It’s no secret that buying from sustainable brands can make quite the dent in your purse. This can often leave us feeling conflicted – we want to do our part and contribute to saving the planet, but is it worth the extortionate price tag?
Sustainable brands tend to be more expensive as they don’t cut corners when it comes to production costs, unlike fast fashion. In a capitalistic society, cutting corners to make a bigger profit is normal and we don’t see many companies putting their workers or the planet first these days.
The issue here is that so many people are willing to integrate more sustainable habits into their everyday lives, but it comes with a hefty price point. I asked my Twitter followers to share their thoughts on the cost of sustainable fashion:
I conducted a poll on Twitter and asked my followers if they would consider buying sustainably if it wasn't so expensive, 100% voted yes.
Students and young people appear to be the most educated age group when it comes to sustainability, they want to contribute but simply can’t afford to and therefore continue to buy off of fast fashion brands such as Boohoo, PrettyLittleThing and Primark – continuing the same vicious cycle over and over.
On Reddit and Instagram, I asked users if they knew of any sustainable brands that were affordable. The responses included brands such as Lucy and Yak, Lunch Concept and Sisterhood. However, these brands' products weren’t within an ‘affordable’ budget at all, their items were anywhere between £30 and £400, and being a student myself, this wasn’t ideal.
I found myself wondering, “Are these really practical options for anyone?” Especially when the majority of their ranges were just plain and simple everyday essentials.
I received recommendations for the brand Hissy Fit Clothing across Twitter, Instagram and Reddit so I knew I had to check it out for myself since they seemed so popular.
When I visited their online shop, I was astonished at the prices. Their items were priced between £12 and £30, which for a sustainable brand is considered extremely cheap. But we must also consider that most fast fashion brands charge an average of £5 for a simple top, meaning the price range can still be unaffordable for many people.
I decided to take it upon myself to purchase a couple of items from Hissy Fits store to review and really dig deep to find out if sustainable fashion is really worth the extra cost.
The Review:
I bought two items from Hissy Fit Clothing which came to a total of £34 - considered pretty reasonable in terms of buying from a sustainable brand, but in my opinion still pricey for only two pieces of clothing.
Hissy Fit are well known for their 'hankie tops' so I knew I had to try one out myself.
They offer a range of different colours and patters and are all reversible. There really is something for everyone no matter your style.
When I first opened the package the first thing I noticed about this item was the amazing quality of fabric. The top is made from a really thick, stretchy and durable material. At first I was worried about stressing the material when putting it on and tying it at the back but it wasn't a worry whatsoever because of the super amazing quality of the piece.
The orange side of the top however, did arrive with a couple of holes in it which was disappointing, especially for the price but thankfully, I prefer red by a mile and I don't see myself wearing the orange side ever. I did find myself questioning the £12 price tag when thinking about the simplicity of the piece.
To get a good feel for the product I decided it to wear it when going about my daily errands and I must say it was super comfortable! I was also concerned that due to the strapless design it may have fallen down but it stayed put all day and I felt extremely secure and confident wearing it. I really do love the hankie top and I think that it was totally worth the price.
This cami top caught my eye when I first payed a visit to the Hissy Fit website. The velour material and rich blue colour really appealed to me and upon arrival I fell in love with it instantly. Again, the material they used is thick and super high quality. However, after trying the top on and seeing how it fit, I slowly started to lose hope.
My biggest let down with this item was the sizing. I purchased the top in a size 4-6 which fit my lower torso perfectly but unfortunately, the chest area of the cami was far too small and barely covered anything up. I could have bought a size larger but then the entire top would have been too big and loose on me. The overall fit of the top just wasn't flattering or comfortable in any way - one wrong move and I could have easily exposed my modesty.
Personally, I do feel that £22 is extremely steep for a simple top like this - upon comparison I noticed that the hankie top uses the same amount of material, if not more, therefore I can't find any way to justify the cost. I do really want to love this top but the sizing proportions seem to be way off in my opinion, and I'll sadly have to return this.
The Verdict:
Overall, I do think that Hissy Fit Clothing are a great sustainable clothing store for students and young people who are looking to treat themselves to a unique piece every once in a while. Compared to other sustainable brands such as Sisterhood, who charge upwards of £60 for a simple blouse, Hissy Fits' items really are a steal and provide amazing quality for the most part.
When scanning fast fashion online stores it is understandable why they are so popular, especially amongst the younger generation like myself. They're cheap and act as a good option for last minute outfits for the weekend and nobody is willing to splurge on an item they know they will only wear once or twice.
Sustainable fashion could become more accessible if more brands followed in the footsteps of Hissy Fit Clothing, they charge reasonable prices and use great quality materials that will last a long time which I think makes it all very worth it in the end.
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