With more and more consumers beginning to switch off from complete fast-fashion absorption, Monki is a retailer doing it’s bit to capture these girlies with a bit of an eco-conscious that still want to shop on the high street.
Let’s get one thing straight – yeah, fast fashion is terrible for the environment, it’s a huge contributor to global warming and has been at the helm of many human rights violations, but it still has its place in the average shoppers life.
The current cost of living crisis has highlighted what we’re spending in our day to day lives and where costs will need to be cut. If switching from your 100% organic cotton, ethically sourced denims at more than £100 a pop, to a £20 pair from a retail giant like New Look or H&M means you still get to eat this month or spend a little bit of time out socially; I don’t think anyone can be criticised for this.
If you’re regularly dropping £150 on a ‘haul’ where you know you’ll wear the items once, to then chuck out, that’s where the issues lie. I’ll hold my hands up and say that in the past I’ve had an unhealthy relationship to clothes and fast fashion, however rather than simply binning, I’ve always been an advocate for charity shops or community groups dedicated to supporting others.
While I’ll still scroll near-daily and order most months, I no longer care – quite frankly – about outfit repeating. In the last few years I’ve learnt a little bit about who I am and what clothes suit me, and in order to afford these I do rely on affordable brands.
So what are Monki doing to support the battle against fast fashion?
Christmas time is always a key time to pick up a party dress – god I sound like my Granny – and by developing a curated capsule collection, Monki are highlighting the versatility of their dresses and their eco-credentials.
This mini drop celebrates the classic black dress, a true must-have for anyone committed to making the most of what they have.
This voluminous dress features a wrap design and tie detail
Voluminous, short sleeves and a tiered skirt with a sweetheart neckline and a tie detail
Sleeveless and backless, this asymmetric hem dress can be tied with a bow or standard knot.
Each of the three capsule dresses has been made from 100% recycled polyester and doesn’t use buttons or zippers to reduce unnecessary product wastage and instead utilises an adjustable fit with self-tie closures that can be styled in different ways.
This isn’t the first foray into circularity by Monki, they have an ambitious goal of aiming to have all products designed in a way that lends itself to circular economy. Through their work with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation – a non-profit organisation – the brand is aiming to move away from our traditional take-make-waste model and towards one where the initial design takes circularity into account and lends itself to longevity, durability and versatility.
This is such an interesting and important concept, you can read more about Monki’s Circular Strategy here.