Do you shop at places like Zara, H&M or Shein? Brands that are known for producing high volumes of garments at low prices, that are inspired by runway designs, celebrity styles, and the latest fashion trends.
You may be reading this article and wondering why I have highlighted 3 of your favourite shops, they are affordable and pump out new trendy clothing that brings you a quick burst of happiness until you fall in love with something new next week. Well, they are huge advocates of fast fashion. Unfortunately, their business model promotes unsustainable shopping, creating a need for new garments and encouraging consumers to make more impulsive purchases that creates a rapid growth in volume and profit within the industry.
Basically, what this means is that the more we shop we create a higher demand for clothes which results in an increase in waste which has a catastrophic effect on the environment and our people. But when you search fast-fashion on the internet, the overview makes the business model look glamourous and exciting, allowing you to wear high-fashion designs at a fraction of the cost. This information is misleading, and that’s why I have made it my mission to learn about the fashion industry and find brands that are sustainably conscious and want to make high quality products while focusing on our people and planet.
In this article I have interviewed TWOOBS (with a silent W) to learn more about their brand, and how they work in an industry full of exploitation, but manage to produce beautiful, high quality garments while implementing sustainable practices.
“TWOOBS is a brand that exists to save the planet… but make it fashion. We create shoes that are better for your feet, and for the environment.”
Let’s talk fast fashion, what it is, why it’s popular, and the social and environmental impact it has
Fast fashion is a business model that relies on speed, producing low-cost clothing and spitting out new collections weekly to keep up with the rapid changes in consumer demands. The process from production to waste is quick and contributes to massive textile waste and pollution from overproduction.
The fashion industry is one of the worst contributors to pollution on earth, increasing carbon emissions through the mass production of textiles, water consumption and chemical waste. The results are creating a harmful impact on the surrounding environment and negatively affect communities all over the world.
Did you know that every time you wash your clothes synthetic materials like polyester shed microfibers (a type of microplastic) which is entering and polluting our water systems and oceans? Before you know it, those microplastics from your t-shirt that you’ve worn once or twice have contaminated our food, water, and the air we breathe, and will end up entering our bodies. Now I’m no scientist but I’m pretty sure that having plastic in our bodies is not going to be good for our health!
As well as the environment it is important to consider our people. The social impact is equally as concerning, with many fast fashion brands relying on cheap labour from developing countries. These people, who are mainly women and children, face poor working conditions, in unsafe factories working incredibly long shifts to be rewarded with a wage that is lower than the cost of living.
So, ask yourself, would you put your mother, sister or children in the same position? Why is it okay for other women and kids to live in these hazardous conditions when we would never dream of putting our loved ones in the same situation?
The True Cost is a documentary that explores the devastating impact of the global fashion industry, particularly fast fashion, examining how cheap, mass-produced clothing has led to environmental damage, labour exploitation and severe social consequences for communities involved in the garment manufacturing process.
External Influences and Encouragement (I hate to say it, but we are all partly to blame!)
What particularly interested me in TWOOBS is their innovative approach to fashion and their ideas to create fun but timeless pieces that do not follow the latest trends.
When we think of the fashion industry, we often associate it with influencers, celebrities, trends and social media, but how do these factors contribute to fast fashion?
To start, let’s define what a trend is. A fashion trend refers to a popular style or practice in clothing, accessories, makeup or lifestyle choices that become widespread for a certain period. We know that trends are often influenced by celebrities, influencers, social media and cultural shifts in society at the time. Social media in particular has a huge impact on fashion, think about TikTok or Instagram- how often do you see someone posting clothing or their glamorous lifestyle? It makes you aspire to be like them, and want to live a similar lifestyle, right?
That’s because influencers create relatable content that fosters trust and connection with their audience, leading us to engage and buy the product. Unfortunately, many of these items are linked to fast fashion. While some influencers promote sustainable brands (which is commendable), others inadvertently participate in greenwashing by endorsing brands that falsely claim to be eco-friendly.
This cycle of chasing the latest trends and engaging with influencers makes it easy to fall into the fast fashion trap without considering the consequences. Instead, we should seek brands that offer timeless, high-quality pieces, encouraging a culture of re-wearing, recycling, and upcycling rather than disposability.
“TWOOBS was launched in 2016 back when the word vegan made people shudder, and since then we’ve grown a lot, but one thing hasn’t changed: We create shoes that are better.”
If you haven’t heard of TWOOBS, it’s time to look them up. They are a footwear brand that is better for your feet and the environment. But the interesting thing about TWOOBS is that they weren’t originally designed with the planet in mind. “We started TWOOBS because we wanted to create shoes for women that were stylish but also super comfortable. They started out as vegan because we’re both animal lovers, and then along the way we realised what an impact the shoes we had created were having on the environment. So, a few years in we pivoted to create shoes that are better for the planet.” (Jess & Stef Dadon- sisters, not twins).
Their journey includes not only creating a sustainable product but also educating others about sustainable choices through their podcast, Hey TWOOBS. From listening to the podcast, I found it particularly interesting and inspiring that the girls initially considered stopping the brand when they realised the impact it was having on the planet. It is bold and brave for a company to even consider shutting down when other aspects of the business are thriving, because now a days most businesses have the profit in mind over anything else.
After going back to the drawing board, TWOOBS evolved into a brand with the environment in mind, finding a manufacturer that creates shoes from natural resources and recycled materials. “We were lucky to be able to find an existing material on the market with sugarcane, so this was one where we were able to benefit from research done by other companies. One of our goals in growing and expanding is to have the capabilities to do our own research and be able to work with companies to create new and innovative material solutions, but it’s also why we feel it’s really important to see the bigger brands creating shifts towards sustainability, because they’re the ones with the money to create change on a large scale.”
TWOOBS Footprint
So far TWOOBS sounds like the dream brand but let’s find out how they make an impact.
First of all, TWOOBS works with one factory, which allows them to build relationships and know everything about their suppliers, staff and working conditions. “We’re the main customer for our small family run factory, so it’s pretty incredible to know that TWOOBS is helping a lot of people create a livelihood. Our suppliers and our values are aligned, and they create a kind work environment for their employees in the same way that we do in Australia, which is a big part of how we define our success.”
In the fashion industry it is common for brands to work with lots of different factories when it comes to manufacturing different products. While some garments may be made in one country, there will be other items made elsewhere, all for the one retailer. While this may not sound that bad, it can create a disconnection in the supply chain, disassociating the retailer from the manufacturer, making it harder to know if they are implementing ethical and sustainable practices. A good example of this is if you have ever purchased from Alibaba, you may think that you’re ordering directly from a supplier and getting a great deal, but in reality, you are probably purchasing from the ‘middleman’ who is finding suppliers and up marking the product. This creates a demand for the factories to create cheaper products due to the competition, and means that you are contributing to horrendous, unsafe work conditions where workers are treated appallingly.
TWOOBS on the other hand have great visibility over the supply chain and can work closely with the production partners. “We personally oversee these relationships to ensure things like our workers are getting paid living wages and that our dying processes are ethical.”
On top of this, (wait, there’s more??) They collaborate with a recycling partner to repurpose discarded shoes into warehouse flooring and playground mats. It’s impressive that TWOOBS uses recycled materials to make their shoes and then recycles the shoes themselves. This commitment demonstrates that sustainability can be integrated into every aspect of a business.
Grace (me) wearing her own pair of TWOOBS, showcasing Ellegrace, the small handmade brand that uses recycled and upcycles unwanted materials.
How you can also make sustainably conscious choices
While it’s easy for me to say we have to shop sustainably, I understand that there may be external pressures that can make it challenging. Living costs for example make it hard to purchase better quality items because usually they are more expensive. But that’s why we have to explore other ways. When it comes to fashion we must delve deeper into the meaning of the price- what is the cost the product has on the workers, and what is the price our environment is willing to pay?
“Our approach is always to spend more on less items. Our fast fashion culture has conditioned us to believe we need to constantly be buying new things, but research shows you want to be aiming for around 5 new items per year max in order to not be over-consuming. Secondhand items aren’t included in this! So, it can be an interesting exercise to take stock of everything new you bought in the past year and see where you could be shifting your buying habits, and that might mean that you can spend more on less items, or perhaps you’ll end up cutting down and saving yourself dollars. We recently did this at TWOOBS HQ and it was super illuminating.”
It is possible to make sustainable choices that will not require you to take out a loan. By exploring charity shops, Facebook marketplace and websites such as Depop, you can find secondhand clothing that’s great quality and a fraction of the cost. You may find there’s an opportunity to learn a new skill, sewing for example is a great way to adjust clothing or even make something new.
If we work together, we can create a thoughtful culture of upcycling, donating, swapping and re-making, where every choice contributes to a more sustainable and conscious future.
By taking a chance and shifting towards sustainability TWOOBS has become a recognized brand across Australia and international waters. It shows that if other well-known brands were to change their business model to create an environmentally friendly product, they would still have the support and thrive in their business.
When I asked TWOOBS what it means to have created such an impactful, fun brand that means so much to so many people their response was so pure and shows their love for the industry and planet. “It means everything to us. We see true impact as not just being limited to one area, so while our main driver is the planet, being able to create something that brings people joy also means so much to us.”
Written by Grace Rossington
Thanks to Jess & Stef Dadon from TWOOBS for taking the time to share their story.