Sitting in for Jennifer Zamparelli on RTÉ 2FM, Aifric O'Connell spoke with sustainability expert Fionnuala Moran about how to make more ethical choices when shopping for clothes. Listen back above.
"It's support over shame because I've been on both sides of this," insists Fionnuala, who says she could often be found on the high-streets before she changed her ways.
With a masters in climate change under her belt, a wardrobe full of fabulous second-hand and revamped pieces, as well as a few extra quid in her pocket, the radio broadcaster says she is an absolute convert when it comes to slow fashion.
"I don't care what incentive gets people to join the movement, be it financial or otherwise, whatever it is or whatever way you come to this, amazing. It's such a huge thing now in the cost of living crisis, people realising how much money they can save by being more sustainable. It's phenomenal," she says.
Boycotting any big brands known for treating their staff in an unfair manner, Moran has turned her attention to the vintage and second-hand shops of Ireland - many of which are owned and run by women.
Not only that but cutting down on her shopping habit has allowed the Dublin woman to ditch any anxiety when it comes to getting dressed for work in the morning.
According to the sustainability expert, the paradox of choice suggests that, while having lots of options sounds nice, it actually requires more effort and can often stress us out.
Basically, a small wardrobe of treasured items is the goal.
"Buying way less is what's going to make ourselves just really live in line with the planet and everything else," says Fionnuala, who put herself on a six-month buying ban following a viewing of The True Cost - a documentary that looks into conditions some factory workers are living in.
"I was horrified by what I had been supporting with my money by buying into all these companies," she explains.
During her six-month buying ban, Moran began to reflect on how many items of clothing are bought for the sake of other people and not for ourselves.
"Fast fashion and Instagram came up at the same time and it made this perfect storm of all of us thinking we were the newest celeb," she says.
For those wanting to shop more ethically, Fionnuala recommends being more conscious about your choices and focusing on building a wardrobe that will work harder for you from second-hand and vintage resources like Thriftify and Depop.
She also says that a helpful rule to live by is to wait three days before making a purchase as this will stop impulse buying and guide you to pieces you truly want.
"When you take that pause, 99% of the time, I never thought about it again."
If you really need an overhaul, sustainable stylists such as Maria Short and professional organisers like A Sorted Affair can help you go through your wardrobe and work with what you already have.
To get more sustainable shopping tips, listen back to The Jennifer Zamparelli Show above.
