Alternative fashion has always attracted me with its unique style, rebellious spirit, and bold aesthetics. I admired brands that offered dark, distinctive, and unconventional clothing that matched my personality. However, over time, I began to question my buying habits and what values these brands truly represented. Ultimately, I went rogue and decided to make more responsible choices. Still in love with the aesthetics, I stopped buying from alternative fashion brands. Let me tell you the key reasons behind this decision and why I think the “alternative” has gone mainstream.
Fast Fashion Problems & Lack of Ethics
Many alternative fashion brands are not immune to the problems associated with fast fashion. These brands often represent themselves as small, unique, and “underground”. Despite this, many alternative fashion brands produce their clothing in the same large factories as mainstream fast fashion brands. In other words, most alternative-style clothes are made in China or Bangladesh. This often means poor working conditions, underpaid labor, and environmentally unsustainable production processes.
It was surprising to discover how many alternative brands sell clothing made from cheap and low-quality materials. The garments are often produced in large quantities. These are classic signs of fast fashion – prioritizing rapid consumption over quality and durability. Such a consumption cycle is not only unethical but also highly damaging to the environment.
Fashion is one of the biggest environmental pollutants. Using materials like polyester and other synthetic fibers contributes to the growing problem of microplastics in our oceans. The industry’s water consumption and the use of chemicals, especially in cotton production, significantly harm ecosystems.
When did alternative fashion become like fast fashion with new trends every month (or week)? Wasn’t the whole idea kinda of “no-trend” and “evergreen” style? Now it seems like new trends are shoved down our throats all the effing time. It is a problem.
Read also my post: The Dark Side of Fast Fashion: Environmental and Social Concerns
Lack of Transparency in Production
One significant reason I stopped supporting alternative brands is the lack of transparency regarding their production processes. Many brands do not disclose exactly where or how their clothes are made. This raises some questions: Are these clothes being produced in ethical conditions? Do children or slaves work in the factories? Where are the materials sourced? What chemicals are used? Why isn’t this information available? The brands stating that they care and you just should take their word for it simply isn’t enough.
Brands that genuinely care about the environment and human rights are usually open about the actions taken. They proudly describe their supply chains and talk about efforts to minimize negative impacts. Unfortunately, many alternative brands do not offer this transparency.
It makes me doubt whether they are truly as “counter-culture” and “rebellious” as they claim to be. Or are they just part of the larger problem of the fashion industry? Are they just cashing in with the alt-fashion trend and our style?
As alternative fashion consumers, can we honestly be SO morbid that we do not care about ANY ethics? Is the aesthetics really all that matters – even if the style is as dark as its repercussions?
Decline in Quality Vs Higher Prices
One thing I’ve noticed over the years of following alternative fashion brands and trends is the quality issue. While the prices of clothing continue to rise, the quality declines steadily. This isn’t just a problem with mainstream fashion but has crept into alternative brands as well. Many pieces I bought used to feel more durable and long-lasting. Long gone are those days!
Recently, the fabrics are thinner and the seams come apart more easily. I’ve even seen cases where the soles rip off on the first time wearing a pair of shoes. Often the apparel doesn’t last more than a season before it’s worn out. (Conveniently, new trends emerge around the time, keeping you in the shopping wheel). The decline in quality coupled with rising prices feels like a double hit for consumers. We are paying more but getting less and less.
This trend is especially harmful to the environment. Low-quality clothing is more likely to end up in landfills sooner. It wears out faster, hence, encouraging a faster cycle of consumption. The environmental footprint of making these clothes — from resource extraction to manufacturing to transportation — is already significant pressure. The fact that they last such a short time means we’re using even more resources in the long run. It’s wasteful, unsustainable, and contradicts any claims these brands make about being “alternative” or rebellious against consumer culture.
I concluded that many of the alt-style clothes are made from synthetic materials and are not durable. When I noticed how quickly some of them wear out, I felt like wasting money and harming the environment. Constantly buying new, poorly made clothes is not in line with the environmentally conscious lifestyle that I wish to follow.
Greenwashing in Alternative Fashion
Another major issue I encounter is greenwashing. Meaning, that brands falsely market themselves as sustainable or eco-friendly without actually making noteworthy changes to their production processes. I gotta say, the alternative brands are not the only ones who do this, not at all. However, they are equally part of the problem.
Some alternative fashion brands have started slapping “eco-friendly” labels on their products without being transparent about their environmental efforts. These claims often mask unsustainable practices, such as the use of synthetic materials or the exploitation of cheap labor.
Another controversial labeling concerns “vegan” items. Despite non-cruelty, the “vegan” materials are often anything but sustainable, even though they are marketed as a better choice.
Boasting about “recycled” materials or “organic” cotton tends to be only a half-truth. These initiatives often make up only a tiny portion of the overall production. Also, these “sustainable” materials are usually just a fraction of a single garment’s composition. This gives consumers the illusion that they are making ethical choices. In reality, the brand’s core practices remain exploitative and harmful to the planet.
Greenwashing not only deceives consumers but also undermines genuine sustainability efforts within the fashion industry. It’s crucial to look beyond the marketing buzzwords and investigate whether a brand’s actions truly align with its claims.
I get it, misleading marketing can be very confusing. We all would really like to believe that our favorite brands follow their ethical guidelines. However, what if they don’t? How can we know? Read this article to help figure out spotting if you’re being greenwashed.
Non-Inclusivity, Racism, and Exploitation
One of the most overlooked issues in the fashion industry is the exploitation of marginalized communities in the manufacturing process. Alternative fashion is no exception, unfortunately. The systemic racism and exploitation are rampant in the global fashion supply chain. Profits are prioritized over human rights while women of color are exploited in this business of making the brand owners incredibly rich.
Many of the clothes that end up on store racks are produced in developing countries. In these instances, workers, often women of color, are subjected to poor working conditions, long hours, and extremely low wages. While alternative fashion brands market themselves as progressive or counter-cultural, many still rely on exploitative labor practices. The laborers who create these clothes often have no say in their working conditions or wages. On top of that, they frequently face discrimination, harassment, and unsafe environments.
The most off-putting factor for me is, that many alternative brands come across as inclusive, and introduce welcoming communities for everyone. However, often this is not the case. Let me call it hypocritical and fake.
Moreover, alternative brands often fail to cater to diverse body types and racial identities in their marketing and product ranges. Most collections are still dominated by narrow beauty standards. I’m talking about the extremely white-skinned, skeleton-like thin, young woman. These standards singlehandedly exclude people of color, larger body types, and those who don’t fit into a specific subcultural image. This exclusionary approach highlights the brands’ disconnect from the real-world issues that it often claims to be against.
As a radical case study, I recommend you read this article.
What are the Alternatives for Alternative Fashion Brands then?
After I stopped buying from alternative brands, I felt I didn’t want to wear my old garments from these brands, either. Obviously, at the beginning, it sounded like an issue. How could it be sustainable to get rid of my old pieces and substitute them with something new? Learning how most fashion brands operate, I couldn’t see myself wearing their stuff anymore, even though the aesthetic style was ideal. How could I let these brands represent my “style” while behind the scenes, they do not represent my values? I began exploring more responsible ways to express my style and update my wardrobe.
Fortunately, there are plenty of options available. Firstly, I started doing background investigations before buying from any brand. This search tool came in handy. Secondly, I learned about the materials and processes. It is important to understand what sustainable fashion entails.
Buying second-hand clothes reduces the environmental impact of new production and offers the chance to find unique, one-of-a-kind pieces. Hence, I sold my old pieces to new homes and purchased more suitable options from the same market.
I started to feel very icky about wearing anything made of polyester, acrylic, nylon, you-name-it, plasticky material. Hence, I started hunting for organic cotton and other more natural fibers. At this point, I was already leaning toward the modern goth style, so finding appropriate pieces was easier. Many sustainable brands make nice, versatile, simple black garments, that can be worn in business/corporate and alternative outfits.
Moreover, many new brands focus on sustainability and ethical production. Some can be found even within the alternative fashion scene. Although these clothes might be more expensive, they are often of higher quality, more durable, and ethically made, making them a better long-term investment. “Quality over quantity” thinking easily leads to a more minimalistic wardrobe, which is in terms of sustainability, an ideal situation. We usually need less than what we think we need.
Conclusion
Giving up on alternative fashion brands was not an easy decision to make. However, considering ethical and environmental factors made me rethink my choices. The fashion industry’s issues are not limited to mainstream clothing brands – they also affect alternative brands.
I want my purchases to reflect my values and support a more sustainable future, which means making more responsible fashion choices. Alternative style is not about aesthetics only – it’s all about daring to be different and being bold to go against norms.
Have you started to question the ethics and environmental impact of alternative fashion brands yet?
Read More & Links
- The Dark Side of Fast Fashion: Environmental and Social Concerns
- How to wear goth style in your 30s
- Modern Goth: Dark Elegance Redefined
- Embracing Minimalism: The Power of a Capsule Wardrobe
