Can we please stop comparing prices of fast fashion brands with sustainable and ethical brands... 🧐
Hey MAD Fam
Can we talk about why we can't compare sustainable & ethical brands and their prices to fast fashion brands prices…
We get it, sometimes it’s easier to choose the cheaper option, but today we wanted to chat a bit about why they are not comparable.
We will be the first to admit that before we knew what went into a sustainable & ethical brand, we would often look at the price tag.
But, now that we know what goes into a sustainable & ethical brand, we know how important it is to understand the values behind a brand before judging it off their price tags.
Which is why we wanted to give you the same opportunity, so you can make an informed decision before purchasing something.
We want to empower you to know what goes on behind the scenes in a business, because we wish someone would have told us this earlier!
We’re going to run through some numbers with you *Please note these numbers are on average and not applicable to each individual business*
Let’s break this down:
On average, a dressmaker (who is employed in a fast fashion supply company) will make 60c for a dress, a fast fashion brand will then purchase that dress & sell it for $50.
Fast fashion brands make (on average) 300% profit when you shop with them.
Compared to slow fashion brands that will (on average) make around 50%. Not including all of the other costs that go into a business, such as marketing budget etc.
Fast fashion brands typically do not account for gender equality, safe working conditions, fair working conditions & sometimes even basic human rights.
Slow fashion brands will always account for gender equality, fair working conditions, paying their workers well above minimum wage & ensuring each worker is seen, heard and cared for.
The two business models are not comparable, which is why we cannot compare their prices.
Here at MAD we work hard to bring you premium products that follow a sustainable & ethical line and that are as affordable as they can be.
So we just wanted to break that down for you, so everyone can have a better understanding of what is behind that price tag.
What are some ways you can tell if a brand uses ethical & sustainable practices?
This was a big one for us before MAD was born, we wanted to do the right thing, but sometimes didn’t know how to gauge what values a business had.
Usually a brand that is sustainable & ethical, will have a lot of information about their processes. For example, when you go to our website, you can read all about our manufacturing process and also our sustainability journey.
It can also be helpful to look at whether the company is a part of the “I made your clothes” movement.
Be careful that you’re not just focusing on whether they have a couple of sustainable or ethical products, this is called green washing & a lot of brands will market themselves as sustainable, however fail to follow through in all areas!
We hope this has been helpful & again, you need to make choices that align with you, your values and your budget, but sometimes it can be helpful to know where exactly your money is going.
Love always,
Mads & Jayme x