En Amazonie, infiltré dans le meilleur des mondes" in which he has reported similar conditions after infiltrating in an Amazon warehouse in France (I have not read it yet, but it would be interesting, however I already have plenty of reasons why not supporting Amazon). Personally, I also find the 24/7 Amazon costumer service unacceptable. I think people should not work at night unless their work is fundamental for the community they serve. And this is not the case: Amazon employees night work is not essential for society, it is only necessary in order for Amazon to make more profit (however, this is just my view of work as a contribute to community). As far as audiobooks and ebooks, even if these digital products are more environmentally friendly, many people (including me) think that their providers do not respect the user freedom. In fact, the majority of these products are restricted by DRM (Digital Rights Management). With books, this can mean that you cannot copy the file, lend it to a friend (just as you would with a regular physical book), or consulting it on whichever device you want through whichever software/app you want. In other words one could say that the book you have legally bought does not belong to you. With regards to this, I highly suggest you to check out "Defective By Design", a campaign by Free Software Foundation: you will find out that there is a lot to learn about digital rights, proprietary software and its restrictions to the user freedom. Maybe you will find cue for a new video! Plus, also thanks to the exploitation of its workers (and to the advantages of the platform of course), Amazon can compete unfairly with other smaller companies and I think that the first way to support local enterprises (besides adopting protectionist policies) is by "voting with your wallet". I believe you will agree with me on this, isn't supporting local economies one of the reasons why you have stopped buying from ikea? As I like to say, these giant companies progress is based on others (both workers and local enterprises) non-progress. Finally, I understand you as a youtuber need sponsors for your videos and I am not by any means blaming you for collaborating with Audible. I appreciate you as a person and what you do (you are such an intelligent, genuine and pure-hearted girl!) and for this reason I wanted to share with you my point of view, maybe you will find some food for thoughts and we can grow together and use the internet as a place to share ideas, instead of letting it be an unilateral thing. xx from Italy, Giada
totally agree :) I am glad you presented this so eloquently, seeing the amazon audible sponsor made me cringe a bit, for the same reasons. Yet, I still love her work too, Kristen video are great and very informative, but this just feels a bit... strange. I won't judge on her taking it and will still watch her videos, but I am glad you talked about it so it maybe brings her to think a bit more in depth about the effects of digital shopping ;)
Well, don't be naive! I worked in an warehouse once. The warehouse had no detector or security check. Long story short: I had to resign after only 6 months because of merchandise theft taking place during my shift. My two options given: pay up or leave. No police no nothing. A lot of fishy stuff! Having all that security and regulations is for our own good!
My boyfriend has worked both as an amazon warehouse worker and as an amazon driver and even if other warehouses are decent to workers amazon's aren't and you can be sure of that. If 14 hour shifts sound good to you with literally no time to eat since you have to deliver, paying for 1/3 of the fuel you are using for delivering and etc etc then yes, Amazon is indeed an ethical company. My ass. Just knowing that Jeff Bezos is the richest man in the world only because he does 0 charity work should be enough for you to deduct how much he cares about his workers. After the company motto is "the customer is always first".
Thank you Kristen! I am from the Dominican Republic (raised in NYC and now live in Florida). My mom used to work in a Dockers factory for over 20 years back in my country. Working conditions were bad and pay was definitely not fair. To some degree I am grateful this job put food in our table (she was a single mother) but I am mad at the government for allowing these greedy companies to come and take advantage of our poor people. My mom worked so many hours she didn’t have time to go to school or advance in any way. Capable and smart women were simply not given the opportunity to apply for upper management jobs. So unfair! Thanks for providing us with the truth on this matter. I rarely buy new clothing for myself or my family. I mostly thrift. When I do buy a new piece of clothing, I think about what I’m learning in your channel. I think of the origin of the item, how it’s affecting the people that made it, the environment, etc. To be quite frank, at first I thought you were exaggerating and way too bitter and harsh. (Sorry!) but then I opened my eyes and mind and realized that you are saying the truth and this truth hurts. Continue being as passionate as you are about this. DONT GIVE UP! All the best to you!! Love your channel.
Leather vs vegan leather. I have mixed feelings about that. I have a leather bag that almost 10 years and Iooks perfect and I had pleather bags that falls apart really quickly and peels. I know so many vegan youtubers promote mat and nat, but turns out it’s not a sustainable and ethical company. My green closet wrote an article about that. I’m curious about pinatex, but still I don’t know if it’s actually sustainable or it’s a greenwashing scam. For now I don’t like designs of pinatex shoes and bags. Oh and mushroom leather sounds cool
As far as I am concerned vegan leather = plastic. Vegan doesn't say anything about environmental impact or sustainability. It only doesn't use animal products. Yet many people seem to forget about that. Mushroom leather sounds amazing, I hope it will get more to the market so I can try it!
@@BlueNorth313 Find me a pair of non plastic, non leather, smart shoes in a UK size 2, and nothing designed for kids because I'm an adult, and an absolute top budget of £50. If you can, great. But nothing like that exists.
I own the following leather items: A leather jacket that was my mums, that i have used on a daily basis every winter for 8 years. The jacket has almost 20 years of wear. I own two leather belts, the only belts i own, one black (2y old) 40 bucks, and another one brown, levis's from my mother when she was younger (25 y old). And the shoes i own are made of leather, otherwise i cant wear them, my feet are weird. They last me usually three season with everyday wear. I also own a backpack/purse that was my mums, that i use every single day, its around 15 years old. Yes, im not a shopper lol but i will not stop buying leather because it just lasts decades and you really get your money's worth. Thats my opiniom at least.
honestly, i feel like the best thing to do is buy second hand. go to thrift stores, estate sales, buy from others etc. and buy already used leather. might as well make it so the animal didnt die in vain
@@strangekat2840 it does, actually, i've had a pair of faux leather shoes for 5 years, they are fine. Sure, they dont look new but i can use them. Little details might have fell off but.. Whatever. They were pretty cheap as well, about 300 pesos, that would be around 15 dollars? We're not talking about animals in this video so i wouldnt ask you to care, but who knows? It's been months since you posted, maybe you care by now. The production of leather is very toxic, just like denim and many other fabrics.. If you still dont care about animals, second hand leather is always an option. For the planet, at least.
Kristen I am living for your videos! You come across so easy going but never lose sight of the message you're portraying, and none of what you've said has been forceful in anyway. The way you've constructed your video is excellent and well laid out - it flows perfectly and maintained my focus through the entirety. Thank you for the effort you put into to your videos and overall channel. I am in awe of your passion ❤🙏🏼💫
Recently I’ve actually sewed a blouse for myself. It’s been months since I last bought a clothing item and I am still rinsing my closet out of the clothes I don’t wear. I made the piece with 100% cotton, but I do know hemp is more sustainable. Next time I will use hemp or linen instead. I really want to sew a lot of my clothes myself from now on, it was so much fun, I loved it. Also it really helps, when you take one step back in this massive producing chain that we have with clothing and decide what you want to use for your clothing. Next step is to check where the fabric comes from...
I had no idea linen was a more sustainable option! That's wonderful to know, I'm sure a lot of us assumed that cotton was better for the environment than it really is. Thought I knew a lot but now I know so much more! Thank you for doing such well researched videos. The B-roll clips were really engaging too, it makes the info really impactful.
I do want to say I only make my own wool garments and I buy from ethical, native breeds from small ranches for my yarn. It is more expensive but worth it. I actually have a list going on. I also love hemp so much. I want to get more back into it. Linen is one of my favorites. All things I can knit and crochet with!
Kristen, this year I am actively transitioning to low waste/low plastic, also doing a no buy until May, and then transitioning to sustainable/ethic fashion. I have followed you for a while, but your videos are soooo helpful to keep me mindful, intentional, and educated on living this more sustainable lifestyle. THANK YOU GIRL!!!
PapayaJoy Yep there are so many things we are doing to the planet that are depressing and SO many people have no clue or don’t care. Seems impossible to fix. But we have to look at all the positives we can like this informative video.
Hey Kristen I study environmental science in Canada, and lately I have been making a more conscious effort to put in place what I learn in my degree and your videos are really helping with the practical aspect of the matter. Thank you 😊 !
Thank you for the great video! I think a useful thing to mention about leather is that most people are under the impression that leather is a by-product of the meat industry and that we’re using the “whole animal”, when in reality completely different cows are bred for leather production, and there actually isn’t much “sharing” at all.
Hey) I'm from Uzbekistan and, glad to tell that the child labor for harvesting cotton has been stopped about 5-6 years ago( if not longer before) Regarding the 4th largest lake (aka Aral Sea), most of it has been extensively consumed during the colonization by Russian empire when they exploited the nation as well as the cotton industry and the CHILDREN(by demanding unbelievably high requirements to the amount of cotton to be harvested). and after some point of which the Aral sea wasn't able to replenish its waters whatsoever. Thanks, though! your videos are realky informative))
Kristen! You made me seriously consider the impact I was making by buying clothes from huge companies. I only really buy clothes from depop now. I got all my friends on to depop and they love it too! I haven’t bought clothes from a physical store in at least six months I think. I’m so glad you have such an informative TH-cam channel and are sharing info to so many. Thanks so much!
Kristen, I have been watching for years and always shared your opinions, but recently something klicked I guess and I started reading a lot more on the topic. Thank you so so much for making these videos and inspiring so many of us.
A truely eye-opening video! I've been an op-shopper/thrifter for some time now and thought I was doing a good thing. I'm going to start looking at the materials in the clothes now too. I don't want to be wearing plastic or be the cause of more plastic in the environment. Never thought about polyester, etc actually were. Thanks Kristen!
i remember reading a long time ago about hemp also being used in the making of disposable water bottles. it actually has a lot of potential in that field but most plastic bottle companies are trying to hide it from the public >:(
Thank you so much for spreading awareness about this topic. You have educated me so much on the reality of where my clothes come from and the huge impact we have on this planet through what we wear xx
Σε ευχαριστώ πάρα πολύ για αυτό το βίντεο. Συμπεριέλαβες πάρα πολλές πληροφορίες που δεν γνώριζα και μου κίνησες το ενδιαφέρον να το ψάξω και εγώ & να εντάξω στη ζωή μου μεγαλύτερη συνείδηση σε αυτόν τον τομέα! Δεν σχολιάζω συνήθως, αλλά ήθελα πολύ να σε ευχαριστήσω... Καλή συνέχεια!
Great video, thanks for ending on a sort of positive note, as the situation is quite bleak. Funny thing is hemp used to be super common and widely used in ship sails and ropes (that's how resistant it is). Hopefully we'll go back to that, since the seeds are also a great protein and make great skin care
Yes, I was looking for this info EVERYWHERE! I have been transitioning into a more sustainable closet and unfortunately second hand is a very rare option where I live. So I started looking into stores so that I could eventually buy from them but I was so confused at what was sustainable or not and this really helped me! Thank you so much, Kristen! :)
omg i use hemp for my sustainable clothing brand and there are sooo many benefits its super durable and also blocks uv rays from the skin so perf for summer, it also gets softer the more u use it so more of an incentive for u to use ur hemp products! loved this video gonna link it on my blog portion of my shop! thank you :)
Thank you Kristen. Really. 🌹You changed a big part of my lifestyle . spreading this message is one of the strongest ways to deal with this terrible problem- The environmental effects that clothes have 👎🏼. If you could ever make a video about the best brands to look for if you are going to shop something not secondhand or how to reuse ♻️ clothes as an alternative to recycling it would be great. Any other way to brighten up the good side of the eathical movement. things we can do in order to bring more people and more awareness . 🌷 My friends and I watch and have Conversations about the topics of your videos 💗 I support you 100% and I am so glad to have you as an influencer. -maya From Israel
I'm curious about your take on fabrics made from recycled plastics--I noticed that there are some brands like this on your sustainable clothing list of links (blog). From what I've read, the chemicals used to break down the bottles are harmful to our water supply, and supporting clothes made of (even recycled) plastics means more plastic fibers in our water supply...not to mention the dangers of wearing these fabrics on the skin daily and another scary question...what dyes are they using for these fabrics? It feels like a form of greenwashing to imply that they are helping the environment when in fact they are using chemicals to break down the plastics into something we can use to make textiles. If you have any more info on this I would love to know more.
It so crazy that before watching this video I see an ad for net-a-porter and buying clothes...what is your advice of how to escape all these ads if you love TH-cam? What is your advice to not be tricked by ads into buying stuff? Also, on Instagram and TH-cam I see so much content about fashion and people wearing stuff. I do not want to stop enjoying to watch this...Best, Diana
how do you feel about buying secondhand leather items? I love your videos so much, you’ve really opened up my eyes to what I’m supporting when I buy fast fashion
It is still animal product. If you wear it you show to the people around you that its ok to wear animal corpses. And you raise the demand even if you buy it secondhand because even in thriftstores they count what is trending
Thank you so much! 💖 I think it's ok as long as it's second hand, leather and synthetic look the same, you can't tell which is which most times. Some argue that wearing leather promotes the idea that it's ok to buy new leather garments but then faux leather, fur (faux anything) would have the same effect. We can't blame or go after anyone wearing secondhand leather just because people are uninformed about the cruelty behind leather production. Even better, if you wear something made of leather and someone asks you where you got it from it's a great opportunity to explain why leather is so bad, why you bought yours second hand and why they should too 😉
I was thinking about this a lot, and I think it is okay to buy it, but recently the thought of anything imitating an animal's body on me stresses me out. let it be faux leather, second hand leather, animal print, faux fur
My question would be what would we do will all the existing plastic based clothing? What's the best way to recycle/dispose of it ethically and sustainably?
You can give them away for recycling if they are 100% synthetic fabrics, the mixed synthetics can’t be recycled, so it’s better to wear them as long as you can, give it away or repurpose it.
I don’t intend this comment to be hateful or shaming at all, I’m genuinely interested in all of you opinions on this... This amazing video that Kristen has researched and put together (thank you so much by the way, I learned so much!), was sponsored by audible... which is owned by amazon, which is owned by Jeff bezos... a man and company who Kristen herself has criticised in one of her recent videos, which confuses me. Would anyone care to shed some light on this as it seems a little contradictory and hypocritical that Kristen is promoting Audible and therefore receiving money from them even though she speaks so passionately about how truly awful Jeff bezos is in a more recent video (which I really did enjoy!). Just a simple question with honestly no hate intended, just education!
I love linen and hemp 💚 but what about bamboo fibers? Some claim it is sustainable but I've also heard that the process of producing the fibers is very polluting.
Hi ! I just saw your video. I'm a student in textile engineering school and I've learnt that pineapple leather is actually covered with polyurethan (to have this waterproof/real leather effect) which is a synthetic component and so this king of fabric is also unsustainable. But thanks though for all your work ! I love it !
Just the video I needed! I was hoping you'd make a video on fabrics and other ways to help spread the word about sustainable fashion / living! Sometimes I feel like I'm not doing enough or feel like it's not worth it because so many people around me are contributing to these horrible conditions it's overwhelming. Could you do a video on sustainable fashion brands?
Love how educational these videos are! I do think boycotting certain brands is an effective way for consumers to vote with their dollar for hat they believe in. Policies and regulations are the goal, however, actually getting them in place on a large scale is pretty time-consuming. What I've been doing finding ethical alternatives (when I can't find an item at the thrift store) to support those types of companies.
Check for mulesing free wool if you buy wool from large companies the better option if poss is thrift or also there are a lot of small farms who produce wool in the slow more natural to the sheep environments this means that a good quality sweater which you might keep for 30 -60years It Will cost between 70 for a simple sweater and 100-200 Euro for a Big cardigan with a lot of workmanship handmade but by buying this you are supporting small local businesses and small local communities . My mom inherited some such sweaters and if you dont wash them in modern detergent which dissolves the fibre they last and last .
so if every clothing brand was to go ethical, what would they have to do? what would a perfect brand look like? since even cotton is not so sustainable.
As a crochet artist and clothing designer I'm disappointed that you didn't mention the ETHICAL sheep farmers who provide wool. First, it's in the famers best interest to keep their sheeps happy and healthy. Second, ETHICAL sheep farmers ARE NOT slaughtering their sheep for wool. That would literally cost them a butt load of money and wool would be much more expensive than it is. Sheep that provide ETHICAL wool are not bred to be used for meat consumption and are not usually slaughtered. This isn't theoretical and there are plenty of ETHICAL wool suppliers. You just have to stop looking at large corporations to provide it. I just wish you would've at least mentioned that ETHICAL wool is not something that's just theoretical. I'm afraid this video might misinform your viewers into thinking that all wool is supplied unethically.
A lot of my neighbours have sheeps, and I basicly grew up with sheeps. None of the sheeps had any skin folds, neither they were killed after getting the wool off, killing the sheep after cutting off the wool is just dumb, the wool will grow back anyway?? The skin fold thing probably depends what kind of sheep breed it is thought. And for the sheep, if they treated those sheeps absolutely terribly, the quality of the wool would be really bad anyway. In general I havent heard about any unethical wool cases in my country (Finland), even if they talk a lot about how problematic meat production is. Maybe nobody cares about wool that much, or maybe they don't really need to change anything about wool production in Finland.
Lily, most handmade sellers online (through marketplaces like Etsy and Shopify) will usually have in their listings description that the wool used to make the garment is sourced ethically. I'm a part of the handmakers community online (and off line) and it's really really uncommon to find a crochet or knitting artist that uses unethically obtained wool. Like papi said above, it would be a really dumb business practice to kill, hurt or mistreat your sheep if they're purpose (for the business) is producing wool. If they do then it's probably crappy wool anyways and most legit designers won't use it. You can also search Etsy to find raw or spun ethically obtained wool, straight for the farm :)
MarigoldWitch Then again, is okay to keep animals for ANY type of wool production? It’s not. Animals should be free, not human “property”... you should not use animals as a money making tool. Animals are not here for us. I would never buy wool and it being “ethical” doesn’t mean anything to me. Sounds like “wool farming” still, animals kept in captivity. I’m sure there is other materials you could use, hemp and bamboo among many other I’m sure.
Keeping sheep is beneficial for both the owner and the sheep. The owner gets the profits from selling wool, yes. However the sheep gets shelter, food, clean water, access to a veterinarian and safety from predators...is it not enough? Plus, a sheep NEEDS to be shaved or it gets covered in knots that lead to inflammation and other health defects - just google some pics of runaway sheep and you'll see.
That video is really good!! Haha I didn't know what is the best and up until recently I thought cotton and viscose were some of the best. So I really needed a video like that! Thank you!!
I’m so glad you uploaded! I was just recommending like all of your videos to a friend. I’m glad for this topic though because I’m trying to make the best and most conscious choices but there’s still more I could learn
I live in Croatia and there aren't many trift shops here it all and ethical brands too so when i go shopping i always try not to buy any clothes made from plastic but it is so hard and takes so much time to look at every tag to see is it cotton and specially when you like something and it says 100%made of polyester, you can't even find a sweater nowdays that isn't from polyester it breaks my heart :(
I hope to find a good job soon because if that's so I would consider becoming one of your patrons. You are one of my favorite TH-camrs and I think you do good to this world with your conscious and informative videos!
Also, about the wool, the fact of using an animal for our confort regardless of the conditions is unethical. Like, those sheaps would still be owned and shaved (certainly gather in some place too) which make wool unethical even on a theoretical level. Not trying to be the judgy vegan here, just adding an other argument to your very interesting video :). Thanks for your work ! You motived me to keep on thrift shopping :)
Uggh.. I recently caved in and got influenced to buy a knitted sweater from a "normal" brand.. not really fast fahion, more high end and with a timeless design, and factories in Italy, but I still feel bad about it. Mostly because even though I need the garment for winter, it felt so bad being influenced by one of those bloggers.. I am truly ashamed. Do you know how to tackle these situations? Quit reading blogs, quit instagram?!
Loving this! Kinda makes me sad since a lot of my clothes growing up were cheap/poor quality:( but I haven't bought new clothing for a good few months now (which is a start) and I'm hoping to get one of those guppy bags x
Basically, ALL fabric release micro-fibers, even cotton. They ALL cause problems for marine life. However, in Finland (where I live) the wastewater treatment plant catches 99% of all micro-fibers, and will eventually be able to catch them all. What is causing the biggest micro-plastic pollution are ships (that leak old paint all over) and car wheels. The micro-plastic that comes from clothing is not the biggest issue - yet something we as consumers can think of. Obviously, I would _NEVER_ buy new synthetic clothing, but as a vintage clothing lover, I do buy synthetic vintage clothing. I think it's important to wear them out instead of throwing them to the landfill (where it would take up to 200 years to compose). :)
![F.HERO Ft. JSPKK x ลำไย ไหทองคำ x M-PEE - ไม่สนิทบิดหมด (Thai Riders Anthem) [Official MV]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/kPJZ0UihBfk/mqdefault.jpg)
I know this is off-topic, but lately I have been thinking about how bad the makeup industry is both for the environment, but also ethicaly. I was really inspired by your fast fashion and candy industry videos, so it would be very exciting if you could make a video about the makeup industry! I really enjoy your channel - you have inspired me to make a difference! 🌍🌿 Edit: thank you for the support on this comment!
Thank you so much!!! 💖 When it comes to makeup I've only made videos on what my mental relationship with it was, I know a few things about unethical and toxic ingredients, so I'll try doing a bit more research on it and see where it goes! ☺️
Not to mention the way make up is packaged and where it’s produced!
I worked for a pretty big make-up store before and to me it's pretty bad. New products come out every "season" just like fast fashion, lots of little things wrapped up in little plastic wrappers, bigger pieces of plastic, acrylic displays according to what is new and what's hot while the old ones get discarded and thrown in the compactor. Ingredients wise I can't imagine all of those chemicals (most of which are tested on animals) to be getting disposed of correctly. But I can see your point in that it could be exagerated due to the vanity issue.
The makeup industry is so shady. I would love to see a video about this topic too!
Yes what a great idea!
Plastic doesn't suck, the way we use it does.
I think it's both but yes, the way we use it just makes me want to crawl out of my skin
I was waiting for someone finially to say it, so thank you! I can't see those people anymore who starts using glas/metal/paper in order to avoid plastic without proper knowledge of environmental impact of these materials and than trowing it away and consider themselves as environmental friendly...don't do that, please!
Yeah when you work in medical or healthcare you rely on it for infection control.
Thank you i was looking for such comment
I literally said the same thing out loud right before I saw it. We should all really learn more about materials and how to use them
If Viscose is so damaging as a material, how can H&M use Viscose in their ‘conscious’ clothing line?? 🙄 I’ve been put off H&M so much in the past couple months and it used to be my favourite. Glad to have opened my eyes.
greenwashing is how. H&M are just lying to us, they've never made anything "conscious" in their brand's history. they're just consciously ripping everyone off... I also used to love them, it really sucks.
Just... ughh I can't with h&m I seriously can't anymore...
Also H&M’s quality overall is not the best. Their clothes feel like plastic most of the time, but that makes sense knowing what it is made out of.
A lot of stuff from Reformation is viscose. Hmm...
Supposedly viscose doesnt break down into micro plastic.... but as you pointed out, it doesnt make it environmentally friendly
Thank you Kirsten for always spreading information regarding the fashion industry which makes me more informed thank you queen!
☺️💕 yay so happy you like the videos Emily Ann!
Im aware you do "research" for these videos, however some of which you say is misinformed and incorrect. The part about viscose was 30% of it being from ancient forests, thats the minority of viscose production. The majority of viscose comes from farmed trees in countries such as Austria so they are not cutting preexisting trees, but rather planting new trees for this fibre. Further, viscose is moving towards a closed-loop chemical cycle in which the chemicals used arent being dumped but rather re-used. One last thing, my mum grew up on a wool farm and the only time wool gets infested is when it is not being sheared regularly, and on top of that, there is something known as quality control, and if the sheep has any signs of cuts such as the ones you mentioned, the farm would be boycotted immediately
I could be slightly mistaken but im speaking with a history of a bachelor of fashion and textiles majoring in sustainability
Let's go naked then...lol but seriously, whatever you choose to buy, just buy as little as possible and only things you will truly love in the long term.
Good point, don’t but crazy amounts of clothes I guess? Like just but a bit of what you need
And buying second hand helps as well!
Learning to patch up clothing is also something I want to do
My favorite type of video of yours: informative and clear! None of these fabrics are inherently bad on itself, but rather it's our consumerism and materialism that does the job. If only people changed their attitudes more and thought twice before buying whatever their impulses tell them to buy... But I agree, the most efficient and effective way to better these problems is through political actions. I'm studying European law just for that reason, so hopefully, one day, I'll be able to help the world become a little bit better.
Hell yes! 🙌🏼 That's really amazing.. People like you will change the world!
Your passion for the environment, ethics and animal welfare is contagious. Thank you for sharing Kristen your voice is heard and you’re inspiring many people!! You would be a great politician and you should consider your talents in that sector!
At first I thought you were only going to talk about polyester and was about to comment about some of the negative aspects of the cotton industry.
But you just covered everything.
Seriously educatinal video as always.💪👏
Thank you for teaching us things that our educational systems mostly ignore. ❤❤❤
Hihiii gotcha 😛
The edu educational system don't ignore,they just don't say anything most likely because they don't want u to no
My mom has been saying FOR YEARS that hemp is going to change the world. People just need to be aware of all the possibilities we have to change our own environment.
About wool, I have to say it all depends on where it came from how ethical it is. My family has a countryside in Argentina with around 5000 sheeps and I’m glad to say we don’t do that thing you mentioned about those kind of layers of skin and haven’t seen anyone do it within the area. What most people here do to remove wool takes around one day and then they are free (basically you gather a group of sheeps, remove the wool and return them to the area you gathered them).And lastly, not all of them ger slaughtered, it’s in fact a small percentage and they live most of their life in their land. As much as I hate this last thing, I’m not in charge, it’s my grandparents, sooo
We love an informative queen
as someone who eventually wants to start my own ethical fashion line - on top of ethical manufacturing, ive been thinking about what materials are sustainable ajd ethical. so this is actually a very useful video for me !! :-)
yayy!!😊
I agree that we should just consume less in general, as it is quite difficult to just rely on one type of fabric. While people in hotter climates have more options when it comes to choosing more sustainable fabric like bamboo and hemp, those who are in colder climates will still need to use wool or duck down to survive, plants just don't give you the same insulation in the cold. Also, if you do certain activities, you may need certain fabric. Like you can't go swimming without synthetic material gears, if you are riding a motorbike, leather protective clothing is essential for safety. But if everyone tries their best to shop second hand and use everything till the end of its life-cycle it will still improve the overall situation by a lot.
Right! My leather motorcycle jacket last me longer and i am more protective with it than other fabrics.
Yeah. I can't stand the way we are tricked to buy more than we need. So infuriating!
I was just about to comment this. I’ve seen so many people angry at others using leather, wool or down but they just can’t have tried going out into snow wearing linen. Also I haven’t seen any non-synthetic alternatives for core-tex or similar materials for outer-layer winter jackets. There’s not really that many options.
Hey Kristen,
I really love the solution that you gave! I totally 100% agree with you. I think buying less is the only solution, thankfully I've been a minimalist for years now and I' m no longer obsessed with buying more clothes or stuffs that I don't need.
I love how calm you deliver all the messages and educate us with these knowledges.
Keep it going! I always support you 🌱❤️
i absolutely love your channel. you don't discriminate with what occurs. like you include both human, animal and environment effects. child labour with slavery but also animal cruelty with eco-system damaged.
about animal products though: arable (plant) agriculture is only possible with manure.
most of the earth was covered with wild bovines before we killed them all - good ecosystem management includes bovines.
Its VERY possible to produce animal products sustainable - its intensive agriculture of all kinds that does damage, not weather your growing plants or animals. See: Scottish Crofting (traditional small scale agriculture in Scotland relies heavily on livestock which manage the land in a way that improves biodiversity.)
death is not the opposite of life - its a necessary stage in life.
quality of life and death is more important than preventing death at all costs.
animals and plants have an equal right to life but that doesn't mean they should never die.
context: i come from a big family of mixed intensive and small scale farms with some environmental scientists mixed in. I've seen all sides of agriculture in first hand.
I'd never buy intensively reared plants or animals because i know how they're produced.
I regularly buy meat and veg from local small family farms (especially subsistence farms).
I’m so happy you are talking about this because I work at a print shop that uses a lot of plastic on the jobs. I really want to have a convo with my boss about this.
I think its also very important to talk about the pestizides used in cotton production. Especially when looking at companies involved such as Monsanto.
This video just made me realize so much. My heart just broke into microplastics ( because we're plastic)
What about bamboo? I feel like it's better and I'll choose it over cotton but I'm not sure about harvesting- I live in a place that bamboo grows and try to buy domestic products (if I buy new which is only for certain things for specific reasons). Recently there's been a 'hemp clothing' stand at the market relatively near me and I'd love to buy something from their if I can ever afford it. I love hemp!!
bamboo=viscose
Reef Larkin How does bamboo = viscose?
@@eliseanthem7052 Bamboo is used to make viscose
It takes a ton of resources and harsh, toxic chemicals to turn bamboo into clothing
there are actually a few brands that make not harmful bamboo or other viscose fabrics, like tencel for example. however, if there isn't info on how the fabric is manufactured then it's probably greenwashing. make sure to check on certifications etc.
I've been so much more aware of the products I choose to spend my money on because of you. Thank you so much for your research!
Yes! That means the world to me! 💖
Hi Kristen!
With regards to your video being sponsored by an Amazon company and some people finding that curious, I would like to say something. I know you care a lot about workers rights, and I do too. For this reason I have recently stopped buying from Amazon (as well as from fast fashion brands and any other company that does not respect humans, every time it is possible). In the past years here in Italy there have been some "scandals" following Amazon's warehouse workers revealing the oppressive working conditions they have to work in: their gestures speed is constantly monitored, they have to run throughout their entire work shift in order to meet the company's productivity standards and not being fired, they have to pass through metal detectors every time they enter or leave the workplace, and all their belongings are checked in order to avoid thefts (here is an italian article about the Piacenza warehouse issue: www.linkiesta.it/it/article/2016/11/12/smistare-e-spedire-cosi-i-lavoratori-amazon-non-vanno-piu-nemmeno-in-b/32353/ ). There is also a french journalist, Jean Baptiste Malet, who has written a book entitled "En Amazonie, infiltré dans le meilleur des mondes" in which he has reported similar conditions after infiltrating in an Amazon warehouse in France (I have not read it yet, but it would be interesting, however I already have plenty of reasons why not supporting Amazon).
Personally, I also find the 24/7 Amazon costumer service unacceptable. I think people should not work at night unless their work is fundamental for the community they serve. And this is not the case: Amazon employees night work is not essential for society, it is only necessary in order for Amazon to make more profit (however, this is just my view of work as a contribute to community).
As far as audiobooks and ebooks, even if these digital products are more environmentally friendly, many people (including me) think that their providers do not respect the user freedom. In fact, the majority of these products are restricted by DRM (Digital Rights Management). With books, this can mean that you cannot copy the file, lend it to a friend (just as you would with a regular physical book), or consulting it on whichever device you want through whichever software/app you want. In other words one could say that the book you have legally bought does not belong to you. With regards to this, I highly suggest you to check out "Defective By Design", a campaign by Free Software Foundation: you will find out that there is a lot to learn about digital rights, proprietary software and its restrictions to the user freedom. Maybe you will find cue for a new video!
Plus, also thanks to the exploitation of its workers (and to the advantages of the platform of course), Amazon can compete unfairly with other smaller companies and I think that the first way to support local enterprises (besides adopting protectionist policies) is by "voting with your wallet". I believe you will agree with me on this, isn't supporting local economies one of the reasons why you have stopped buying from ikea? As I like to say, these giant companies progress is based on others (both workers and local enterprises) non-progress.
Finally, I understand you as a youtuber need sponsors for your videos and I am not by any means blaming you for collaborating with Audible. I appreciate you as a person and what you do (you are such an intelligent, genuine and pure-hearted girl!) and for this reason I wanted to share with you my point of view, maybe you will find some food for thoughts and we can grow together and use the internet as a place to share ideas, instead of letting it be an unilateral thing.
xx from Italy,
Giada
totally agree :) I am glad you presented this so eloquently, seeing the amazon audible sponsor made me cringe a bit, for the same reasons. Yet, I still love her work too, Kristen video are great and very informative, but this just feels a bit... strange. I won't judge on her taking it and will still watch her videos, but I am glad you talked about it so it maybe brings her to think a bit more in depth about the effects of digital shopping ;)
Well, don't be naive! I worked in an warehouse once. The warehouse had no detector or security check. Long story short: I had to resign after only 6 months because of merchandise theft taking place during my shift. My two options given: pay up or leave. No police no nothing. A lot of fishy stuff! Having all that security and regulations is for our own good!
My boyfriend has worked both as an amazon warehouse worker and as an amazon driver and even if other warehouses are decent to workers amazon's aren't and you can be sure of that. If 14 hour shifts sound good to you with literally no time to eat since you have to deliver, paying for 1/3 of the fuel you are using for delivering and etc etc then yes, Amazon is indeed an ethical company. My ass. Just knowing that Jeff Bezos is the richest man in the world only because he does 0 charity work should be enough for you to deduct how much he cares about his workers. After the company motto is "the customer is always first".
I get second hand clothing,but make sure that its made out of natural materials
Thank you Kristen! I am from the Dominican Republic (raised in NYC and now live in Florida). My mom used to work in a Dockers factory for over 20 years back in my country. Working conditions were bad and pay was definitely not fair. To some degree I am grateful this job put food in our table (she was a single mother) but I am mad at the government for allowing these greedy companies to come and take advantage of our poor people. My mom worked so many hours she didn’t have time to go to school or advance in any way. Capable and smart women were simply not given the opportunity to apply for upper management jobs. So unfair!
Thanks for providing us with the truth on this matter. I rarely buy new clothing for myself or my family. I mostly thrift. When I do buy a new piece of clothing, I think about what I’m learning in your channel. I think of the origin of the item, how it’s affecting the people that made it, the environment, etc.
To be quite frank, at first I thought you were exaggerating and way too bitter and harsh. (Sorry!) but then I opened my eyes and mind and realized that you are saying the truth and this truth hurts.
Continue being as passionate as you are about this. DONT GIVE UP!
All the best to you!! Love your channel.
Leather vs vegan leather. I have mixed feelings about that. I have a leather bag that almost 10 years and Iooks perfect and I had pleather bags that falls apart really quickly and peels. I know so many vegan youtubers promote mat and nat, but turns out it’s not a sustainable and ethical company. My green closet wrote an article about that. I’m curious about pinatex, but still I don’t know if it’s actually sustainable or it’s a greenwashing scam. For now I don’t like designs of pinatex shoes and bags. Oh and mushroom leather sounds cool
As far as I am concerned vegan leather = plastic. Vegan doesn't say anything about environmental impact or sustainability. It only doesn't use animal products. Yet many people seem to forget about that. Mushroom leather sounds amazing, I hope it will get more to the market so I can try it!
@@BlueNorth313 Find me a pair of non plastic, non leather, smart shoes in a UK size 2, and nothing designed for kids because I'm an adult, and an absolute top budget of £50. If you can, great. But nothing like that exists.
I own the following leather items:
A leather jacket that was my mums, that i have used on a daily basis every winter for 8 years. The jacket has almost 20 years of wear.
I own two leather belts, the only belts i own, one black (2y old) 40 bucks, and another one brown, levis's from my mother when she was younger (25 y old).
And the shoes i own are made of leather, otherwise i cant wear them, my feet are weird. They last me usually three season with everyday wear.
I also own a backpack/purse that was my mums, that i use every single day, its around 15 years old.
Yes, im not a shopper lol but i will not stop buying leather because it just lasts decades and you really get your money's worth. Thats my opiniom at least.
honestly, i feel like the best thing to do is buy second hand. go to thrift stores, estate sales, buy from others etc. and buy already used leather. might as well make it so the animal didnt die in vain
@@strangekat2840 it does, actually, i've had a pair of faux leather shoes for 5 years, they are fine. Sure, they dont look new but i can use them. Little details might have fell off but.. Whatever. They were pretty cheap as well, about 300 pesos, that would be around 15 dollars?
We're not talking about animals in this video so i wouldnt ask you to care, but who knows? It's been months since you posted, maybe you care by now.
The production of leather is very toxic, just like denim and many other fabrics..
If you still dont care about animals, second hand leather is always an option. For the planet, at least.
Kristen I am living for your videos! You come across so easy going but never lose sight of the message you're portraying, and none of what you've said has been forceful in anyway. The way you've constructed your video is excellent and well laid out - it flows perfectly and maintained my focus through the entirety. Thank you for the effort you put into to your videos and overall channel. I am in awe of your passion ❤🙏🏼💫
Recently I’ve actually sewed a blouse for myself. It’s been months since I last bought a clothing item and I am still rinsing my closet out of the clothes I don’t wear. I made the piece with 100% cotton, but I do know hemp is more sustainable. Next time I will use hemp or linen instead. I really want to sew a lot of my clothes myself from now on, it was so much fun, I loved it. Also it really helps, when you take one step back in this massive producing chain that we have with clothing and decide what you want to use for your clothing. Next step is to check where the fabric comes from...
I had no idea linen was a more sustainable option! That's wonderful to know, I'm sure a lot of us assumed that cotton was better for the environment than it really is. Thought I knew a lot but now I know so much more! Thank you for doing such well researched videos. The B-roll clips were really engaging too, it makes the info really impactful.
I do want to say I only make my own wool garments and I buy from ethical, native breeds from small ranches for my yarn. It is more expensive but worth it. I actually have a list going on. I also love hemp so much. I want to get more back into it. Linen is one of my favorites. All things I can knit and crochet with!
Kristen, this year I am actively transitioning to low waste/low plastic, also doing a no buy until May, and then transitioning to sustainable/ethic fashion. I have followed you for a while, but your videos are soooo helpful to keep me mindful, intentional, and educated on living this more sustainable lifestyle. THANK YOU GIRL!!!
Wool is useful because I live in the UK and it's often cold here. I need jumpers.
ughhh I get so frustrated that all these sustainable blogs are recommending wool! Awful! Thank you so much for speaking truth!
I am so depressed now. 😔
PapayaJoy Yep there are so many things we are doing to the planet that are depressing and SO many people have no clue or don’t care. Seems impossible to fix. But we have to look at all the positives we can like this informative video.
Welcome to life
Please please please don’t ever stop making these type of educational videos! They’re my favorite 💕
Hey Kristen I study environmental science in Canada, and lately I have been making a more conscious effort to put in place what I learn in my degree and your videos are really helping with the practical aspect of the matter. Thank you 😊 !
Thank you for the great video! I think a useful thing to mention about leather is that most people are under the impression that leather is a by-product of the meat industry and that we’re using the “whole animal”, when in reality completely different cows are bred for leather production, and there actually isn’t much “sharing” at all.
Hey) I'm from Uzbekistan and, glad to tell that the child labor for harvesting cotton has been stopped about 5-6 years ago( if not longer before)
Regarding the 4th largest lake (aka Aral Sea), most of it has been extensively consumed during the colonization by Russian empire when they exploited the nation as well as the cotton industry and the CHILDREN(by demanding unbelievably high requirements to the amount of cotton to be harvested). and after some point of which the Aral sea wasn't able to replenish its waters whatsoever.
Thanks, though! your videos are realky informative))
Kristen! You made me seriously consider the impact I was making by buying clothes from huge companies. I only really buy clothes from depop now. I got all my friends on to depop and they love it too! I haven’t bought clothes from a physical store in at least six months I think. I’m so glad you have such an informative TH-cam channel and are sharing info to so many. Thanks so much!
I'm amazzzeeddd at how informative and well presented this video is and you look greaattt xxx
Don't understand why youtube demonetizes you. Your videos are so informational! Thank you so much ❤️
Preach girl, preach! Support you and everything you do! Keep shining bright and bringing these issues to the forefront of our awareness! 👏🏼
I just found your TH-cam page and I’m obsessed !!!! Please continue spreading awareness ❤️❤️❤️
Kristen...your videos are so informative...yes i became more aware and less inclined to buy for nothing just impulsively...thanks💗
Kristen, I have been watching for years and always shared your opinions, but recently something klicked I guess and I started reading a lot more on the topic. Thank you so so much for making these videos and inspiring so many of us.
A truely eye-opening video! I've been an op-shopper/thrifter for some time now and thought I was doing a good thing. I'm going to start looking at the materials in the clothes now too. I don't want to be wearing plastic or be the cause of more plastic in the environment. Never thought about polyester, etc actually were. Thanks Kristen!
i remember reading a long time ago about hemp also being used in the making of disposable water bottles. it actually has a lot of potential in that field but most plastic bottle companies are trying to hide it from the public >:(
Thank you so much for spreading awareness about this topic. You have educated me so much on the reality of where my clothes come from and the huge impact we have on this planet through what we wear xx
Σε ευχαριστώ πάρα πολύ για αυτό το βίντεο. Συμπεριέλαβες πάρα πολλές πληροφορίες που δεν γνώριζα και μου κίνησες το ενδιαφέρον να το ψάξω και εγώ & να εντάξω στη ζωή μου μεγαλύτερη συνείδηση σε αυτόν τον τομέα! Δεν σχολιάζω συνήθως, αλλά ήθελα πολύ να σε ευχαριστήσω... Καλή συνέχεια!
Trying to share this far and wide so everyone has the chance to learn this vital information. Keep them coming Kristen
Great video, thanks for ending on a sort of positive note, as the situation is quite bleak. Funny thing is hemp used to be super common and widely used in ship sails and ropes (that's how resistant it is). Hopefully we'll go back to that, since the seeds are also a great protein and make great skin care
Its better for making paper too, grows faster than trees
I absolutely love your channel I’m studying to be a sustainable / ethical fashion designer atm trying to have the tiniest impact as possible.
I like how you get straight to the point and you don't do the annoying small talk in the beginning
Yes, I was looking for this info EVERYWHERE! I have been transitioning into a more sustainable closet and unfortunately second hand is a very rare option where I live. So I started looking into stores so that I could eventually buy from them but I was so confused at what was sustainable or not and this really helped me! Thank you so much, Kristen! :)
Thank you so much for being such a great voice in TH-cam! Spreading awareness and teaching your viewers to lower their carbon footprint 💗
Love your vidoes! Thank you sharing knowledge about so many important subjects!
I am so happy for your collab Kristen :)
omg i use hemp for my sustainable clothing brand and there are sooo many benefits its super durable and also blocks uv rays from the skin so perf for summer, it also gets softer the more u use it so more of an incentive for u to use ur hemp products! loved this video gonna link it on my blog portion of my shop! thank you :)
I have a question, where do you source your hemp from? Like what’s the name of the company?
Every second I spend watching one of your videos is time well invested. Thank you so much
Thank you Kristen. Really. 🌹You changed a big part of my lifestyle . spreading this message is one of the strongest ways to deal with this terrible problem- The environmental effects that clothes have 👎🏼. If you could ever make a video about the best brands to look for if you are going to shop something not secondhand or how to reuse ♻️ clothes as an alternative to recycling it would be great. Any other way to brighten up the good side of the eathical movement. things we can do in order to bring more people and more awareness . 🌷
My friends and I watch and have Conversations about the topics of your videos 💗
I support you 100% and I am so glad to have you as an influencer.
-maya
From Israel
I'm curious about your take on fabrics made from recycled plastics--I noticed that there are some brands like this on your sustainable clothing list of links (blog). From what I've read, the chemicals used to break down the bottles are harmful to our water supply, and supporting clothes made of (even recycled) plastics means more plastic fibers in our water supply...not to mention the dangers of wearing these fabrics on the skin daily and another scary question...what dyes are they using for these fabrics? It feels like a form of greenwashing to imply that they are helping the environment when in fact they are using chemicals to break down the plastics into something we can use to make textiles. If you have any more info on this I would love to know more.
It so crazy that before watching this video I see an ad for net-a-porter and buying clothes...what is your advice of how to escape all these ads if you love TH-cam? What is your advice to not be tricked by ads into buying stuff? Also, on Instagram and TH-cam I see so much content about fashion and people wearing stuff. I do not want to stop enjoying to watch this...Best, Diana
The research and energy you have put into this video is amazing! So educational! Thank you for raising awareness on this very serious issue
💖💖💖 Thank you so much Alexandra! 😍
how do you feel about buying secondhand leather items? I love your videos so much, you’ve really opened up my eyes to what I’m supporting when I buy fast fashion
It is still animal product. If you wear it you show to the people around you that its ok to wear animal corpses. And you raise the demand even if you buy it secondhand because even in thriftstores they count what is trending
Thank you so much! 💖 I think it's ok as long as it's second hand, leather and synthetic look the same, you can't tell which is which most times. Some argue that wearing leather promotes the idea that it's ok to buy new leather garments but then faux leather, fur (faux anything) would have the same effect. We can't blame or go after anyone wearing secondhand leather just because people are uninformed about the cruelty behind leather production. Even better, if you wear something made of leather and someone asks you where you got it from it's a great opportunity to explain why leather is so bad, why you bought yours second hand and why they should too 😉
thank you so much! you always think of things in a way that i never have before and its so helpful and informative
I was thinking about this a lot, and I think it is okay to buy it, but recently the thought of anything imitating an animal's body on me stresses me out. let it be faux leather, second hand leather, animal print, faux fur
@@Erikakicute So rather than using an already made leather jacket you would toss it? The animal died already! Thats unsustainable!
My question would be what would we do will all the existing plastic based clothing? What's the best way to recycle/dispose of it ethically and sustainably?
Bethany Hammond I guess wear them and wash in the bags made to keep particles out of the water.
You can give them away for recycling if they are 100% synthetic fabrics, the mixed synthetics can’t be recycled, so it’s better to wear them as long as you can, give it away or repurpose it.
love ur vids!
I don’t intend this comment to be hateful or shaming at all, I’m genuinely interested in all of you opinions on this... This amazing video that Kristen has researched and put together (thank you so much by the way, I learned so much!), was sponsored by audible... which is owned by amazon, which is owned by Jeff bezos... a man and company who Kristen herself has criticised in one of her recent videos, which confuses me. Would anyone care to shed some light on this as it seems a little contradictory and hypocritical that Kristen is promoting Audible and therefore receiving money from them even though she speaks so passionately about how truly awful Jeff bezos is in a more recent video (which I really did enjoy!). Just a simple question with honestly no hate intended, just education!
I love linen and hemp 💚 but what about bamboo fibers? Some claim it is sustainable but I've also heard that the process of producing the fibers is very polluting.
Search bamboo clothing then read information about the material of that item and you will get your answer.
thank you for the all the info you provide!
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Hi ! I just saw your video. I'm a student in textile engineering school and I've learnt that pineapple leather is actually covered with polyurethan (to have this waterproof/real leather effect) which is a synthetic component and so this king of fabric is also unsustainable. But thanks though for all your work ! I love it !
😱😢 that sucks! Thanks for the info!!!
Just the video I needed! I was hoping you'd make a video on fabrics and other ways to help spread the word about sustainable fashion / living! Sometimes I feel like I'm not doing enough or feel like it's not worth it because so many people around me are contributing to these horrible conditions it's overwhelming. Could you do a video on sustainable fashion brands?
Love how educational these videos are! I do think boycotting certain brands is an effective way for consumers to vote with their dollar for hat they believe in. Policies and regulations are the goal, however, actually getting them in place on a large scale is pretty time-consuming. What I've been doing finding ethical alternatives (when I can't find an item at the thrift store) to support those types of companies.
Check for mulesing free wool if you buy wool from large companies the better option if poss is thrift or also there are a lot of small farms who produce wool in the slow more natural to the sheep environments this means that a good quality sweater which you might keep for 30 -60years It Will cost between 70 for a simple sweater and 100-200 Euro for a Big cardigan with a lot of workmanship handmade but by buying this you are supporting small local businesses and small local communities . My mom inherited some such sweaters and if you dont wash them in modern detergent which dissolves the fibre they last and last .
*sees notifications - droppes everything, goes to watch it
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such an informative video! I love how knowledgeable you are on these topics
This was so insightful! Thank you. Will definitely be using this information and inspiration as I work towards a career in environmental law.
*standing ovations*
We love your content Kristen, on so many levels.
I love these educational videos!!! You are the best. Let's keep spreading the word to take down the fast fashion industry.
so if every clothing brand was to go ethical, what would they have to do? what would a perfect brand look like? since even cotton is not so sustainable.
thank you for providing all your sources, i really appreciate it !
I’m a big fan of wearing hemp and even better when I can find clothing at a second hand store !!! Thanks for this video ❤️
Your research and your intelligent view of things always amazes me! Keep up the good work💪
As a crochet artist and clothing designer I'm disappointed that you didn't mention the ETHICAL sheep farmers who provide wool. First, it's in the famers best interest to keep their sheeps happy and healthy. Second, ETHICAL sheep farmers ARE NOT slaughtering their sheep for wool. That would literally cost them a butt load of money and wool would be much more expensive than it is. Sheep that provide ETHICAL wool are not bred to be used for meat consumption and are not usually slaughtered. This isn't theoretical and there are plenty of ETHICAL wool suppliers. You just have to stop looking at large corporations to provide it. I just wish you would've at least mentioned that ETHICAL wool is not something that's just theoretical.
I'm afraid this video might misinform your viewers into thinking that all wool is supplied unethically.
A lot of my neighbours have sheeps, and I basicly grew up with sheeps. None of the sheeps had any skin folds, neither they were killed after getting the wool off, killing the sheep after cutting off the wool is just dumb, the wool will grow back anyway?? The skin fold thing probably depends what kind of sheep breed it is thought. And for the sheep, if they treated those sheeps absolutely terribly, the quality of the wool would be really bad anyway.
In general I havent heard about any unethical wool cases in my country (Finland), even if they talk a lot about how problematic meat production is. Maybe nobody cares about wool that much, or maybe they don't really need to change anything about wool production in Finland.
Lily, most handmade sellers online (through marketplaces like Etsy and Shopify) will usually have in their listings description that the wool used to make the garment is sourced ethically. I'm a part of the handmakers community online (and off line) and it's really really uncommon to find a crochet or knitting artist that uses unethically obtained wool. Like papi said above, it would be a really dumb business practice to kill, hurt or mistreat your sheep if they're purpose (for the business) is producing wool. If they do then it's probably crappy wool anyways and most legit designers won't use it.
You can also search Etsy to find raw or spun ethically obtained wool, straight for the farm :)
MarigoldWitch Then again, is okay to keep animals for ANY type of wool production? It’s not. Animals should be free, not human “property”... you should not use animals as a money making tool. Animals are not here for us. I would never buy wool and it being “ethical” doesn’t mean anything to me. Sounds like “wool farming” still, animals kept in captivity.
I’m sure there is other materials you could use, hemp and bamboo among many other I’m sure.
Keeping sheep is beneficial for both the owner and the sheep. The owner gets the profits from selling wool, yes. However the sheep gets shelter, food, clean water, access to a veterinarian and safety from predators...is it not enough? Plus, a sheep NEEDS to be shaved or it gets covered in knots that lead to inflammation and other health defects - just google some pics of runaway sheep and you'll see.
I dont think that its so ethical to make money whith animals
That video is really good!! Haha I didn't know what is the best and up until recently I thought cotton and viscose were some of the best. So I really needed a video like that! Thank you!!
Really off topic here - but where is your jewelry from? Necklaces + rings. I’m in love!
I’m so glad you uploaded! I was just recommending like all of your videos to a friend. I’m glad for this topic though because I’m trying to make the best and most conscious choices but there’s still more I could learn
Yay! 💖 thank you for recommending my channel! That's so sweet 😍
Kristen Leo your channel is amazing! I find myself always recommending you, Shelbizleee, Erin Janus and Mic the vegan
I live in Croatia and there aren't many trift shops here it all and ethical brands too so when i go shopping i always try not to buy any clothes made from plastic but it is so hard and takes so much time to look at every tag to see is it cotton and specially when you like something and it says 100%made of polyester, you can't even find a sweater nowdays that isn't from polyester it breaks my heart :(
I hope to find a good job soon because if that's so I would consider becoming one of your patrons. You are one of my favorite TH-camrs and I think you do good to this world with your conscious and informative videos!
Also, about the wool, the fact of using an animal for our confort regardless of the conditions is unethical. Like, those sheaps would still be owned and shaved (certainly gather in some place too) which make wool unethical even on a theoretical level. Not trying to be the judgy vegan here, just adding an other argument to your very interesting video :). Thanks for your work ! You motived me to keep on thrift shopping :)
This video taught me so much, THANK YOU! 💚
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This is the most important video I've watched all year.
This was such an informational and well-made video! Thank you Kristen :)
Uggh.. I recently caved in and got influenced to buy a knitted sweater from a "normal" brand.. not really fast fahion, more high end and with a timeless design, and factories in Italy, but I still feel bad about it. Mostly because even though I need the garment for winter, it felt so bad being influenced by one of those bloggers.. I am truly ashamed.
Do you know how to tackle these situations? Quit reading blogs, quit instagram?!
Love the infirmation on this video! Thanks Kristen and love from Germany
Loving this! Kinda makes me sad since a lot of my clothes growing up were cheap/poor quality:( but I haven't bought new clothing for a good few months now (which is a start) and I'm hoping to get one of those guppy bags x
This is a fantastic video, Kristen. Thanks so much for sharing the information and spreading awareness!
The quality of the video is great! Thanks
In every single video of yours I learn something new. I would love to know what makes you think of them!
Your videos are so informative, I love them!
Loved this video Kristen, SO instructive ! Cheers from Brussels :)
Thank you for making this! I'd love to see if there are any brands you recommend at all for being truly sustainable brand
Basically, ALL fabric release micro-fibers, even cotton. They ALL cause problems for marine life. However, in Finland (where I live) the wastewater treatment plant catches 99% of all micro-fibers, and will eventually be able to catch them all. What is causing the biggest micro-plastic pollution are ships (that leak old paint all over) and car wheels. The micro-plastic that comes from clothing is not the biggest issue - yet something we as consumers can think of. Obviously, I would _NEVER_ buy new synthetic clothing, but as a vintage clothing lover, I do buy synthetic vintage clothing. I think it's important to wear them out instead of throwing them to the landfill (where it would take up to 200 years to compose). :)