Aja Barber, a fashion stylist and writer, sees secondhand and ethical fashion as a gateway to exploring environmental and social challenges. According to a report by Thredup, the secondhand market is on course to take 10% of global sales, while eBay has dropped selling fees for preloved garments. Barber advocates for natural and conscious shopping, which encourages the consideration of the most vulnerable and underrepresented people in the production of clothing. She says changing the way we dress is a fun way to have a serious impact, and a prime example to challenge systems that exploit labor in the vast regions of the world where the majority of our clothes are manufactured.
Barber is an advocate of sustainable fashion which encourages the use of pre-owned clothes, and advises her audience – mostly on Instagram and Patreon– to consider the vulnerable people behind the fashion industry. She too was consumed by impulse purchases at one point, but says she was awakened after she got a shift at a charity shop. She realised she could have a positive impact and reduce her ecological footprint by buying secondhand. Barber says buying preloved should not be a green light to buy and discard as much as you like but part of a wholesale mindset shift. She believes that our clothing should tightly align with our sensibilities and morals, which is why ethical, independent brands like The Emperor’s Old Clothes and NorBlack NorWhite are central to her wardrobe.
Her love for fashion has been seamlessly integrated with her passion for environmental sustainability and social justice. For Barber, creativity and fun are part of the preloved fashion treasure hunt. Her advocacy has earned her a wide audience, as she is now one of the leading voices on sustainability and fashion. Barber advocates a slow fashion movement, which, according to her, is the future of fashion consumption. According to research by Vestiaire Collective, 82% of their sales replace first-hand purchases. Barber firmly believes that buying pre-owned clothes is a trendy and a less expensive way to consume fashion. By incorporating secondhand fashion into our daily lives, we can participate in a global movement that will have an environmental and social advantage
Read the full article on Positive News here: Read More