Kora’s Standout Sustainable Fashion
Sister Kora Kane dives deep into how she used her love for fashion to make a change in the world. Read more below.
Hi! I’m Kora. If you know me well, you know I'm someone who craves to live impactfully; to somehow make the world a better place with my being. As a female in a social media-driven world, I’ve been surrounded by fashion my whole life. I used to obsess over models and beautiful women in fancy clothing- hoping to one day be as successful and stylish. I’ve grown up dreaming of stepping into some city out of my fancy car wearing stilettos and a designer suit. I was convinced that looking known and important, would make me feel known and important. I now know it’s much deeper than simply “how you look,” it’s what you represent. I still have goals like that, but now they look more like stepping into NYC from my Tesla in secondhand Prada heels and a (hot) pantsuit made of organic cotton.
In high school and when I first came to college, I had the toxic tendency to want a new outfit for every outing. I wouldn’t allow myself to be seen posting in the same top on my Instagram. This mindset led me to buy SO many clothing items. As an unemployed freshman in college...buying expensive clothes just wasn't an option. I shopped from Zaful, Shein, Nastygal, etc. Anything that would get me the cutest clothes for the smallest buck. Everytime I hit “purchase”, I felt a sense of guilt creep up in the back of my mind. My conscience knew buying an $8 shirt wasn’t reasonable. I knew I was cheating someone. But as they say, “ignorance is bliss.”
As quarantine hit second semester of my freshman year, time seemed to slow. I’m not sure what made me exactly dive into the issues of fast fashion- maybe an article or a post on instagram- but I had some time and I did some research. I then began to listen to hours of podcasts as I worked my Doordashing job.
Fast fashion is one of the top three largest contributors to climate change. It is not nearly talked about enough. Why? Because it’s honestly really hard to hear. We don't want to know that what makes us feel so happy and confident is killing our planet and exploiting garment workers all over the world. Fast fashion is worn by all: influencers, celebrities, it’s on magazine covers and the streets of NYC; it’s everywhere.“93% of brands surveyed by the Fashion Checker aren’t paying garment workers a living wage” (Fashion Checker, 2020) I mean think about it….how can a company ethically pay a garment worker, shipping company, and anyone in between while trying to profit off of a $10 shirt? Someone will get cheated. Not only is it unethical, but it’s killing our home.
“The fashion industry emits more carbon than international flights and maritime shipping combined,” (Business Insider, 2019). Yes, looking good is empowering- but when do we stop the narrative that capital is more important than human beings? I say the time is now.
“If your feminist t-shirt was made possible by the exploitation of female garment workers, can you really call it a feminist t-shirt?” - @acteevism on Instagram.
Seriously though. Read that one again.
And so, korarestyled was born. Like many people, staying home for months made me want to better myself- to make the time worthwhile. @korarestyled is an instagram account, and now also a website, I created to promote consumer consciousness. I restyle thrifted pieces, discuss sustainable clothing brands, and try to educate my followers on shopping sustainably. In its peak- it hit 1.1k followers; hopefully impacting some of them to take a second look at where they are spending their money. I’m in no means perfect and by all means learning. This is just my journey. Combining my love for the environment with my passion for trendy clothes. You can read my blog here www.korarestyled.com/blog.
korarestyled’s caption :
“UHMM HI can we talk ABT THIS!!!! I haven’t been looking at my emails because I’m an impulse buyer and I’m trying not to buy new, but my friend texted me about urban’s renewal drop today which now is pretty big and starting to include everyday items... like Levi’s, sweatshirts, tanks, etc. AND they fit today’s trend, something that tends to be missing from a lot of sustainable companies. Urban is such a cute, popular site and we can consciously buy their clothes all the while show companies we are willing to pay more for sustainability. Their normal line uses little sustainable resources, maybe check out urban renewal before looking at the normal clothes! The more we show we care, the more they’ll listen. Reworked fashion. Beautiful. Issa good day. Ty@kaleymccullen”
What can you do to help end fast fashion you might ask?
Here’s what I know…..
Buy less! It takes some getting used to, but eventually purchasing new clothes will become less of a habit.
Educate yourself. I'm no expert, but listen to those who are. I recommend “Business Of Fashion” podcasts. They interview designers and CEO’s across the world on their company and practices. There are a lot of sustainable discussions! My favorite episode is “Women are the Forefront of the Sustainable Fashion Revolution”.
Shop secondhand. Look on secondhand sites before you buy new! I’ve saved money doing this too. (Everything I have purchased for sorority recruitment was through Depop. Poshmark is great too. Local second-hand stores (like Ashby RVA) are amazing as well. If you're feeling boujee, check out TheRealReal for second-hand designer items.)
Buy From Sustainable Brands. Sometimes you need to buy new. Try looking at the more sustainable aspects of companies. Urban Outfitters has a sustainable line called UrbanRenewal, as does Levis. If we buy with purpose, companies will realize we CARE. They’ll listen. Money speaks! There are also fully sustainable companies that have lower waste and less carbon emissions than your average brand. I’ll list a few I like here:
Reformation
MATE the label
Alternative Apparel
PACT
Girlfriend Collective Ethically, look into labels. Fair Trade Certifiedcompanies have completed a process that certifies they have safe working conditions and pay workers a living wage. If a company isn’t certified... there’s a reason why.
Ethically, look into labels. Fair Trade Certified companies have completed a process that certifies they have safe working conditions and pay workers a living wage. If a company isn’t certified… there’s a reason why.
So let's look good, feel good, and do good. Doing this, in the words of KD, we can truly…
“Go Confidently.”
Contact Sister Kora…
@Korarenee on Instagram