The future of slow fashion

Each September, The Butterfly Club hosts a Slow Fashion Week to celebrate the intersection of fashion + climate. Sandwiched between New York Fashion Week and Climate Week, Slow Fashion Week is a 7-day event series featuring a mix of hands-on workshops, sustainable shopping, and panel discussions. Continue reading to learn more about our key takeaways from Slow Fashion Week 2024. 

During our Future of Fashion panel, a guest asked our panelists how they remain hopeful, fighting what feels like a never ending uphill battle against fast fashion. The panelists looked to one another, sharing glances that suggested the answer required a bit of nuance.

The reality is, we all share the same frustration and fear that the slow fashion movement is up against a lot. But in an effort to be both transparent and optimistic, the panelists shared where they find hope. From collective action and advocacy, to growing consumer interest in conscious goods, to innovative design and ethical material sourcing, the panelists listed example after example of the various silver linings striking through what can be a very grey cloud surrounding slow fashion.

As we moved onto the next question, the theme continued: while it can feel exhausting (if not all together impossible) to fight against the monster of fast fashion that just keeps growing regardless of all of our various efforts, there's something profoundly beautiful about having all of us in a room together talking about it. And that's the future of slow fashion. 

Bringing people together who share a vision for a healthier planet, who see the potential of conscious consumerism, and who feel inspired by the new wave of innovative design, is the future of slow fashion.  

Creating an authentic and genuine community, where people can gather to learn a new craft, learn about a sustainable brand, and hear from industry leaders, is the future of slow fashion. 

While many of our slow fashion journeys stem from fear, anger and disappointment in the fast fashion industry, the hope we all share is in the community we create when we come together to solve a shared problem. It isn't easy and it isn't linear, but it is possible. When we work together, collaborating and sharing resources to fight against a shared enemy, we have the potential to create a new fashion industry. Instead of competing against something we may never beat, we're better off redesigning something they can't replicate.