When I have a new idea, I do what I or anyone usually does…I google it. I ask myself– does this already exist? Is a name already taken? Are there organizations already doing the same thing?
While no one had come up with a method of scoring an outfit, Good On You was a resource that greatly helped build the foundation of my education and knowledge of sustainable and ethical brands. I highly suggest downloading the app and checking out their website.
Founded in Australia in 2015, Good On You strives to “make it as easy as possible to buy products that meet your needs, from brands that live up to your expectations in relation to their environmental and social performance and how they impact on animals.” You can learn more about their rating system here.
Supported by well-known stars like Emma Watson, Good On You was instantly exciting and appealing, but I quickly realized that ethical and sustainable fashion could use more support in my local area and in the United States. It seemed that most thought leaders (in the form of agencies and/or consumer organizations) were based in Australia or Europe. Therefore, I experienced some frustration when I couldn’t find some mainstream US clothing brands in the Good On You directory. I acknowledged, however, that I couldn’t let that stop me (see: why self-scoring is important). After all, I needed to be sure that I was equipped at all times with the right tools and knowledge to be responsible for my choices (an incredibly American approach, probably).
After a few days of scoring, I’ll admit…things got pretty depressing! I grew up loving the mall and shopping at traditional fast fashion brands (Old Navy, Victoria’s Secret, Express, and more). I knew plenty of others would be in the same boat so I knew that I needed to dig deeper and refine my process to make the Fashion Eco Score more flexible and realistic for all to participate.
Enter the 30 wears test. In an April 2020 article on “10 Steps to Being More Sustainable” in Harpers Bazaar UK, Amy de Klerk writes about the #30Wears campaign started by Livia Firth (founder of EcoAge). Firth says, “The biggest message is every time you buy something, always think, ‘Will I wear it a minimum of 30 times?’ If the answer is yes, then buy it. But you’d be surprised how many times you say no.” The 30 wears test encourages us to only buy an item if we really know that we’ll wear it.
After some experimentation, the 30 wears test was the perfect addition to the initial Fashion Eco scoring system because 1) it accepts imperfection and ensures not all hope is lost and 2) it can help motivate you to make sure you’re wearing what’s currently in your closet!
So a few days into my new journey, I added a new rule: For 0 or 1 point items worn at least 30 times, you may add a bonus point (+1) to that item.
Happy scoring! Don’t forget to let me know how it goes.