I'm a UX Designer...what a joke. When I inspected the source code, the image is the same size. You're not saving ANY energy. If anything, it takes more battery power and Wifi signal to reload the page with their so-called energy-saving feature. And even if hypothetically you were saving a tiny percentage of energy, it's only 1 website of thousands we look at in a month. From a business and UX standpoint it makes no sense either because a lower resolution photo is NOT what consumers want. We always want more high quality photos and videos. I could keep going but I don't need to.
I actually disagree that it doesn’t make sense from a business standpoint - it’s a great marketing technique to make the user feel as if they’re participating in sustainability without having to do any actual legwork or make any sacrifices. It’s also a great way, low cost/effort way for the company to draw attention away from it’s abhorrent human rights abuses. And I’m sure it only took like 2 extra seconds to code cuz it looks like all they really did was switch out the colors and degrade the image resolution? (I haven’t looked at the source code). An all around 10/10 solution for the performative activist 👍🏾
@@Merrybandoruffians i agree with you. When I said it makes no sense, I meant at the extreme - the principle of removing photos doesn’t actually enhance UX. Ofc they did the bare minimum to trick users from a marketing pov (which is ultimately a business pov) as you more eloquently put it.
If Kardashian's involved in any shape or form I'd most definitely NOT buy even if I might have been interested at first. They're an opposite of ethical.
Not a genius that thought a Kardashian would bring sustainability, but that thought a Kardashian would get us to actually know what BooHoo is. I had never heard of this brand until Justine posted about it. All good info, though!
You got me on board with Patagonia's message just by showing me that they teach and encourage people to repair and maintain their clothes instead of just buying more more more. They shouldn't have to because part of being a functioning adult means knowing how to maintain what you use every single day, but the fact that they do when it goes against their own monetary gain says a lot.
I wonder if boohoo's sales are going to drop after such a greenwashing campaign (or rise?...), and whether Patagonia will rise after the switch to an NGO. Your thoughts?
I doubt it. Patagonia only makes outdoor clothing. How many duffel coats does one person need. As for Boohoo, people buy from them because that's what they can afford. I'm sure even the teenagers who buy from them would rather buy designer, handmade stuff but even second hand designer things are far more than most of us can afford - even as a one off purchase every 10 years.
Patagonia clothes are very expensive and long-lasting. I don't think that their sales will increase significantly, because they are not aimed at endless sales growth, which is a good thing.
tbh Patagonia came on my radar only now with their announcement. The next time I need to buy something that Patagonia is offering as well, I'll go there, even if prices are higher.
You are a true fashion blogger. You never bombard videos for the sake of it. And any video you upload will have myriad of information. And it’s just not a clothes haul channel. Nobody would think about discussing these in a fashion channel. So informative and engaging. Kudos Gurl!
I have worn / used Patagonia for many years, even before being “ethical” was chic….yes, items are expensive but they last 20 yrs. not 20 min. Quality not quantity. Very happy and proud that Patagonia is putting their money where their mouth is and planning for the future. Let’s hope other brands, outdoor or runway, follow their example! Thank you! Justine, for a very thoughtful and informative video! You are the best!
@@BebelovesMacika There are physical stores that sell their clothing. It seems Patagonia barely has their own stores. They have some mainly in France and Italy
my boss once told me that she bought a new jacket after her old one was worn out after 15 years! It wasn't from Patagonia but still....making sustainable and durable clothes IS very much possible. Having grown up in a very h&m, forever 21 and co dominated fashion world, I almost forget about it sometimes
@@mizpah1993 I learned from my grandma, but TH-cam has great tutorials. Start with small, simple hand repairs or hemming a pair of pants. I'm afraid of machine sewing😄, so I do everything by hand. I'm sure you'll get the hang of it!
@@mizpah1993 there are a lot of TH-cam videos you can watch!! That’s how I have been learning. There are also a lot of videos on couture sewing techniques so you can literally get that high-end look for such a low price in comparison by making your clothes with quality stitching. It takes just a little bit more patience but imo it’s so worth it! Since you’re really only going to be doing it a few times in maybe several years if you make sustainable clothes that last you. Even the process of picking out your own fabrics, looking at design inspirations etc is really fun. Plus you know no one else will have this piece you have. It might sound weird but it also somehow got me to “bond” with my wardrobe in a different way. Because I put so much care and effort from almost it’s start to finish that literally love every piece in my closet. I got so into it that I am also on the side working on a “project”. I have been watching tons of Chanel/dior couture videos and learning some of their embroidery and other techniques. So I am working on making something for my mom that will look very artistic and couture but it will take some time. It is fun though as you are sort of creating a wearable art and it’s even relaxing to do something so detail oriented. Sorry for the essay but I really love it and it excites me and I want others to try and feel great too! I hope it works out for you!
I started sewing my clothes in 2015. It really changes how you look at your wardrobe - only investing time and money into things that you love & will wear for more than a one week trend cycle.
As a Web Developer, that Energy Saving feature on the Boohoo website is rather questionable. It doesn’t state how it will make the website more energy efficient and the screen dimming is purely aesthetic
Yeah I was also thinking about that - as a UX designer I am not sure if this will make a difference at all as it does not change the settings of the device?
As a physicist, I can say that nope it does not save any energy. A running circuit is a circuit. You would physically need to reduce brightness of the display screen in order to save. What a joke lol
@@carochan86 Nope. Best thing a website provider can do to minimize environmental impact is to go with an ethical server farm with (actually) sustainable practices: they do exist. Given the wide range of customer devices and settings, there's no way a website provider, designer, or coder can really create a "low-energy website." The device you are using to look at the website uses pretty much the same amount of power to display static media content no matter how the website is working "under the hood." You can optimize for performance / speed, but not electricity. (Unless you're talking about swapping out video for photos and text, then sure, your battery will last longer.)
Thank you for your call outs to the fast fashion brands that are greenwashing. The more info we have, the better decisions we can make with our money and what fashions we should be supporting.
Is there anything the Kardashians won’t do for money and fame? They all already have both and it’s time they use their influence for the good of this planet. Very enlightening video Justine!
I have to admit, the first time I purchased something from Patagonia I really gulped at seeing the price tag. And tbh when I was still under 30 I wouldn't have been able to afford it no matter how much I wanted to. Yes, a good piece of clothing lasts you longer and thus is more worth its money, but my disposable income for the longest time just didn't even allow for that kind of investment. I hope that one day there will be some way to provide sustainable at affordable rates as well. It doesn't have to be ultra cheap, but at least it should be in a normal middle class budget (taking into consideration that they don't only need to buy clothes but also pay a rent, buy food etc) Anyway, so in my early 30s I finally afforded myself two Patagonia shirts and a pullover, and before I knew it 7 years have passed and they're still going strong and serving me well. Knowing that Patagonia is basically an NGO now I'll gladly make my next necessary purchases there too.
I hope the public sees the scheme Boohoo is trying to pull as well as many other fashion brands. I prefer thrifting myself, but I would love to see a video about sustainable brands and why they are sustainable. Thank you for getting the word out and helping educate us; I enjoy all of your videos!
Ok but who names their brand Boohoo?! 😂. Anyway, we really have to realize and understand that we have the power to get rid of these kind of brands with proper guidance, education and awareness. And we have you to THANK for always enlightening us 😊
We have the power, yes, but with the rising cost of living and the fact that many companies are expensive but do not stand by their product like Patagonia, often we are over a barrel. I thrift. Problem solved.
Merci, Justine! I've been waiting for this video since seeing your tweet about Boohoo. Excellent analysis & commentary, as always. The contrast between Boohoo & Patagonia couldn't be starker. Thank you also for saying at the end that we choose what to buy, whom to buy from. Buying is voting, so buying from Boohoo means you're voting for throwaway, unethical junk, whereas buying from Patagonia means you're supporting ethical production & real work to combat the climate crisis. It will indeed be interesting to watch how each company fares after these announcements.
Thank you for your continued effort in your fight against fast fashion and green washing. I’m 62 and I remember when clothing was made well and lasted for years. Even today, I will only buy high quality clothing (and timeless fashion) that I can wear for years.
Completely agree on all points. I continue to open my children's (all adults now) eyes and encourage them to save and buy quality pieces. This was instilled in me as a child growing up my parents would say its not worth buying something that will not even last after a few cleanings, boy were they right.
So true! I still have quite a number of clothes and some handbags that I bought decades ago (even a couple from my parents, from the 60s or 80s) in excellent condition and timeless style. Mostly from France, like me :) I love and take care of them. The cotton, wool and leather, the stiches, the buttons, everything was fantastic, even when it was not very expensive. I also have some bedlinen and table clothes that are decades old, still great, beautiful and in fashion because they are timeless. First hand vintage is perfect, but second hand vintage can be amazing too! It makes me so sad to see what fast fashion sells and you can feel that their products were made in awful conditions for the workers, and the environment.
Thank you Justine for being so clear, so convincing and so concerned! Je continue en français parce que j'ai honte de te dire qu'il y a seulement 5 ou 6 ans je ne m'intéressais pas aux questions d'environnement ni aux question de durabilité. Non pas que je me vautre dans la fast fashion (j'achete tout en seconde main, ayant à Paris pléthore de friperies à disposition). Je te suis depuis longtemps maintenant et tu as su me convaincre sur ces questions ainsi que sur les questions d'exploitation humaine. Bien à toi, chère Justine !
I have learned so much from your channel. Thank you so much! For years I have brought my clothes second hand and I feel proud to teach this to my nieces now. I learned this from your videos and news like this makes me happy, for changes are taking place so quickly! Great video, Justine!
I get always upset when I shop with my husband. The clothes for men are much better designed, the materials have more quality and the last more. Even wenn we look for busic items in the same brand such as black pants or a V-Neck black wool pullover. Why we cant have better products for women?
As always, you do your homework! Thank you for your reports. I began watching in 2018 as I was planning a trip to France, but you keep me hooked. I’m a retired teacher and artist, 67, feel I have always followed classic trends in fashion, and live in the Mojave Desert. Best to you!
Looking for sustainable fashion is a nightmare because of greenwashing campaigns (and that's their aim too). I feel encouraged that young people are opting for second hand fashion as a more sustainable option. I found Patagonia when I was looking for a rain jacket and really love the company ethos. Even their emails are mostly full of travel blogs instead of apparel advertising!
Excellent video! Your research is impeccable. As soon as a member of the K family is mentioned in anyway, I back away, so not interested in ANY of them. Plastic clothes for plastic people. Thank you Justine.
This is why we love you. You tackle head on the fashion industry and help us know who to really bypass (or at least do our very heavy duty homework on) and who to consider. It is seriously and very much appreciated. Merci beaucoup! PS. Patagonia have been around for years, so their ethics prove they are a company worth supporting. But are there any fast fashion companies that have also managed to hang in there, though there is no reason they should have been able to, and how have they done it if they have? (Primark?) And who are the primary buyers of fast fashion today? (I am sure you have probably said, but would love a repeat.)
About that "energy-saving" feature: My partner (physicist) claims that it actually might INCREASE energy consumption overall... The point is that only for OLED screens (which many smartphones have nowadays) it reduces energy consumption, BUT for LCD screens (which most PC screen still are) it actually increases energy consumption.
I'm almost 40 now. I no longer care about any fashion of the moment, I know what I like and need and I buy less and less clothing as a result. So I much rather buy natural fabrics, from ethical companies, more expensive, but also I'm not washing any microplastic into my drinking water. I never heard of patagonia but next time I need to replace a clothing item I will check them out. Thank you for this video.
Exactly what I was thinking! Just another gimmick, using highlighter & dark themes. If people really wanted to reduce the energy consumption, they’d focus on stopping or reducing bitcoin mining ⛏, that draws a lot more. But I guess we’re in way too deep to stop 🛑 that! Fellow s/w engineer 👩💻 here! - Amy
I don't really see how Patagonia is a sustainable brand. It is ethical maybe but it uses a lot of synthetic fibers and it isn't very sustainable in a long run
For real I just had a quick glance of their website since I never shop there and nearly all their fleece products are polyester! It even mentions on the product page that the due to the nature if the fabric it will pill over time so presumably shred lots of microplastics.
I love Patagonia clothing, however I live in Patagonia (Chile) and they are unfortunately nowhere near affordable for the vast majority of people here.
I just looked at Patagonia site and I found 80 Euros for a baby fleece rather hefty - if you don't have a lot of dispensable income where would people go when their ever growing children need new clothes? Poorer areas in Europe don't have thrift shops like the US . It is a dilemma when many families are at the moment in the heat or eat predicament. It's not only people following fast fashion who buy at the likes of Boohoo or Primark but the poor.
The difference is your Patagonia fleece is going to serve you for years, and not fall apart after the first wash. I've had my (Jack Wolfskin or Vaude) trekking clithes for YEARS. Even with intense use they don't really 'die.' But of course you make a valid point, it's always been like that, people with money can have great quality clothes and shoes and never spend anything in years, and people with less income need to buy new fleece or shoes every month😕 We need to support second hand and vintage.
However, the pressure from the law and the market (specially us, the customers) forces the fast fashion industry to offer affordable but ethically produced clothing
@@rosewildwood7307 it's true, there's no perfect solution, buying less and taking care of what you have and sharing between friends. I've gifted or sold for a symbolic sum a lot of my clothes to friends and acquaintances, I think sharing /swapping clothes is a viable option. If there's a will, there's a way, as they say. Let's be honest, we all have more clothes than we could ever ever need, most of us wouldn't have to buy a single thing every again😏
Thank you for highlighting this. I'm tired of being recommended Shein and Boohoo fashion hauls from various youtubers. I do wonder though, with the wider population that people may buy from these brands because it's all they can afford? And may not necessarily have the disposable income to purchase higher quality items from sustainable brands. The likes of Shein and Boohoo are probably well aware of this and use it to their advantage to capitalise their profits.
High-quality, sustainable clothing is a lot more expensive, just like buying all organic food, etc. It’s hard on my tight budget, but I try to buy fewer, but better-quality items instead of lots of fast-fashion items. There is also the matter of instant gratification, or near instant, it’s more difficult to save up for a better item then to get the instant “reward” of something cheap and new.
@@kimberlyperrotis8962 High prices give the illusion of quality. I have second hand H&M clothes that last for years. The issue is more complex, and depends on our mentality. I cannot afford Patagonia or other ethical brands and I think that at leas Patagonia charging 1000 Eur for a jacket is not ethical.
I love how you share your knowledge about common problems from the fashion industry. And I would like to hear your thoughts on Lily Silk. They are now everywhere, and that sometimes is a bad sign.
I remember reading a couple of years ago that Patagonia does in fact use fossil fuels/petroleum to make many of its products, and when questioned, they insisted that they had to, so that is worth investigating if that bothers you.
You're doing a great job explaining something VERY important to women everywhere Justine. BRAVO! I'm not the consumer I once was, and these days don't use the type of garments Patagonia makes, but decided that if I really do need a new winter jacket I'll try one of their long models from recycled down. Up here in Scandinavia, winters can get VERY cold so quality and gear made for these temperatures is imperative as you'll need to get alot of daily use out of it. I care about animals too so the fact the down is recycled is a great argument, besides what you already covered. I wish brands that weren't expressly sporty would be better at sustainability. I have a shop in my neighborhood that only sells brands that check all the boxes, unfortunately I rarely find anything flattering or stylish for the cold weather seasons which is the majority of the year here. Only extremely casual garments, lots of bamboo jersey etc. If anyone has recommendations on chic city clothes made with sustainability in mind please share. 🙏
Same here! Yes, I have an "outdoors wardrobe" for when I'm outdoors but I would really like sustainable brands for my everyday clothes that are less casual in style.
@@glamdragon totally agree with both of you. I've always been a bit fashion forward, up and coming looks rather than low budget versions of runway looks 4 seasons ago. Besides just cultivating my own specific style which involed vintage and retweaking garments, very personal accessories, etc. Now that I'm older (53)and don't have the perfect hourglass figure anymore, and don't live the fast and busy nighlife etc. I'd really like to find sustainable brands that don't put out hippie-yoga inspired lines for leisure or cater to hiking and sportswear. Classic or current, not looks for women obviously over the hill focused only on comfort. I find it almost impossible to find. I'm not willing to pay rediculous prices I can't afford either, but am willing to pay more for sustainability and quality with some flair, attention to detail etc that I can use and combine with my wardrobe for several of the same seasons to come. But damned if I can think of a single brand out there that fits those criteria. It's strange, as if caring about sustainability only applied when ypu go on hikes and to the beach or if you have blond dreads and 15 piercings. Seems so out of touch to me... This os actually alot better looking for shoes. The footwear market seems to have adapted and understood much better. Also somewhat easier to purchase online, as once you've seen products of a brand, the only risk you are taking is size. Whereas garments have to fit your bodytype and models be suitable proportions for you, and the drape and cut makes a huge difference with fabric, all of which is alot harder to determine without a fitting. Shoes of good quality brands are easy to assess online if you'll like them or not. But I suppose there's alot of greenwashing there too.. I feel like the industry is really stuck in the past. Patagonia should be a real inspiration with their policy of taking garments for recycling and repairing worn ones (OF ANY BRAND) which is totally unique and so cool! But nobody can wear Patagonia to the office, to dinner out, or on top of a coctail dress. So there is the problem for someone like myself (regardless of age). All I can do is what I've done since the 80s already. Besides shopping alot less which is the case now. I'm lucky I had the guts early on to alter things to my taste or shape so I've learned to look at garments that way.
@@gnarbeljo8980 if I'm not mistaken, that only repair Patagonia items. But it's great regardless. There are few brands in Europe with similar service, but mostly outdoors :(
@@veronikavysoudilova9697 no, i just checked their website and that may be a new thing as well but it's clearly stated they repair any garment of any brand. Pretty amazing!
I am always kind of getting mad when influencers / celebrities .. endorse environmentally and socially terrible products/companies ... just so irresponsible - and this Kardashian .. wherever she crawled out from .. certainly does not feel bad about influencing so many people to buy and wear utter garbage.
Sure the pieces they model might be better quality, but what arrives is nothing like the photos (all photoshopped and surgically enhanced!) Today at the post office saw so many returns going back, none of it looks good quality or fits properly. Another thing not mentioned is having wardrobes full of polyester clothes is a massive fire hazard, whereas wools, silks, cottons are less combustible and don't shed in the washing machine causing water pollution too
@@jenniferjen5422 totally agree with you on your fabric content comment! Thanks to Justine I made change in fabrics I wear clothes from (only natural fibers, preferably with GOTS certifications) years ago and don’t look back.
@@SuperAnnetik agree on the natural fiber! As I get older and entering into the working world as a busy adult, I believe our skin are just more sensitive to unnatural fibers and dyes as we sit around all day in an office and stressed about adult responsibilities! I never used to notice whatever I was wearing had a direct relationship between my comfort level of quality fabric vs. mood, but now it’s so distinguishable.
If we were all worried about ethical behaviour then none of us would be on TH-cam 😆 I agree of the natural fibres. Better for the environment and better for our skin ✌🏼
I wish I could give this video two thumbs up. American (and global) consumers need more informative videos like this. THANK YOU for keeping us informed on these issues.
I have a basic Patagonia pullover that I still wear all through the Fall and Winter because I hike most days. My husband bought it for himself and wore it for 10 years. I have now worn it (after I married him and stole it from him) for about 10 years. This past year I bought a Patagonia backpack which is basically my everyday purse. I can't speak higher about the quality.
Still, Patagonia has sued the actual Patagonia inhabitants to stop using the name of the region in their products since its now trademarked, also has tried to stop local producers from obtaining the Denomination of Origin certification (eg: Patagonian lamb), so for me its a no no. I think its just a greenwashing move and something to pay less taxes since NGOs are exempt
All of your videos are so informative. I can't tell you how grateful I am to find some informed and intelligent information about the fashion and the industry. Thank you so much!!
I have wondered how much impact companies like ThredUP have on the environment. Could you speak more on the online thrift/consignment businesses? I have tried to buy more items from places like this when I can and I just wonder how much better it actually is, and what hidden drawbacks there might be. Thanks so much for these videos! It’s intriguing!!
My struggle with thrifting -- grew up doing it since that was what we could afford a lot of the time -- is that so much of the thrift store clothing is no longer high quality. I get frustrated, for example, when trying to find a nice sweater at the thrift store when everything is acrylic/other plastic fiber. Another downside to the rise of thrift stores is that its popularity inflates prices of goods that were initially intended to provide a clothing source for folks who couldn't afford new clothes from stores. Now, it is almost cheaper to purchase clothes from FF retailers instead of the thrift stores. When the FF clothes wear out, they end up in the donation pile, thus "polluting" the thrift stores. The best thing about thrifting is that you are saving a garment from the landfill. It would have otherwise been thrown away, unless you purchase it and wear it.
They have huge facilities to store all the inventory and of course they have to ship everything so there is a significant footprint but these are still second hand items so no production waste and no poor labor practices in other countries. There is probably enough clothing on ThredUp to clothe all women in the US for the next 25 years. I just made that up but something like that is plausible and if it means more of these fast fashion brands closing their doors THAT would make a great impact 😃👍
Yes I read the Patagonia article with interest. There is already an international standard for environmental management systems. Its ISO 14001 and businesses get certified to this standard. It is used across all areas of business and covera all aspects of the business and supply chain.
that is not enough... There are multiple certifications for fabric origin/quality, there are barely any certification for how you treat the garment workers (or how the companies you outsource your production to... treat their garment workers). It's a huge grey area.
Justine, you are my favorite Super Hero! No one focuses on the ethics of fashion like you. I am grateful to you for your continued push to raise awareness of how our money is spent when we make a clothing purchase. Bless you and thank you.
Thank you for keeping fast fashion and its negative effects on the forefront. My daughter's passion is the environment. We have had many good discussions about fast fashion and what we can do about it.
TY for all the information u have provided over the years. It has changed the way I shop, either higher quality pieces or thrift shops. Hope all is going well w your house and cooler weather has begun in ur area.
Since education is the key I highly recommend a documentary "The green lie". The austrian director Werner Boote and environmental expert Kathrin Hartmann meticulously unpick some of the most prevalent "greenwashing" myths at play today such as environmentally-friendly electric cars, sustainably-produced food products, fair production processes.
You are the only person with a fashion expertise that I follow, understand, respect, and find incredibly informative and inspiring - thank you/ merci:)
So glad, that you are back Justine :) I have been missing your weekly videos! You are one of my favourite TH-camrs. Thank you for letting us take a look behind the scenes and understanding more about fashion, dressing well and finding our personal style. All the best to you ☀️
My wonderful mother taught myself and my sisters very early in life to buy quality items of clothing….I’ve never heard of bohoo but have been wearing Patagonia and others like them all my life….turn 60 this year….I love wearing my cloths for decades….thank you Justine for outing the companies that degrade the earth and don’t treat their employees justly 🙏
I just went to check out Patagonia’s website. 1) it’s very expensive 2) no plus size clothing 3) why do they feel the need to print giant “save the planet” designs on half their stuff? I’m always on the hunt for plain stuff without big prints, stripes and polka dots is enough for me. I’m willing to save up for high quality clothing but if it doesn’t fit, there is no use in buying it and I prefer if I like the design…😅 I’m doing my best, I buy a lot of stuff second hand and I always repair my clothes for as long as possible and recycle it properly; but sometimes I buy fast fashion because it’s all I can afford and I wear it long past what is considered fashionable and much longer than it stays in good shape for, it’s not exactly fast for me.
I hate prints too, and I am also “plus size”. Only second hand and custom made, there is nothing better for us. Wrap skirts and dresses, stretchy trouser waists , and good to to (my waist fluctuates A LOT during the day)
Try MarlaWynne clothing, she has some elegant plus size designs with not too much patterning. I see paisley is 'in' at the moment these busy prints only look good on tall models!
How interesting to compare two big brands' decisions and put light on their true colours. Great research!! Thank you for sharing, Justine!! As a consumer, it's good to find out and learn about trademarks' ethics. 😍
I've never bought from either company, but I've heard a ton of good about Patagonia over the years and I'm very intrigued. Being privately owned explains some of it, but definitely going to take some time to look into it since it really sounds like it no longer operates as a fashion company in the way that we know it. I hadn't heard about Boohoo but this seems pretty par for the course from any fast fashion company.
Once again fantastic video! Making changes can be so easy. I’m a student so I definitely don’t have the money to buy only from brands which show responsible behaviour towards people and environment. But still I haven’t bought anything from H&M etc for ages. I buy second hand and always check the materials wether it’s polyester or other nonsense and the few things I do not buy second hand like underwear etc, I buy from sustainable brands. Saves me lots of money and I have food conscience about it.
In the UK, we have a legal business set up called a “social enterprise”, this is similar to Patagonias way of doing business. I hope this is the future of world business! Thank you for helping to expose greenwashing in the fashion industry!
Thank you so much for such high quality review of the issue! The mentioned business structure of Patagonia was very helpful and illuminating. I greatly appreciate the real example of a successful business,i.e. Patagonia, that is stakeholder (rather than shareholder) oriented. To solve for sustainability , we need alternative business models :)
Hopefully the prices for ethical wear will improve with rising demand. I have just ordered a winter jacket but waited for sales and bought a bigger size - all I could find. The technology and innovation including for Patagonia clothes is mainly the same in years, selling a jacket for 1000 Eur is not ethical in my book. And to those that say Patagonia lasts 20 years: I have bought a winter jacket for 30 Eur 12 years ago and I still use it every winter, as my main jacket. It's not only the expensive brands that last.
You know I get quite a few of H&M second hand and they’ve all lasted me for years. I think it also has a lot to do with how we care about clothes. I dont use dryer machines, I dont wash too often, I dont iron, I know how to mend clothes, I wash delicate pieces by hand, I use handmade washing soap, I don’t buy new wardrobe unless I really need it or it is something amazing… When I was in US and had to rely on a drying machine, my clothes fell apart I had to throw away most of them… I recently learned also that the washing machines there dont go over 120F degrees, so the clothes is not even being washed properly, underwear for example. It’s disgusting… So no wonder they buy so much just for the need? Also here we proud ourselves on being able to have quality pieces for a long time and style them differently for fun, there is no social pressure and bombarding commercial to makes us think we can never wear the same thing twice, there is not much artificial creation of need to buy and buy and buy
I would never buy from brands like Boohoo or SheIn anyway, but the former’s hiring of a Kardashian is a further turn-off. I completely agree, we need international standards to be developed for terms like ethical, sustainable, etc. I try to imagine how the current industry free-for-all “model” without any standards, would work in my industry, engineering and construction, with everyone building as cheaply as possible, then claiming how safe their buildings are. Disaster!
hahaha you should visit some "emergent" countries and check how the buildings are built over night. Yes, a disaster! Just a few of the things discovered: tiny rooms and apartments, where you cannot fit furniture; Putting smaller windows than the project then filling the 15 cm gap above the window with some other insulation blocks; Using cheep insulators that cause allergies and also don't have the fire hazard certification; Building 2 levels of apartments illegally without windows in the attic and selling them; Building 2 extra levels on existing older blocks of flats, so more that the structure was build for.... Selling new houses without electricity permit...
Your Channel is great! I am tired of Fashion Channels that dont even touch the topic of ethical clothing etc., with recommendations like "Top 5 Winter Coats for 2022 from Amazon". Thank you for all those informative Videos!
Such good exchange in the comments. Indeed, there is no easy and quick fix but it seems that we must look around the community and talk to each other. Adapting solutions to local needs.
Thank you so much for breaking down these developments Justine. Your videos really teach me about a world I do not know much about despite how much I enjoy clothes.
A greenwashing problem I've run into over the last few years is that (i think) a lot of the "eco-friendly" clothes I've bought have an excessive amount of loose dye in them, that I then have to wash out at home before allowing the garment to be washed normally with a load of like-colored clothing. I've learned to start avoiding new clothes that have a certain smell, it's a smell that I associate with excessive dye in the garment. There's also a certain "it's heavier then it looks" feel that also seems to come with the loose-dye items. This is a problem I'm starting to avoid by just sticking with vintage/used clothing that someone else already laundered a few times. This bothers me because I feel like the way "earth-friendly" clothing is defined allows for garments to be sold that are not actually ready for regular wear and that you as the consumer have to "finish" the process at-home.
How funny! Just as I was reading the "loose dye" part of your comment, I said to myself "you can tell by the smell, if they are going to bleed in the wash". Then you mention the smell! I can't describe it, but it's there.
Great video! Thank you for discussing this Justine. This move from Patagonia makes me want to support them (but I have no current clothes needs, so just sharing these news onwards).
talk about sustainability and ethical conscious fashion brand ( company ) really like and respect Vivienne Westwood . She has been speaking about the environment for many years
Thanks Justine for this valuable information! I have always loved Patagonia and their core values. These types of videos are so important in helping consumers make decisions about where to spend their money.
Love your videos! Thank you for doing the research and presenting the issue in a clear concise way. After watching your channel, I made a decision 2 years ago to only buy pre-loved clothes and household items and never regretted this decision.
I just love watching your videos ! I was curious especially after the announcement from Patagonia and I am so happy to get further information . It makes me happy to give them my business
Hello Justine Leconte, I wasn't expecting such a debunking video on your channel and I am very happy to have found it. This is amazing. I subscribed to your channel because of your videos about cultural differences between countries. I hope all youtubers had your awareness. Bravo
I was concerned when I saw the headline caption for this video that Patagonia had somehow aligned their values with that of Boohoo. I was really concerned as I try and support brands like Patagonia not just for sustainability and ethics but also quality. The only Boohoo pieces I’ve owned are 2nd hand from charity shops supporting humanitarian causes.
I'm a UX Designer...what a joke. When I inspected the source code, the image is the same size. You're not saving ANY energy. If anything, it takes more battery power and Wifi signal to reload the page with their so-called energy-saving feature. And even if hypothetically you were saving a tiny percentage of energy, it's only 1 website of thousands we look at in a month. From a business and UX standpoint it makes no sense either because a lower resolution photo is NOT what consumers want. We always want more high quality photos and videos. I could keep going but I don't need to.
Thanks for bringing in your expertise. I'm pinning this comment to the top🙂
What’s a ‘UX’ designer?
I was about to comment that, but guess someone got there first. And yes, you've nailed it. XD
I actually disagree that it doesn’t make sense from a business standpoint - it’s a great marketing technique to make the user feel as if they’re participating in sustainability without having to do any actual legwork or make any sacrifices. It’s also a great way, low cost/effort way for the company to draw attention away from it’s abhorrent human rights abuses. And I’m sure it only took like 2 extra seconds to code cuz it looks like all they really did was switch out the colors and degrade the image resolution? (I haven’t looked at the source code).
An all around 10/10 solution for the performative activist 👍🏾
@@Merrybandoruffians i agree with you. When I said it makes no sense, I meant at the extreme - the principle of removing photos doesn’t actually enhance UX. Ofc they did the bare minimum to trick users from a marketing pov (which is ultimately a business pov) as you more eloquently put it.
Love this! What kind of marketing genius thought that a Kardashian was the face of "sustainability" 🤣🤣🤣🤣
They give us gossip :)))
Well maybe their silicone is recyclable?
If Kardashian's involved in any shape or form I'd most definitely NOT buy even if I might have been interested at first. They're an opposite of ethical.
Not a genius that thought a Kardashian would bring sustainability, but that thought a Kardashian would get us to actually know what BooHoo is. I had never heard of this brand until Justine posted about it. All good info, though!
Is it because she shops in health food stores and eats a “clean” diet?!😂😂😂
You got me on board with Patagonia's message just by showing me that they teach and encourage people to repair and maintain their clothes instead of just buying more more more. They shouldn't have to because part of being a functioning adult means knowing how to maintain what you use every single day, but the fact that they do when it goes against their own monetary gain says a lot.
They also have a store where you can buy used items that came from previous users.
True, but I’m not a fan of them charging over $100 for a polyester pullover. nothing is perfect though.
I wonder if boohoo's sales are going to drop after such a greenwashing campaign (or rise?...), and whether Patagonia will rise after the switch to an NGO. Your thoughts?
I doubt it. Patagonia only makes outdoor clothing. How many duffel coats does one person need. As for Boohoo, people buy from them because that's what they can afford. I'm sure even the teenagers who buy from them would rather buy designer, handmade stuff but even second hand designer things are far more than most of us can afford - even as a one off purchase every 10 years.
I really can't see their sales dropping. Sadly!
Patagonia clothes are very expensive and long-lasting. I don't think that their sales will increase significantly, because they are not aimed at endless sales growth, which is a good thing.
tbh Patagonia came on my radar only now with their announcement. The next time I need to buy something that Patagonia is offering as well, I'll go there, even if prices are higher.
@@00tsingo same! But I already have everything I need, even for the Scandinavian winter.
You are a true fashion blogger. You never bombard videos for the sake of it. And any video you upload will have myriad of information. And it’s just not a clothes haul channel. Nobody would think about discussing these in a fashion channel. So informative and engaging. Kudos Gurl!
THIS
I have worn / used Patagonia for many years, even before being “ethical” was chic….yes, items are expensive but they last 20 yrs. not 20 min. Quality not quantity. Very happy and proud that Patagonia is putting their money where their mouth is and planning for the future. Let’s hope other brands, outdoor or runway, follow their example! Thank you! Justine, for a very thoughtful and informative video! You are the best!
I’m happy to hear this, I plan to save up to purchase some items.
I'm seriously considering buying from them when I need to replace a columbia jacket I have.
@@Paulxl I thought they are similar. I haven't seen Patagonia shops in the EU, only online.
@@BebelovesMacika There are physical stores that sell their clothing. It seems Patagonia barely has their own stores. They have some mainly in France and Italy
my boss once told me that she bought a new jacket after her old one was worn out after 15 years! It wasn't from Patagonia but still....making sustainable and durable clothes IS very much possible. Having grown up in a very h&m, forever 21 and co dominated fashion world, I almost forget about it sometimes
Kourtney is not hurting for money, so you can only imagine how much it took to buy her. Thank you for the insight Justine 💚
I started sewing my own clothes, at least the simpler pieces. And minimalism really helps.
That’s awesome. I really want to learn how to sew.
@@mizpah1993 I learned from my grandma, but TH-cam has great tutorials. Start with small, simple hand repairs or hemming a pair of pants. I'm afraid of machine sewing😄, so I do everything by hand. I'm sure you'll get the hang of it!
@@mizpah1993 there are a lot of TH-cam videos you can watch!! That’s how I have been learning. There are also a lot of videos on couture sewing techniques so you can literally get that high-end look for such a low price in comparison by making your clothes with quality stitching. It takes just a little bit more patience but imo it’s so worth it! Since you’re really only going to be doing it a few times in maybe several years if you make sustainable clothes that last you. Even the process of picking out your own fabrics, looking at design inspirations etc is really fun. Plus you know no one else will have this piece you have. It might sound weird but it also somehow got me to “bond” with my wardrobe in a different way. Because I put so much care and effort from almost it’s start to finish that literally love every piece in my closet. I got so into it that I am also on the side working on a “project”. I have been watching tons of Chanel/dior couture videos and learning some of their embroidery and other techniques. So I am working on making something for my mom that will look very artistic and couture but it will take some time. It is fun though as you are sort of creating a wearable art and it’s even relaxing to do something so detail oriented. Sorry for the essay but I really love it and it excites me and I want others to try and feel great too! I hope it works out for you!
@@Neenerella333 hand sewing is amazing! I was replying to someone else above that it can give you couture without that hefty price tag.
I started sewing my clothes in 2015. It really changes how you look at your wardrobe - only investing time and money into things that you love & will wear for more than a one week trend cycle.
Welcome back Justine! Thank you for always being a voice for better fashion practices in this industry
As a Web Developer, that Energy Saving feature on the Boohoo website is rather questionable. It doesn’t state how it will make the website more energy efficient and the screen dimming is purely aesthetic
Yeah I was also thinking about that - as a UX designer I am not sure if this will make a difference at all as it does not change the settings of the device?
As a physicist, I can say that nope it does not save any energy. A running circuit is a circuit. You would physically need to reduce brightness of the display screen in order to save. What a joke lol
Would simplifying their website and making it minimalist make any difference?
@@carochan86 Nope. Best thing a website provider can do to minimize environmental impact is to go with an ethical server farm with (actually) sustainable practices: they do exist. Given the wide range of customer devices and settings, there's no way a website provider, designer, or coder can really create a "low-energy website."
The device you are using to look at the website uses pretty much the same amount of power to display static media content no matter how the website is working "under the hood." You can optimize for performance / speed, but not electricity. (Unless you're talking about swapping out video for photos and text, then sure, your battery will last longer.)
Thank you for your call outs to the fast fashion brands that are greenwashing. The more info we have, the better decisions we can make with our money and what fashions we should be supporting.
Is there anything the Kardashians won’t do for money and fame? They all already have both and it’s time they use their influence for the good of this planet. Very enlightening video Justine!
As if .... I can already hear Justine chuckling .... 🤣🤣🤣
@@patriciasauermann3805 😅
Justine, YOU made me care about this issue. No more cheap fast fashion for me.
Same! The more I look into it the worse it gets, so shocked!
I love this. Education is key to really understanding fast fashion, greenwashing, and where the $ trail runs. Consumer power!
I have to admit, the first time I purchased something from Patagonia I really gulped at seeing the price tag. And tbh when I was still under 30 I wouldn't have been able to afford it no matter how much I wanted to. Yes, a good piece of clothing lasts you longer and thus is more worth its money, but my disposable income for the longest time just didn't even allow for that kind of investment. I hope that one day there will be some way to provide sustainable at affordable rates as well. It doesn't have to be ultra cheap, but at least it should be in a normal middle class budget (taking into consideration that they don't only need to buy clothes but also pay a rent, buy food etc)
Anyway, so in my early 30s I finally afforded myself two Patagonia shirts and a pullover, and before I knew it 7 years have passed and they're still going strong and serving me well. Knowing that Patagonia is basically an NGO now I'll gladly make my next necessary purchases there too.
I hope the public sees the scheme Boohoo is trying to pull as well as many other fashion brands. I prefer thrifting myself, but I would love to see a video about sustainable brands and why they are sustainable. Thank you for getting the word out and helping educate us; I enjoy all of your videos!
Ok but who names their brand Boohoo?! 😂. Anyway, we really have to realize and understand that we have the power to get rid of these kind of brands with proper guidance, education and awareness. And we have you to THANK for always enlightening us 😊
We have the power, yes, but with the rising cost of living and the fact that many companies are expensive but do not stand by their product like Patagonia, often we are over a barrel. I thrift. Problem solved.
Merci, Justine! I've been waiting for this video since seeing your tweet about Boohoo. Excellent analysis & commentary, as always. The contrast between Boohoo & Patagonia couldn't be starker. Thank you also for saying at the end that we choose what to buy, whom to buy from. Buying is voting, so buying from Boohoo means you're voting for throwaway, unethical junk, whereas buying from Patagonia means you're supporting ethical production & real work to combat the climate crisis. It will indeed be interesting to watch how each company fares after these announcements.
Thank you for your continued effort in your fight against fast fashion and green washing. I’m 62 and I remember when clothing was made well and lasted for years. Even today, I will only buy high quality clothing (and timeless fashion) that I can wear for years.
Completely agree on all points. I continue to open my children's (all adults now) eyes and encourage them to save and buy quality pieces. This was instilled in me as a child growing up my parents would say its not worth buying something that will not even last after a few cleanings, boy were they right.
My parents grew up during the depression of the 1930s and they instilled the value of quality clothing.
absolument d'accord!
Clothes I get from my grandmothers are so much better than ANYTHING I got in the last ten years, even custom made
So true! I still have quite a number of clothes and some handbags that I bought decades ago (even a couple from my parents, from the 60s or 80s) in excellent condition and timeless style. Mostly from France, like me :) I love and take care of them. The cotton, wool and leather, the stiches, the buttons, everything was fantastic, even when it was not very expensive. I also have some bedlinen and table clothes that are decades old, still great, beautiful and in fashion because they are timeless. First hand vintage is perfect, but second hand vintage can be amazing too! It makes me so sad to see what fast fashion sells and you can feel that their products were made in awful conditions for the workers, and the environment.
Thank you Justine for being so clear, so convincing and so concerned! Je continue en français parce que j'ai honte de te dire qu'il y a seulement 5 ou 6 ans je ne m'intéressais pas aux questions d'environnement ni aux question de durabilité. Non pas que je me vautre dans la fast fashion (j'achete tout en seconde main, ayant à Paris pléthore de friperies à disposition). Je te suis depuis longtemps maintenant et tu as su me convaincre sur ces questions ainsi que sur les questions d'exploitation humaine.
Bien à toi, chère Justine !
Merci pour ce commentaire 🤩🤗
I have learned so much from your channel. Thank you so much! For years I have brought my clothes second hand and I feel proud to teach this to my nieces now. I learned this from your videos and news like this makes me happy, for changes are taking place so quickly! Great video, Justine!
I get always upset when I shop with my husband. The clothes for men are much better designed, the materials have more quality and the last more. Even wenn we look for busic items in the same brand such as black pants or a V-Neck black wool pullover. Why we cant have better products for women?
As always, you do your homework! Thank you for your reports. I began watching in 2018 as I was planning a trip to France, but you keep me hooked. I’m a retired teacher and artist, 67, feel I have always followed classic trends in fashion, and live in the Mojave Desert. Best to you!
Looking for sustainable fashion is a nightmare because of greenwashing campaigns (and that's their aim too). I feel encouraged that young people are opting for second hand fashion as a more sustainable option. I found Patagonia when I was looking for a rain jacket and really love the company ethos. Even their emails are mostly full of travel blogs instead of apparel advertising!
Excellent video! Your research is impeccable. As soon as a member of the K family is mentioned in anyway, I back away, so not interested in ANY of them. Plastic clothes for plastic people. Thank you Justine.
Thank you! We need more people like you.
Very well said! Plastic clothes for plastic people! I thought there was something wrong with me at a time that I never cared for anything Kardashian
This is why we love you. You tackle head on the fashion industry and help us know who to really bypass (or at least do our very heavy duty homework on) and who to consider. It is seriously and very much appreciated. Merci beaucoup!
PS. Patagonia have been around for years, so their ethics prove they are a company worth supporting. But are there any fast fashion companies that have also managed to hang in there, though there is no reason they should have been able to, and how have they done it if they have? (Primark?) And who are the primary buyers of fast fashion today? (I am sure you have probably said, but would love a repeat.)
About that "energy-saving" feature: My partner (physicist) claims that it actually might INCREASE energy consumption overall... The point is that only for OLED screens (which many smartphones have nowadays) it reduces energy consumption, BUT for LCD screens (which most PC screen still are) it actually increases energy consumption.
great, this just further shows that no one who actually cares about sustainability was involved in any of this whatsoever 🤦♀
Great idea to talk about Patagonia, this news need to be more known ! ( focus on the positive)
I'm almost 40 now. I no longer care about any fashion of the moment, I know what I like and need and I buy less and less clothing as a result. So I much rather buy natural fabrics, from ethical companies, more expensive, but also I'm not washing any microplastic into my drinking water. I never heard of patagonia but next time I need to replace a clothing item I will check them out. Thank you for this video.
As a software developer, making the colors lighter on a webpage does absolutely 0 to help save energy 😂😂😂😂 so ridiculous
Exactly what I was thinking! Just another gimmick, using highlighter & dark themes. If people really wanted to reduce the energy consumption, they’d focus on stopping or reducing bitcoin mining ⛏, that draws a lot more. But I guess we’re in way too deep to stop 🛑 that! Fellow s/w engineer 👩💻 here! - Amy
I don't really see how Patagonia is a sustainable brand. It is ethical maybe but it uses a lot of synthetic fibers and it isn't very sustainable in a long run
For real I just had a quick glance of their website since I never shop there and nearly all their fleece products are polyester! It even mentions on the product page that the due to the nature if the fabric it will pill over time so presumably shred lots of microplastics.
I love Patagonia clothing, however I live in Patagonia (Chile) and they are unfortunately nowhere near affordable for the vast majority of people here.
This is VERY interesting to see, also very sad! Thank u for putting to work in for this video Justine, and making us all aware❤
I love that you did that little pause, after the boohoo anouncement, so we could all laugh and catch our breath before going on. Well done!
Thank you Justine for your continued effort in keeping us all in the know. You are being heard loud and clear. merci beaucoup
thank you so much for making this video
I just looked at Patagonia site and I found 80 Euros for a baby fleece rather hefty - if you don't have a lot of dispensable income where would people go when their ever growing children need new clothes? Poorer areas in Europe don't have thrift shops like the US . It is a dilemma when many families are at the moment in the heat or eat predicament. It's not only people following fast fashion who buy at the likes of Boohoo or Primark but the poor.
The difference is your Patagonia fleece is going to serve you for years, and not fall apart after the first wash. I've had my (Jack Wolfskin or Vaude) trekking clithes for YEARS. Even with intense use they don't really 'die.' But of course you make a valid point, it's always been like that, people with money can have great quality clothes and shoes and never spend anything in years, and people with less income need to buy new fleece or shoes every month😕 We need to support second hand and vintage.
I understand buying affordable clothing for babys and children. They grow rapidly and need new attires constantly. However, affordable
However, the pressure from the law and the market (specially us, the customers) forces the fast fashion industry to offer affordable but ethically produced clothing
Leena Norms has a video on shopping lies you're told in your twenties and I think it would be worth while viewing for you
@@rosewildwood7307 it's true, there's no perfect solution, buying less and taking care of what you have and sharing between friends. I've gifted or sold for a symbolic sum a lot of my clothes to friends and acquaintances, I think sharing /swapping clothes is a viable option. If there's a will, there's a way, as they say. Let's be honest, we all have more clothes than we could ever ever need, most of us wouldn't have to buy a single thing every again😏
Thank you for highlighting this. I'm tired of being recommended Shein and Boohoo fashion hauls from various youtubers. I do wonder though, with the wider population that people may buy from these brands because it's all they can afford? And may not necessarily have the disposable income to purchase higher quality items from sustainable brands. The likes of Shein and Boohoo are probably well aware of this and use it to their advantage to capitalise their profits.
High-quality, sustainable clothing is a lot more expensive, just like buying all organic food, etc. It’s hard on my tight budget, but I try to buy fewer, but better-quality items instead of lots of fast-fashion items. There is also the matter of instant gratification, or near instant, it’s more difficult to save up for a better item then to get the instant “reward” of something cheap and new.
@@kimberlyperrotis8962 Agreed, it's very difficult.
The other issue for many is that brands like Patagonia don't offer plus size options so it's not sustainable if it doesn't fit 🤔
@@kimberlyperrotis8962 High prices give the illusion of quality. I have second hand H&M clothes that last for years. The issue is more complex, and depends on our mentality.
I cannot afford Patagonia or other ethical brands and I think that at leas Patagonia charging 1000 Eur for a jacket is not ethical.
Yay. Welcome back! Love your content.
Thank you so much for bringing this up. Keep on shouting about the greenwashing and consumer betraying, it is so important! 👏👏👏
I love how you share your knowledge about common problems from the fashion industry.
And I would like to hear your thoughts on Lily Silk. They are now everywhere, and that sometimes is a bad sign.
I remember reading a couple of years ago that Patagonia does in fact use fossil fuels/petroleum to make many of its products, and when questioned, they insisted that they had to, so that is worth investigating if that bothers you.
Stiches from elastane last longer.
Patagonias quality has gone downhill. I also don’t trust trusts, usually it’s a way to avoid paying taxes and maximizing profits
Bloomberg did a great article showing how much is being saved in taxes by this change in ownership
Thank you for keeping it real, fashion wise.♡
And I am a happy subscriber!
You're doing a great job explaining something VERY important to women everywhere Justine. BRAVO! I'm not the consumer I once was, and these days don't use the type of garments Patagonia makes, but decided that if I really do need a new winter jacket I'll try one of their long models from recycled down. Up here in Scandinavia, winters can get VERY cold so quality and gear made for these temperatures is imperative as you'll need to get alot of daily use out of it. I care about animals too so the fact the down is recycled is a great argument, besides what you already covered. I wish brands that weren't expressly sporty would be better at sustainability. I have a shop in my neighborhood that only sells brands that check all the boxes, unfortunately I rarely find anything flattering or stylish for the cold weather seasons which is the majority of the year here. Only extremely casual garments, lots of bamboo jersey etc.
If anyone has recommendations on chic city clothes made with sustainability in mind please share. 🙏
I have the same problem, I don’t like either the sporty or hippie-ish clothes that most sustainable brands make.
Same here! Yes, I have an "outdoors wardrobe" for when I'm outdoors but I would really like sustainable brands for my everyday clothes that are less casual in style.
@@glamdragon totally agree with both of you. I've always been a bit fashion forward, up and coming looks rather than low budget versions of runway looks 4 seasons ago. Besides just cultivating my own specific style which involed vintage and retweaking garments, very personal accessories, etc. Now that I'm older (53)and don't have the perfect hourglass figure anymore, and don't live the fast and busy nighlife etc. I'd really like to find sustainable brands that don't put out hippie-yoga inspired lines for leisure or cater to hiking and sportswear. Classic or current, not looks for women obviously over the hill focused only on comfort. I find it almost impossible to find. I'm not willing to pay rediculous prices I can't afford either, but am willing to pay more for sustainability and quality with some flair, attention to detail etc that I can use and combine with my wardrobe for several of the same seasons to come. But damned if I can think of a single brand out there that fits those criteria.
It's strange, as if caring about sustainability only applied when ypu go on hikes and to the beach or if you have blond dreads and 15 piercings. Seems so out of touch to me...
This os actually alot better looking for shoes. The footwear market seems to have adapted and understood much better. Also somewhat easier to purchase online, as once you've seen products of a brand, the only risk you are taking is size. Whereas garments have to fit your bodytype and models be suitable proportions for you, and the drape and cut makes a huge difference with fabric, all of which is alot harder to determine without a fitting. Shoes of good quality brands are easy to assess online if you'll like them or not. But I suppose there's alot of greenwashing there too..
I feel like the industry is really stuck in the past. Patagonia should be a real inspiration with their policy of taking garments for recycling and repairing worn ones (OF ANY BRAND) which is totally unique and so cool! But nobody can wear Patagonia to the office, to dinner out, or on top of a coctail dress. So there is the problem for someone like myself (regardless of age). All I can do is what I've done since the 80s already. Besides shopping alot less which is the case now. I'm lucky I had the guts early on to alter things to my taste or shape so I've learned to look at garments that way.
@@gnarbeljo8980 if I'm not mistaken, that only repair Patagonia items. But it's great regardless. There are few brands in Europe with similar service, but mostly outdoors :(
@@veronikavysoudilova9697 no, i just checked their website and that may be a new thing as well but it's clearly stated they repair any garment of any brand. Pretty amazing!
I am always kind of getting mad when influencers / celebrities .. endorse environmentally and socially terrible products/companies ... just so irresponsible - and this Kardashian .. wherever she crawled out from .. certainly does not feel bad about influencing so many people to buy and wear utter garbage.
Sure the pieces they model might be better quality, but what arrives is nothing like the photos (all photoshopped and surgically enhanced!) Today at the post office saw so many returns going back, none of it looks good quality or fits properly. Another thing not mentioned is having wardrobes full of polyester clothes is a massive fire hazard, whereas wools, silks, cottons are less combustible and don't shed in the washing machine causing water pollution too
@@jenniferjen5422 totally agree with you on your fabric content comment! Thanks to Justine I made change in fabrics I wear clothes from (only natural fibers, preferably with GOTS certifications) years ago and don’t look back.
@@SuperAnnetik agree on the natural fiber! As I get older and entering into the working world as a busy adult, I believe our skin are just more sensitive to unnatural fibers and dyes as we sit around all day in an office and stressed about adult responsibilities! I never used to notice whatever I was wearing had a direct relationship between my comfort level of quality fabric vs. mood, but now it’s so distinguishable.
It’s all about $
😈
If we were all worried about ethical behaviour then none of us would be on TH-cam 😆
I agree of the natural fibres. Better for the environment and better for our skin ✌🏼
I wish I could give this video two thumbs up. American (and global) consumers need more informative videos like this. THANK YOU for keeping us informed on these issues.
I have a basic Patagonia pullover that I still wear all through the Fall and Winter because I hike most days. My husband bought it for himself and wore it for 10 years. I have now worn it (after I married him and stole it from him) for about 10 years. This past year I bought a Patagonia backpack which is basically my everyday purse. I can't speak higher about the quality.
would love your take on Lanius and Ekyog (German and French brands)! Thank you for all the info.
Still, Patagonia has sued the actual Patagonia inhabitants to stop using the name of the region in their products since its now trademarked, also has tried to stop local producers from obtaining the Denomination of Origin certification (eg: Patagonian lamb), so for me its a no no.
I think its just a greenwashing move and something to pay less taxes since NGOs are exempt
That's not true, unless you are conflating Patagonia locals with an American pro-marketing company and a questionable multinational bear company.
Do you have any refs or news from when this happened? I wanna know more about it
All of your videos are so informative. I can't tell you how grateful I am to find some informed and intelligent information about the fashion and the industry. Thank you so much!!
Thank you Justine, I always learn so much watching your videos.
Love Patagonia! Generally many outdoor/ hiking brands operate more sustaibly, Lowa or Houdini for instance. But Patagonia was such a pioneer.
I have wondered how much impact companies like ThredUP have on the environment. Could you speak more on the online thrift/consignment businesses? I have tried to buy more items from places like this when I can and I just wonder how much better it actually is, and what hidden drawbacks there might be. Thanks so much for these videos! It’s intriguing!!
Great idea, I’ve thought the same, we have Thrift+ here not as big as Thred up but I have wondered how they compare.
She actually does have a vid on this topic. You should search her videos for this topic.
My struggle with thrifting -- grew up doing it since that was what we could afford a lot of the time -- is that so much of the thrift store clothing is no longer high quality. I get frustrated, for example, when trying to find a nice sweater at the thrift store when everything is acrylic/other plastic fiber.
Another downside to the rise of thrift stores is that its popularity inflates prices of goods that were initially intended to provide a clothing source for folks who couldn't afford new clothes from stores. Now, it is almost cheaper to purchase clothes from FF retailers instead of the thrift stores. When the FF clothes wear out, they end up in the donation pile, thus "polluting" the thrift stores.
The best thing about thrifting is that you are saving a garment from the landfill. It would have otherwise been thrown away, unless you purchase it and wear it.
They have huge facilities to store all the inventory and of course they have to ship everything so there is a significant footprint but these are still second hand items so no production waste and no poor labor practices in other countries. There is probably enough clothing on ThredUp to clothe all women in the US for the next 25 years. I just made that up but something like that is plausible and if it means more of these fast fashion brands closing their doors THAT would make a great impact 😃👍
Yes I read the Patagonia article with interest.
There is already an international standard for environmental management systems. Its ISO 14001 and businesses get certified to this standard. It is used across all areas of business and covera all aspects of the business and supply chain.
that is not enough... There are multiple certifications for fabric origin/quality, there are barely any certification for how you treat the garment workers (or how the companies you outsource your production to... treat their garment workers). It's a huge grey area.
Justine, you are my favorite Super Hero! No one focuses on the ethics of fashion like you. I am grateful to you for your continued push to raise awareness of how our money is spent when we make a clothing purchase. Bless you and thank you.
Thank you for keeping fast fashion and its negative effects on the forefront.
My daughter's passion is the environment. We have had many good discussions about fast fashion and what we can do about it.
I love the way you consistently bring attention to this topic! I had heard about Patagonia; Boohoo was new to me. Thanks!
TY for all the information u have provided over the years. It has changed the way I shop, either higher quality pieces or thrift shops. Hope all is going well w your house and cooler weather has begun in ur area.
Comme Québécoise, je suis très fière de Patagonia et ses fondateurs!
Since education is the key I highly recommend a documentary "The green lie". The austrian director Werner Boote and environmental expert Kathrin Hartmann meticulously unpick some of the most prevalent "greenwashing" myths at play today such as environmentally-friendly electric cars, sustainably-produced food products, fair production processes.
You are the only person with a fashion expertise that I follow, understand, respect, and find incredibly informative and inspiring - thank you/ merci:)
Wow, thank you!
Love your channel. Always such top notch elegantly worded videos that are worthwhile and educational.
So glad, that you are back Justine :)
I have been missing your weekly videos!
You are one of my favourite TH-camrs. Thank you for letting us take a look behind the scenes and understanding more about fashion, dressing well and finding our personal style.
All the best to you ☀️
Thoughtful well- researched content as Always... thank you Justine... so good to have intelligent content!
My wonderful mother taught myself and my sisters very early in life to buy quality items of clothing….I’ve never heard of bohoo but have been wearing Patagonia and others like them all my life….turn 60 this year….I love wearing my cloths for decades….thank you Justine for outing the companies that degrade the earth and don’t treat their employees justly 🙏
Thanks for this video Justine! Side note, love your nail polish color!
This is great. Thank you for the information about the component in the pants. We definitely need more education around these topics. Great work.
I just went to check out Patagonia’s website. 1) it’s very expensive 2) no plus size clothing 3) why do they feel the need to print giant “save the planet” designs on half their stuff? I’m always on the hunt for plain stuff without big prints, stripes and polka dots is enough for me. I’m willing to save up for high quality clothing but if it doesn’t fit, there is no use in buying it and I prefer if I like the design…😅 I’m doing my best, I buy a lot of stuff second hand and I always repair my clothes for as long as possible and recycle it properly; but sometimes I buy fast fashion because it’s all I can afford and I wear it long past what is considered fashionable and much longer than it stays in good shape for, it’s not exactly fast for me.
Sadly plus size fashion is very underrepresented. I’d send your feedback to the company itself.
I hate prints too, and I am also “plus size”. Only second hand and custom made, there is nothing better for us. Wrap skirts and dresses, stretchy trouser waists , and good to to (my waist fluctuates A LOT during the day)
Plus-size is not sustainable🤷🏼♀️ Patagonia is for alpinists... not too many of us chubsters do that
@@JulieDeuxFois fashion designers have a secret kink for us and they want us to walk naked, that’s the most sensible explanation 😄
Try MarlaWynne clothing, she has some elegant plus size designs with not too much patterning. I see paisley is 'in' at the moment these busy prints only look good on tall models!
How interesting to compare two big brands' decisions and put light on their true colours. Great research!! Thank you for sharing, Justine!! As a consumer, it's good to find out and learn about trademarks' ethics. 😍
I've never bought from either company, but I've heard a ton of good about Patagonia over the years and I'm very intrigued. Being privately owned explains some of it, but definitely going to take some time to look into it since it really sounds like it no longer operates as a fashion company in the way that we know it. I hadn't heard about Boohoo but this seems pretty par for the course from any fast fashion company.
Once again fantastic video!
Making changes can be so easy. I’m a student so I definitely don’t have the money to buy only from brands which show responsible behaviour towards people and environment. But still I haven’t bought anything from H&M etc for ages. I buy second hand and always check the materials wether it’s polyester or other nonsense and the few things I do not buy second hand like underwear etc, I buy from sustainable brands. Saves me lots of money and I have food conscience about it.
You're becoming the John Oliver of the fashion industry! Thank you for your deep dives into the politics of clothing.
I love how informative and well researched your videos are, thank you!
In the UK, we have a legal business set up called a “social enterprise”, this is similar to Patagonias way of doing business. I hope this is the future of world business! Thank you for helping to expose greenwashing in the fashion industry!
Thank you for continuing to post content on these topics.
Thank you so much for such high quality review of the issue! The mentioned business structure of Patagonia was very helpful and illuminating. I greatly appreciate the real example of a successful business,i.e. Patagonia, that is stakeholder (rather than shareholder) oriented. To solve for sustainability , we need alternative business models :)
Hopefully the prices for ethical wear will improve with rising demand. I have just ordered a winter jacket but waited for sales and bought a bigger size - all I could find.
The technology and innovation including for Patagonia clothes is mainly the same in years, selling a jacket for 1000 Eur is not ethical in my book.
And to those that say Patagonia lasts 20 years: I have bought a winter jacket for 30 Eur 12 years ago and I still use it every winter, as my main jacket. It's not only the expensive brands that last.
You know I get quite a few of H&M second hand and they’ve all lasted me for years. I think it also has a lot to do with how we care about clothes. I dont use dryer machines, I dont wash too often, I dont iron, I know how to mend clothes, I wash delicate pieces by hand, I use handmade washing soap, I don’t buy new wardrobe unless I really need it or it is something amazing… When I was in US and had to rely on a drying machine, my clothes fell apart I had to throw away most of them… I recently learned also that the washing machines there dont go over 120F degrees, so the clothes is not even being washed properly, underwear for example. It’s disgusting… So no wonder they buy so much just for the need? Also here we proud ourselves on being able to have quality pieces for a long time and style them differently for fun, there is no social pressure and bombarding commercial to makes us think we can never wear the same thing twice, there is not much artificial creation of need to buy and buy and buy
@@hypatiakovalevskayasklodow9195 Same here! And higher prices give the illusion of quality.
I would never buy from brands like Boohoo or SheIn anyway, but the former’s hiring of a Kardashian is a further turn-off. I completely agree, we need international standards to be developed for terms like ethical, sustainable, etc. I try to imagine how the current industry free-for-all “model” without any standards, would work in my industry, engineering and construction, with everyone building as cheaply as possible, then claiming how safe their buildings are. Disaster!
That’s an interesting question indeed. Same goes for cheap furniture, cheap deco… It’s a macro trend unfortunately…
hahaha you should visit some "emergent" countries and check how the buildings are built over night. Yes, a disaster!
Just a few of the things discovered: tiny rooms and apartments, where you cannot fit furniture;
Putting smaller windows than the project then filling the 15 cm gap above the window with some other insulation blocks;
Using cheep insulators that cause allergies and also don't have the fire hazard certification;
Building 2 levels of apartments illegally without windows in the attic and selling them;
Building 2 extra levels on existing older blocks of flats, so more that the structure was build for....
Selling new houses without electricity permit...
Your Channel is great! I am tired of Fashion Channels that dont even touch the topic of ethical clothing etc., with recommendations like "Top 5 Winter Coats for 2022 from Amazon". Thank you for all those informative Videos!
You opened my eyes few years ago with your video about the movement "who made my clothes". I completely changed the way to make shopping. Thank you!
I wonderful video, as always😍😍😍😍
Such good exchange in the comments. Indeed, there is no easy and quick fix but it seems that we must look around the community and talk to each other. Adapting solutions to local needs.
Thank you so much for breaking down these developments Justine. Your videos really teach me about a world I do not know much about despite how much I enjoy clothes.
Thank you so much for bringing this topic up!
A greenwashing problem I've run into over the last few years is that (i think) a lot of the "eco-friendly" clothes I've bought have an excessive amount of loose dye in them, that I then have to wash out at home before allowing the garment to be washed normally with a load of like-colored clothing. I've learned to start avoiding new clothes that have a certain smell, it's a smell that I associate with excessive dye in the garment. There's also a certain "it's heavier then it looks" feel that also seems to come with the loose-dye items. This is a problem I'm starting to avoid by just sticking with vintage/used clothing that someone else already laundered a few times. This bothers me because I feel like the way "earth-friendly" clothing is defined allows for garments to be sold that are not actually ready for regular wear and that you as the consumer have to "finish" the process at-home.
How funny! Just as I was reading the "loose dye" part of your comment, I said to myself "you can tell by the smell, if they are going to bleed in the wash". Then you mention the smell! I can't describe it, but it's there.
Great video! Thank you for discussing this Justine. This move from Patagonia makes me want to support them (but I have no current clothes needs, so just sharing these news onwards).
talk about sustainability and ethical conscious fashion brand ( company ) really like and respect Vivienne Westwood . She has been speaking about the environment for many years
Thanks Justine for this valuable information! I have always loved Patagonia and their core values. These types of videos are so important in helping consumers make decisions about where to spend their money.
Awesome video! Literally just heard about Patagonia’s new company structure the other day. Thanks for bringing awareness!
Love your videos! Thank you for doing the research and presenting the issue in a clear concise way. After watching your channel, I made a decision 2 years ago to only buy pre-loved clothes and household items and never regretted this decision.
We need more articulate and intelligent people like you. thanks for this.
I just love watching your videos !
I was curious especially after the announcement from Patagonia and I am so happy to get further information . It makes me happy to give them my business
I love videos like this. You always give us such great information. Thank you.♡
You are a brilliant and love your content and education!!! Thank you for sharing and educating me!!
Justine.... thank you so much for caring and spreading the word.... thumbs up
Can't tell you, how much I love your messages, your shared ethics in your videos!! Thank you so much,Justine!!!!!
Hello Justine Leconte, I wasn't expecting such a debunking video on your channel and I am very happy to have found it. This is amazing. I subscribed to your channel because of your videos about cultural differences between countries. I hope all youtubers had your awareness. Bravo
I was concerned when I saw the headline caption for this video that Patagonia had somehow aligned their values with that of Boohoo. I was really concerned as I try and support brands like Patagonia not just for sustainability and ethics but also quality. The only Boohoo pieces I’ve owned are 2nd hand from charity shops supporting humanitarian causes.
YOU ROCK!! Keep these videos coming. They are so important!
So stoked about the Patagonia announcement! Fantastic step forward for the industry!