When you’re a small business that’s trying to be sustainable because you care for the planet, it is really soul destroying to see other, bigger businesses claiming not to be ‘fast fashion’, when they clearly are. I try my hardest to make sure that all my materials are bought from suppliers that fit in with my ethos on the environment, on working standards and fair pay and basically care about our planet and all the animals that populate it.

It’s not easy for a sole trader to keep prices down when you’re starting out because you don’t have the clout that a bigger business does (and neither would I want that clout, but that’s not the point). I recently had a business pointed out to me that produces amazing crochet creations for around the same prices that I sell mine. When I searched their website, there is nothing immediately obvious that explains who they are, how they operate, where they get their materials, who makes their products, etc. You have to scroll down to the very bottom of a very long first page to discover a link to a page on their website that has a very vague explanation of their ‘ethos’ and where their products are made. People don’t bother scrolling in general, why not have your business information top, front and centre to prove who you are and you have nothing to hide. My website has an ‘About’ page in the top navigation, front, centre and easy to find; it’s there for all to see. I've nothing to hide.

This is the production statement from the website of the business I’m referring to. I won’t mention any names - they have money to sue me, I don’t have the money to fight that: 

“We work with a number of factories around the world, with most of our garments produced in China, Morocco and Turkey. As a small business, ethical manufacturing is something we feel very strongly about and are working towards full transparency with all of our suppliers. The directors of xxxxxxxx personally visit each of our factories every 2-3 months, and in our key supplier factories we employ independent staff who are trained to recognise the standard of employment and working environment we expect and flag any issues to us immediately.”

This is all well and good, but if you have no issue with your suppliers why are you not transparent from the off. I accept that they might actually visit these factories and that is a good thing, but I don’t know many small businesses that can put independent staff in factories in far flung places or visit every 2-3 month. Is that really a small business? 

Working with a number of factories in parts of the world that we all know pumps out ‘fast fashion’ by the ship load (literally), doesn’t inspire confidence in a business that claims they aren’t a fast fashion brand. They describe their brand and supply chain as ‘reactive’. Isn’t that what fast fashion is? Am I wrong about that analysis, please someone, set me straight if I am.

Claiming to be sustainable but then using materials that are up to 40% acrylic/elastane isn’t an honest description of their products. Acrylic is a plastic, it isn’t a sustainable option! It’s destructive, it supports an industry that is killing our oceans and destroying our communities through increased green house gases and plastics being released into our environments. These production processes and manufacturing are happening in some of the poorest parts of the world, in order to satisfy the wealthier nations. 

When I set the prices for my products I basically try to cover the costs of my materials and add a little bit of the time it takes for me to make the item. My materials aren’t cheap because I don’t currently qualify for bulk/wholesale orders, so I have to charge more for the item before I even consider the time it takes to make them. If I was to be true to myself and paid myself a ‘living wage’ for each item I make, the price of my products would be at least double what they are. I also make sure all my materials are pure, natural or recycled. I only buy from suppliers that, through my research I am satisfied, match what I am also trying to achieve. I don’t use any acrylic or man made materials unless they have been recycled.

The mark up on an item of clothing in a retail outlet on the High St can be at least two or three times the price that it was originally bought for. If you buy a set of ten knickers for £3 at one of those cheap department stores (you know the one I mean), how much do you think the person who made those items was paid? Was the cotton they were made from grown in a sustainable manner? I could go on, but you get the point I’m sure.

My main point is that it’s tough to compete with businesses who claim to be what you actually are. My products are absolutely not fast fashion, they are made to last, they are made with love. I would like to think that my small business can provide an income for me, I don’t want to be a millionaire with an empire to manage, I just want to make lovely things and sell them to lovely people who appreciate my talents and my genuine interest in looking after our world. 

Next time you reach for your laptop for a bit of retail therapy, ask yourself, “Do I want to support an already enormous, faceless corporation or do I want to help out a small business trying to do the right thing and survive in this mad world?”. I hope you choose the later and might stop by my website sometime. Thanks for reading. Rant over.