Hooked on Ethics: Crocheting a Sustainable Fashion Revolution
Written By Josie Anderson
Photography By Britney Spangenberg
Modeled By Jase & Katelyn Kimmel
Why should you crochet?
Arts and crafts are in! Crocheting is such a good hobby to pick up, not only for your mental and emotional health, but also for the positive environmental impact you can have on the fashion industry by creating your own garments!
Fast Fashion Crochet Items
Crocheting takes a lot of time and physical work. All crochet garments you buy online or in-store from major fashion companies are made through intense physical labor. If this is not the case, they are not true crochet items; they are made only by a machine that cannot replicate true crochet. There is no such thing as a crochet machine as there is for knitting. Crocheting is too complicated to replicate with a machine, which means all the fast-fashion crochet garments you find online will be handmade. Not to mention, these fast fashion companies are paying unethical wages and have unacceptable working conditions for their employees, so this is why we shouldn’t be supporting these companies.
How can you be a part of the solution?
Crafty girl era is here! Creating your own clothing and crocheting your own sweaters, scarves, hats, etc., is always a more sustainable option than buying from major fashion companies. There is less waste when creating yourself, and you can control where you are sourcing your materials from. Crocheting for yourself has so many benefits. It is a sustainable way of wearing the crochet items you love without endorsing unethical fashion industry practices.
Instead of feeding your online shopping addiction, take a trip to the yarn store, grab a crochet needle, and create the garments you have saved on FashionNova. Not only that, but you can tailor it to you and your style! The internet has so many patterns and videos for you to follow! So, the next time you find a crochet item you love, take into account the ethical impact buying that item will have. Ask yourself, “Can I make this?”
Benefits for YOU!
Nothing is better than a release of serotonin for your mental health! Crocheting is a natural stress reliever and anti-depressant, and it has the ability to release serotonin. It is also known to increase empathy and enhance your quality of life. There is no greater feeling than completing a project and having that sense of accomplishment!
How to get started
Go get yourself a crochet needle, a good quality yarn, and look up beginner crochet projects online. There are so many resources out there on Pinterest or YouTube for you to learn how to crochet. You can pick whatever you want to get started—it is as easy as that!
You don’t need to crochet with traditional materials, either. The two tops in these photos were made entirely out of reused plastic bags! If you are just starting to crochet and don’t want to invest in a nice yarn, you don’t need to. You can gather your plastic bags, create your own yarn, and get started!
You can be a part of the solution in an industry that doesn’t value the work of its employees. You can create your crochet items while gaining so many benefits yourself! I encourage you to create something and see how you feel after. I promise you will never go back to fast fashion crochet items!