the unwash: guide

Ah, it’s that time of year again when gift-giving is upon us. This is maybe one of the hardest times of the year to continue the plight of choosing sustainable living. It’s the season of one and done. Gift wrap, ribbon, and tape will find their way to the trash. Gifts that might not be used and the endless packaging that comes with them. When combating waste around gift giving you should choose from three categories, keeping gifts practical, taking a less is more approach, or opting for experiences all of which are keys to a more sustainable holiday season. One of the biggest goals that should be in mind is ensuring that the gifts you give will be used and won’t end up in the trash or sitting in the back of a closet for the year. Explore zero or minimal-waste brands, thrifted finds, or experiences to share with a friend this holiday season.

For the personal care lover:

Corpus Body Creme in the scent ‘Green’

Somehow it’s only recently that we came across ‘Green’ by Corpus. Wow. That’s all we have to say. We’ve smelled the Rose and Santal scents by Corpus but for some reason never their signature Green fragrance. Truly, it’s indescribable. It’s fresh, clean, and has the right amount of citrus but is truly incomparable to anything else. The body creme is perfectly luxurious and hydrating, great for the person in your life who loves a luxury body care moment. Body lotions can seem like a bit of a throwaway gift but this right here is what you want to get. One thing that stood out to me when smelling this is that it’s very mysterious and almost indescribable. 

Everyday Oil

If there is a product that can do it all this is it. This oil blend is the ideal consistency, not too thin, and amazingly hydrating. You can use this product for just about everything, freshening up your hair, an all-over body or face oil, and even a cleansing oil. This might take the cake for a top sustainable product because of its multi-use capabilities making it a go-to pick for a minimalist routine. Aside from being a sustainable product, the scent is reminiscent of a spa day leaving you feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. 

For the most fashionable people in your life: 

Completedworks Pearl Earrings 

Bows are all the rage right now but these bow-inspired earrings will stand the test of time not just be a trend. Completedworks is a fan favorite at The Unwash. A theme on this list is brands that embody sustainability, transparency, and ethical consumption which is a large part of our draw towards Completedworks. Anna Jewsbury is such a master of her craft which is emulated in every piece she creates. These earrings could be dressed up for a special occasion or be a statement piece for an everyday look. All of Completedworks products are made of recycled metal, the Loop-the-Loop earrings are made of recycled gold vermeil. 

Attire the Studio Wool Trench Coat 

You really can’t go wrong with a good coat. But ditch the fast fashion…obviously. We appreciate Attire’s commitment to transparency while committing to high-end staples that are built to last, unlike something you’d buy at Revolve or Zara. Their Wool Trench Coat is a great gift because it has a cool, more unique tailoring than what you typically see. In the winter your coat does most of the talking and a good coat is the perfect statement piece. This coat is great for every occasion and will keep you warm whether it’s in the fall or a freezing winter evening. If you’re going to buy a new piece of clothing rather than second-hand, brands like Attire are the best option to ensure your money supports safe work environments, sustainability, and quality pieces. 

Vestiaire Collective Gift Card

This is where the practical comes in. If you want to shop not only sustainable but also price-conscious, go secondhand. Whether you’ve taken the plunge or not to get into secondhand shopping this is a great way to start or even give a friendly nudge to someone else. Why spend full price on a new pair of shoes or bag when you can get the exact same ones just lightly worn or even new with tags, the options are seemingly endless. Vestiaire Collective is our personal favorite for online second-hand and vintage shopping but you can also opt for a local vintage store to support a small business. Plus, we love that Vestiaire Collective has banned the sale of fast fashion brands on their platform.

Makeup gurus: 

Noto Botanics x Curran Defy Highlighter

All of the makeup products from Noto Botanics really embrace the ‘your skin but better’ motto. The brand is committed to inclusion, especially for the LGBTQIA+ community, and gives a portion of its proceeds back to various non-profits in the community. Recently they partnered with Curran, a space for queer and trans creativity founded by Tommy Dorfman. The collaboration is a beautiful duo-chrome highlighter that transitions from a pearlescence glow to a purple shimmer. 

Saie Beauty Glossy Bounce

A tried and true. Gloss is everything right now. It’s on the lids, and the lips, the glossy look is here to stay for a while. It’s very reminiscent of when the Bath & Body Works lip balms were all the rage in the early 2000s. Glossy Bounce is a gloss lip oil hybrid that delivers long-lasting hydration and pigmented color payoff. This product gives a natural-looking shine and plumpness but without the stickiness that can come with a traditional gloss. To tie in with the holiday vibe we would reach for the shades Dream, a soft berry, and Push, a soft brown. You’ll be ready for a kiss under the mistletoe. 

Half Magic Compostable Eye Shadow

Half Magic has been on our radar for a while now but their eyeshadow singles in compostable packaging is beyond awesome. Don’t quote us on this, but this could be one of the first times true compostable packaging was used in makeup. Half Magic is the brainchild of Euphoria makeup artist Donni Davy, her line gives high pigment in bright colors and lots of sparkle. The brand’s eyeshadow singles are sold singularly in completely compostable packaging. You can either choose to stick with buying singles which are great for on-the-go or if you don’t need a ton of shades or you can opt for their forever palette which allows you to build your own shade range.

For your kids, nieces and nephews, or any kiddos:

Shore Buddies

This brand has been making adorable stuffed animals made from recycled ocean plastics since 2014. Their lineup features primarily ocean animals that are the most impacted by the plastic crisis such as turtles and whales. Their ‘Sammy the Seal’ stuffed animal stole our hearts with how cute it is. We love that Shore Buddies teaches children about the importance of environmental preservation from a young age. 

Ecobirdy Art Corner Set

Want to splurge on sustainable furniture? Then EcoBirdy is for you. The brand’s kids line is made from trashed children’s toys and turned into furniture that’s built to last. Their kids sets include a children-sized table and chairs coming in various color options including pink, blue, white, and yellow. The art corner set is a mix of their colorways and a perfect art station for your kiddos. They also make high-end furniture pieces for anywhere in your home. 

Francis River Clothing

Australian brand, Francis River is crafting adorable kids’ clothing with transparency at the helm. All of their pieces are created using deadstock fabric to help combat overproduction in the fashion industry. The brand partnered with TTK Collective to ensure an ethical manufacturing process including guaranteed livable wages and safe working environments Their current line features basics such as tops and sweatshirts made to fit oversized for growing kids in sizes ranging from 6 months to 5 years.

Fair and Green Toys

Finding sustainable toys that don’t fall into the dreaded beige aesthetic can be a little difficult. Fair and Green puts a sustainable spin on classic children’s toys such as stacking games, rattles, and cars. All of their products are crafted from sustainably sourced wood and natural, locally sourced dyes. Fair and Green is committed to keeping the art of toy making alive and takes deep pride in their quality craftsmanship. The brand gives back to their local community and is Fair Trade certified. 

the unwash: sustainability

Clean beauty has become almost synonymous with sustainability to consumers who are none the wiser, primarily in part due to misleading marketing tactics that muddle both of the terms. Green or brown labels, the use of leaves or foliage in logos, and the dreaded plain cardboard packaging easily decepts consumers. Most of these are used by brands claiming ‘clean’ status, not those using these for solely sustainability purposes. Major companies such as Sephora tag their ‘clean-certified’ products with a green leaf logo which isn’t something that makes it abundantly clear to a shopper that this does not equate to a sustainable product. There’s a fine line between deception and truth leaving consumers to their own devices, hoping their purchase is what it seems to be.

Clean isn’t a term that backs any sustainability claims. ‘Clean’ ingredients or sourcing does not mean it is sustainable. It’s easy to think that less processed or un-dyed ingredients could have a positive environmental impact but there isn’t any correlation between the two. A dig around the internet brought us to a Harpers Bazaar article that classified clean as being safe for “people and the planet” and that the ingredients used account for “human and environmental health”. If this were the case, these products wouldn’t be sold at mass retailers, packaged in plastic, or ending up in landfills all of which are reductive to this claim. So what does clean even mean? This typically refers to products that use natural ingredients. Well, what is a natural ingredient? Isn’t everything technically…natural? Here’s the thing, just about everything is natural or naturally occurring, all chemicals are natural (the horror!) and are needed to create everything including the air we breathe but we can put that aside for now. Most of these brands opt for plant-based products and ditch ingredients such as formaldehyde, phthalates, or hydroquinone. Clean is a term that is completely unregulated and unsubstantiated whether you like it or not. There’s an opportunity for regulation and serious claims but this just hasn’t happened yet. Unlike opting for stating clean ingredients are being used, many brands use organic ingredients that follow strict regulations and guidelines but not all brands are created equal.

Let’s look at how two different brands approach this. Dieux is an ever-popular skincare brand that rejects the term clean or natural and rather embraces science. On their social media, they often dive into their ingredients by explaining the pros of components such as lactic acid, glycerin, and petrolatum. They go on to explain their packaging such as why they opt for aluminum as much as possible and when plastic might be a need. Corpus is a body care brand that uses both natural and clean terminology and prefers for its formulas to be powered by plant-based ingredients. Lots of plant oils and extracts such as grape seed oil, cocoa butter, and rosemary leaf extract are used. Both brands use various modes of sustainable packaging including glass or aluminum and are transparent about their practices and goals. Despite one leaning into the clean branding, it doesn’t mean one has inherently better outcomes than the other or that they are even remotely similar to each other. Both are very different in practice but could be classified under the same umbrella in the beauty aisle because of how marketing has encroached on these topics. When purchasing clean beauty products consumers need to understand that if they’re hoping this automatically means sustainable, it doesn’t, and that there is much need for clarity in the beauty industry.

the unwash: exclusive interview

Brett Staniland is a model turned climate activist who focuses much of his work on the human impact of the fashion industry. Formerly, Brett appeared on Love Island and was the show’s first contestant who turned down clothing from fast-fashion sponsors but his choices around this and his activist background were given little airtime due to the competing interests of sponsors. Since then, Love Island has dropped its fast fashion sponsors and is now powered by eBay. Brett’s platform is much of an educational hub to learn about different issues within the climate movement and find inspiration for sustainability within the fashion industry. We sat down to discuss fast fashion, sustainability misconceptions, and how we can start cultivating change. 

Could you start by giving our readers some background on who you are and your advocacy work?

I started as a model, I was scouted while talking down the street with my twin brother. At the time I had just started my PhD and from there maintained both careers side by side. Bit by bit I started to become aware of how much waste was involved in the industry. I ended up doubling down on sustainability with my personal work and chose to work with more responsible brands and became active in denouncing the exploitative practices of fast fashion. I took to social media for that and I had a bit of a following at the time from modeling and created a platform where I use it for more of an educational tool. In the last couple of years, I’ve moved into writing and consultancy, really focusing on using my platform in the best way that I can. 

How many people came to know you is through Love Island. Now that Love Island has changed sponsors to Ebay since your original appearance do you think you would be perceived differently if you were to have been on the show after this? 

Being on the show and watching back the parts that were aired to the public I was thinking about how much they cut out that showed who I am and my values. When I went home people were thinking I’m a big Tory and questioning my political beliefs. Realistically, I’m a big progressive, environmentalist, and activist and when you’re all of those things on a show with a massive fast fashion sponsor they’re never going to air those things because they think it wouldn’t resonate with the viewers. Now, if I were going to go back and do the show it would be a totally different experience because I’d actually be able to talk about fashion and all the things I’ve spent the last decade doing which would be much more easily aired now since they aren’t protecting their main investor in the show which was a fast fashion sponsor. 

I think a lot of young viewers would relate to you now as there’s been a shift in perspective on fast fashion, you’d be perceived a lot differently.

There’s been such a shift with people now being interested in second-hand fashion in particular, even on social media there are more and more people doing vintage and thrift store finds which is a massive change. People will come up to me saying ‘Oh my gosh I just found this on eBay and I wouldn’t have found it if it wasn’t for your work.’ Those kinds of interactions have increased massively since the change in sponsors. I think it’s such a great move for a huge show to make a big shift.

In your daily life, what does sustainability look like for you? Are there any aspects of sustainability that you struggle with?

Day to day everything I do I try to do it locally. Since I live in London there’s a lot of accessibility to local shops or groceries. I don’t need a car since there’s loads of public transportation. There are small things in my life that I looked at and thought, ‘What are these things I’m doing the most that I could change?’ I like to live in the most minimal state possible that still is functional and expressive which is something that has come through a lot in my fashion sense and style, being very utilitarian. Everything has a purpose and meaning. 

Are there aspects from your routine that sustainability beginners can adopt to start making changes in their own right?

Look at what you buy the most of and see if you can get a better version of it. Years ago I’d be buying t-shirts for 7 pounds from H&M and going through easily one a month at university. Now I buy one that’s three times the price that will last me more than six months or a year, and I have shirts that are three or four years old. Looking at those frequent purchases and finding a way to do it better makes such a significant difference. Always ask yourself if you need it and take ownership of your decisions. 

Social media has made it difficult for people to take a moment and think ‘Do I really need this’. You’ll see something and at the moment think it’s something you really want. You can buy it in one click and it adds no value to your life. It’s just another piece of clothing that doesn’t have longevity. Which is exactly what these companies want. 

They’ve taught us to have such short attention spans and have convinced us that when we see these great deals or offers, it’s time-sensitive and makes us think ‘shit if I don’t get this now I’m not going to be able to get it’. Zara is amazing at this which makes their fast-fashion business slightly different from everyone else. If you go in the store and don’t buy something it’ll be gone immediately because they change their stock so frequently. Then the next time you go in you’ll think ‘I have to buy this now because it’ll be gone’, reinforcing that every time you go in you have to buy what you see which is prevalent on social media as well.

You really have to rewire your brain to not lean into those urges.  

You have to completely backpedal to what we used to be like. Growing up in a working-class family I almost feel lucky that I didn’t have that desire to constantly be getting something new. Since we didn’t have loads to spend it really made me think that if I’m going to buy something, it needs to be good and as I got older I had to revert to that thinking – if I was buying a polo shirt for 50 quid I had to hold onto it. 

Are there any projects you’re currently working on that you’re looking forward to? 

I can’t talk yet about something that’s coming out next year but it’ll be really exciting. I’m working on a book which is exciting for me, it’s an anthology. The premise of it is to essentially show people that we can have loads of roles in the fashion industry that already exist but in a more responsible way. If you want to be a consumer, an author, a designer, or a stylist, we can have all these roles that can be just as creative and fun but can do them all in more responsible ways. I’ve been talking to different experts and friends who will be featured throughout the book on these topics.

Are there any other people in the industry or online that you’d suggest people look into for other sustainability resources? 

I’m passionate about being positively influenced online so I’d like to shout out what I’d call the good influencers, my brother @twinscott, Aja Barber who is a brilliant author and a great person to follow online, and on Patreon, Venetia La Manna talks a lot about garment workers, @laurenthesunflower. I have a diverse group of people in my circle so I get a great mix of news and education. People like Aditi Mayer, who’s brilliant, and Lucy Sieglel. There’s more but these are some good ones to start. 

Sustainability can be a taunting topic to begin diving into but Brett has found an ability to provide insightful information about such a large topic that is easy to digest. If you’re wanting to learn more about Brett or stay updated on his work you can find him on Instagram @twinbrett. Climate activists come on a broad spectrum even in the fashion industry. We’re at a point where meaningful change is necessary and positive voices such as Brett’s are needed at the forefront of the movement.

the unwash: social impact

It feels like every brand is coming out with different collaborations in an attempt to create allure and cultivate consumer activity, though it’s less of a feeling and more of a reality. The tactic is nothing new but the latest trend, if you dare call it that, is celebrity and influencer-backed sustainable collections for fast fashion companies. An oxymoron at best. Whether it be celebrity-backed or not, sustainable capsule collections among fast fashion mega brands are turning into common practice. Even resale programs from brands such as Shein, Pretty Little Thing, and Zara meant to make for easier sustainable shopping launched last year but in reality, are riddled with mixed messages and greenwashing tactics. These collaborations and collections mark a shift in consumer interest yet fall flat on providing a meaningful outcome. 

The 2022 Boohoo announcement naming Kourtney Kardashian as the brand’s new sustainability ambassador had everyone rubbing their eyes making sure they read the headlines right. In 2020 the brand came under fire for unethical labor practices where it was found that workers were being paid as little as £3.50 an hour. Boohoo was also involved in a class action lawsuit with other fast fashion brands Pretty Little Thing and Nasty Gal for inflating original prices to make a greater profit on sale items. In the same year, Vice found that Boohoo releases as many as 700 new garments a week. The Kourtney Kardashian ambassadorship was meant to start the process of the company turning a new leaf to have more sustainable and ethical actions. Even for this collection the sustainability efforts were minuscule at best and still used fabrics such as polyester that does not biodegrade such as natural fibers. This wasn’t a surprise or even much of a shock, rather the controversy came from the marketing around it being labeled as a ‘sustainable’ collection garnered angry reactions but wasn’t anything new in terms of the mega-celebrity fast fashion deal that we see on repeat.

The Slow Factory partnership is something we are seeing more often as some textile innovation companies or other innovation brands work to bring more sustainable resources to fashion. It’s easy to want to shame these collaborators especially when outside of this instance are doing remarkable work while on the other hand, there’s an acknowledgement of both the financial opportunity and ability to reach a larger audience through these opportunities. Ultimately it’s not the brand’s fault that the market and demand for fast fashion have made it so that smaller companies have to compromise their values for monetary needs. 

These collaborations prompt larger discussions around disclosure information, ethical production, and sustainability standards. To make it simple, a sustainable line from a fast fashion brand isn’t true sustainability, or even close to it. Fast fashion brands provide easy accessibility with their wide size range, low cost, and fast shipping but this comes with a human and environmental cost that is so often ignored by both consumers and the brands themselves. Celebrity-endorsed sustainable collections are the new greenwashing tactic to continue to lure in consumers especially those who are on the precipice of making more conscious purchases but aren’t armed with proper information on greenwashing to combat the impressive yet misleading marketing. So what can we do? Education and information are crucial, especially in a disinformation age. Taking a moment to truly question if and why we need something is second. Embracing slow fashion also means to slow down. Fast fashion gets us by pushing the consumer to make fast and easy purchases with no thorough thought. Not everything is worth a click or worth your money even if it seems like a great step towards a more sustainable future in fashion. Take a moment to understand the possible implications of your purchase and what it means to support these so-called sustainable collections.