Swahlee Journal - Updates, Stories, and More
-
My journey into ethical fashion
![]()
I looked into my closet at the rack of hanging clothes, the baskets of folded clothes, and the overstuffed dresser. I felt ashamed. Up until that day I prided myself for that wardrobe, bursting at the seams. I marveled at how cheap I had purchased much of it. I looked from the ill-fitting shirts that I found on the deeply discounted clearance racks, to the dresses that I rarely wore because they didn’t really suit my personal style. I looked at the pants that I didn’t even like, but only bought because the price was just too good to pass up. I was a fast fashion addict and did not even know it… at least not until that day.
That day was the day I watched The True Cost documentary on Netflix.
-
Collaboration & transparency: sharing about our supply chain
![]()
The fast fashion industry is notoriously opaque about its supply chains. Rather than hide our suppliers, we want to celebrate the good work they do. If this means we send more business their way, then all the better! Paying fair wages and engaging in good environmental practices is more expensive than most brands want to pay. With most fashion brands looking to produce their garments as cheaply as possible, customers who are a right fit for ethical, sustainable suppliers can be hard to come by – especially now during the global pandemic. We believe that by collaborating and sharing, we can better promote ethical, sustainable fashion. Our goal is to see transformation of this entire industry. -
Upcycled
![]()
Knowing the fashion industry is a major contributor to pollution and environmental waste, I’ve begun to ask the question, what is our role as an apparel company when it comes to environmental stewardship? One thing we can do is help to minimize fashion waste. For our Fall | Winter Collection, we decided to source material from the surplus, or deadstock, markets. By “upcycling” these fabrics we are making use of textiles that have already been produced anyway and might otherwise go to waste.
