5 Sustainable YouTubers Every Environmentally Conscious Person Should Follow
Olivia Mitchell
Monday, 21 February 2022
Plastic pollution. Water scarcity. Deforestation. With all these major issues to worry about, whether you buy another cheap tee shirt little hardly seems worth a thought. Anyway, a little indulgence in awesomely cool fashion is good for the soul, right? Fear not. To be an eco-conscious consumer, you don’t have to ditch your favourite choker necklace for homemade string jewellery. What you do need to do is get informed. The next influencers are here to help, whether you're planning a major closet revamp, a transition to eco-friendly shopping habits or, why not, even shopping for sustainable gifts for grandma. Being selective in your apparel purchases can have a ripple effect throughout the entire fashion supply chain, and into other areas you may have never considered.
Check out these five knowledgeable YouTubers to learn more.
This is a guest post from Olivia Mitchell, a writer at The Pearl Source. Links are shared in collaboration, and are not paid content.
Thumbnail image: Ian Schneider on Unsplash
1. Inspiroue
‘Not only is the textile industry creating a hundred million tonnes of waste each year, they’re using a hundred million barrels of oil to do it.’ ~ Cynthia Dam
Cynthia Dam’s aptly named YouTube channel is truly inspiring as well as informative. Dam interned with Eileen Fisher, a brand that has been committed to sustainable fashion for decades. She went on to create her own retail pop-up shop with the goal of focusing on conscious consumption. Dam is on a mission to prove that you can be fashionable without trashing the planet. She has dozens of videos on every ethical fashion topic imaginable, from building a capsule wardrobe to scoring big at thrift shops. She dives deeply into the many aspects of sustainability and gives you the nitty-gritty on specific brands. You’ll learn all about greenwashing, the many steps of the fashion supply chain, and why it’s so hard to trace them. Inspiroue helps you understand why classics like pearls are always a better investment than cheap, trendy jewellery. Inspiroue also has a blog with more tips on eco-conscious consumption. By the time you’re done watching Inspiroue, you’ll be better informed, and inspired to green up your wardrobe.
The Sustainable Fashion Collective video choice: 'Sustainability buzzwords and greenwashing tactics brands use'
2. Jessica Harumi
‘If you can commit to the idea of not needing as much, then hopefully that can change your mindset around shopping.’ ~ Jessica Harumi
Another approach to sustainable fashion is simply having less. Based out of San Diego, California, eco fashion and lifestyle blogger Jessica Harumi’s YouTube channel is full of great advice on how to pare down without sacrificing style. The queen of the capsule wardrobe offers vlogs on topics such as fresh ways to style jeans and creating a Parisian style collection. One of Harumi’s top tips for the eco-conscious fashionista is to slow down when you shop and to resist the urge to impulse-buy. In short, don’t ‘buy now.’ Shop inside your closet first. You’re almost guaranteed to be pleasantly surprised. The planet and your wallet will both be happier when you buy only pieces you truly love and will wear.
The Sustainable Fashion Collective video choice: 'How to use a content calendar for YouTube, Blogging and Instagram & free template'
3. Zoe Hong
‘Vote for leaders who understand that climate change is real.’ ~ Zoe Hong
It’s always great to get tips from an insider. Zoe Hong is a professional clothing designer. Her YouTube channel is full of practical ideas related to every aspect of fashion design, from colour theory to figure drawing to best practices in the industry. For those who are interested in starting a sustainable fashion brand, Hong has vids on topics such as Fabrics 101, illustration, and the fashion design process. She also hosts a podcast and has a website with even more useful info. Can’t get enough of Hong? She taught at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco and offers lectures and courses at other universities and art institutes.
The Sustainable Fashion Collective video choice: 'Fashion Design Tutorial 4: Fabrics & Materials'
4. Sarah Hawkinson
‘I gave up fast fashion for good.’ ~ Sarah Hawkinson
Sustainability has many facets, and YouTuber Sarah Hawkinson focuses on reducing consumption by replacing fast fashion with thrifting. A self-described ‘lazy person,’ her tips include time-saving hacks while shopping and the best places to go, such as church bazaars, to discover secret gems. Hawkins also has videos on ways to get creative with thrift shop finds, such as easy ways to refashion items without any special tailoring skills or equipment besides a pair of scissors. Hawkinson also talks honestly about some of the downsides of giving up fast fashion, like FOMO. She has been vlogging for over 10 years and has multiple YouTube channels with a variety of offerings, including posts on mental health and life hacks.
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5. Kristen Leo
‘Fast fashion is creating demand, because selling a tonne of clothes is really profitable.’ ~ Kristen Leo
Greek social media star, Kristen Leo is a popular international YouTuber who addresses a variety of sustainability issues and the problems of fast fashion in particular. If you’re pressed for time, watch her 5-minute explanation of the many problems with fast fashion. Leo also has vids on veganism and ethical living. These five YouTubers offer heaps of useful advice on how to live more sustainably, and there are plenty more of them out there. All the info can get overwhelming at times, but if we each pick up just one sustainable habit, just think what a better world we could create. Little steps really do add up.
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To learn more about utilising content like YouTube, Instagram, blogging and other social media channels for your own business, why not head to our Masterclasses that cover these topics:
How To Build An Authentic And Powerful Social Media Presence
Building Communities With Ethical Events
Mastering Your Online Presence
... and upcoming in April 2022, How To Keep Your Fashion Business On Track.