Sharing quotes is a powerful way to inspire others to look more into ethical fashion, and make a positive change in the world. Quotes are also great when you are at the beginning of your conscious lifestyle journey and you want to strengthen your beliefs and remember why you started in the first place.
Don’t forget we’re all in this together. Whether you come to conscious fashion from minimalism, sustainable living, shopping second-hand, veganism, boycotting fast fashion, or fighting for human rights, you’re going to find at least one quote that resonates with you! There’s enough for all of you:
- Ethical Fashion Quotes
- Slow Fashion Quotes
- Anti-Fast Fashion Quotes
- Sustainable Fashion Quotes
- Conscious Consumerism Quotes
- Vegan Fashion Quotes
- Second Hand Fashion Quotes
Sharing is caring! Remember that every little action counts and you never know the ripple effect it can cause. So if there’s a quote you like, please share it with a friend who needs it the most, or share it on social media!
Ethical Fashion Quotes
“There is no beauty in the finest cloth if it makes hunger and unhappiness.” – Mahatma Gandhi, Indian lawyer, anti-colonial nationalist, and political ethicist
“It isn’t enough just looking for the quality in the products we buy, we must ensure that there is quality in the lives of the people who make them.” – Orsola De Castro, founder of Fashion Revolution
“If you pay a little more, we can live a little better.” – Sharti Atka, garment worker from Bangladesh
“Ethical fashion is the recognition that there are human beings behind the clothes that we wear.” – Elizabeth Joy, blogger at Conscious Life & Style
“Ethical is the new normal.” – unknown
“The revolution will look fabulous.” – Lucy Shea, CEO of Futerra
“As with other social and political statements through commercial art, eco-fashion is a reaction to social and ecological conditions.” – Sass Brown, ethical fashion activist, author of Eco Fashion
“We carry the story of the people who made our clothes.” – Ali Hewson, activist
“We, the lucky few, who are purchasing rather than making the garments, are beneficiaries of a fashion system of injustice.” – Jennifer Ewah, founder of Eden Diodati
“No more fashion victims!” – Katharine Hamnett, fashion designer
“Ethical and sustainable fashion is not a product. It’s a practice. Everyone is invited to participate. There’s no obligation to buy. And you can get started right now. Today.” – Elizabeth L. Cline, journalist, author of Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion, expert on consumer culture, fast fashion, sustainability, and labor rights in the apparel industry
“What is ethical fashion? It’s a confusing term. Sometimes it’s easier to define by what it isn’t – and unfortunately, that is most of what can be found on the high street. Unethical fashion means very very little transparency, accountability, and knowledge of the supply chain. It means demands of very quick lead times and production turnaround. It means producers played off against each other. It means a wage that doesn’t even afford the worker an adequate salary for two meals a day.” – Safia Minney, social entrepreneur, author of Slow Fashion: Aesthetic Meets Ethics, and founder of People Tree
Want to learn more about slow fashion? What is Slow Fashion, Why is it Important & How to Practice it?
“A fresh generation are marching for revolution and they want to wear clothes that tell a new story. Let’s give it to them.” – Naomi Klein, social activist, author of This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs. The Climate
“It really unsettles me that something being ‘ethically made’ is a bonus or optional extra. Should it not be the bare minimum that those who make the items that sustain and/or shape us as humans are respected and safe?” – Mikaela Loach, sustainable living and ethical fashion advocate
“Gorgeous fashion should both feel good and do good.” – Ania Czuprynski, founder of Saulé
“We don’t support slave labor in this country, so we shouldn’t support those conditions in other countries.” – Emma Watson, actress, sustainable fashion and women’s rights activist
“I like my clothes transparent – even if they’re not see-through.” – Wiebke Kaiser, slow fashion advocate, blogger at Sloris
“Exploiting workers is not fashionable.” – unknown
Slow Fashion Quotes
“Think of yourself as a curator, rather than a consumer.” – Christine Koh, speaker, author, co-host of Edit Your Life podcast
“Buy less. Choose well. Make it last.” – Vivienne Westwood, fashion designer
How to make your clothes last? Second Chances: Renovate your Wardrobe Instead of Buying New
“Clothes could have more meaning and longevity if we think less about owning the latest or cheapest thing and develop more of a relationship with the things we wear.” – Elizabeth L. Cline, journalist, author of Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion, expert on consumer culture, fast fashion, sustainability, and labor rights in the apparel industry
“Slow clothing is a philosophy. It is a way of thinking about, choosing, and wearing clothes to ensure they bring meaning, value, and joy to every day.” – Jane Milburn, sustainability consultant, founder of Textile Beat
Does slow fashion mean boring, unstylish clothes? Not at all! 18 Slow Fashion YouTube Channels To Help You Dress Better
“I’m for style. Fashions change too quickly.” – Coco Chanel, fashion designer
“Don’t be into trends. Don’t make fashion own you, but you decide what you are, what you express by the way you dress, and the way you live.” – Gianni Versace, fashion designer
“Only buy clothes that you plan to keep forever. It’s important to see trends for what they are: a game.” – Carine Roitfeld, editor of CR Fashion Book, former editor-in-chief of Vogue Paris
“Care for your clothes, like the good friends they are.” – Joan Crawford, actress
“Slow fashion encourages you to find your personal style and to invest in the items that truly suit your personality and lifestyle.” – Csilla Herbszt, founder of The Pretty Planeteer
“Fashion is a trend. Style lives within a person.” – Oscar De La Renta, fashion designer
“The designer today should not help to produce more – he has to help produce fewer and better things. There is a beauty, aesthetic, and philosophy of the less.” – Philippe Starck, architect, designer
“Fashion looks better when you feel good on the inside.” – unknown
“Keep your closet chic, minimal, and timeless.” – Donna Zhong, fashion designer
“It is better to have fewer things of quality than too much expendable junk.” – Rachel Zoe, fashion designer, author of Style A to Zoe: The Art of Fashion, Beauty, & Everything Glamour
“A piece of clothing should be like a work of art.” – Rosita Missoni, co-founder of Missoni
“You really need to have an emotional bond with your clothes; you need to love your clothes.” – Christina Dean, founder of Redress
“Quality is an investment in the future.” – unknown
“Particularly in today’s climate, it seems willful and ridiculous that such garments are not cherished and reworn for a lifetime.” – Cate Blanchett, actress
“Fashion is about self-expression, not status” – Yoon Ahn, Dior Men director of jewelry
“Wear clothes that matter.” – Solitaire Townsend, co-founder of Futerra, author of The Happy Hero
“Slow fashion is also about returning to a personal relationship with fashion. One where trends and seasons don’t matter, but where your ethics and aesthetics seamlessly unite, and you can escape the stress of constant consumption, focusing on the style that truly appeals to you.” – Emilia Wik, former Head Designer at BYEM
“It’s time to slow down and consider the true cost of choosing quantity over quality.” – Kate Fletcher, research professor, design activist, author of Sustainable Fashion and Textiles: Design Journeys
Anti-Fast Fashion Quotes
“Fast fashion isn’t free. Someone, somewhere, is paying.” – Lucy Siegle, journalist, author of To Die For: Is Fashion Wearing Out the World?
Which brands are fast fashion? 30+ Fast Fashion Brands To Avoid For A More Sustainable Future
“Fast fashion is like fast food. After the sugar rush, it just leaves a bad taste in your mouth.” – Livia Firth, founder and creative director of Eco-Age
Especially when you realize how environmentally damaging fast fashion fabrics are!
“Cheap consumer products are sold to us as some grand achievement of globalization, but they’ve come at the price of middle-class jobs, craftsmanship, and stable communities.” – Elizabeth L. Cline, journalist, author of Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion, expert on consumer culture, fast fashion, sustainability, and labor rights in the apparel industry
“Your t-shirt should cost more than your coffee.” – unknown
“Fast fashion doesn’t go with my outfit.” – unknown
“Some people will tell you that once you wear an outfit or take photos in it, you shouldn’t be seen wearing it again, but I completely disagree… If something looks good on you why not enjoy it instead of buying into hyper-consumerism that leads to pollution.” – Michelle Chavez, ethical fashion influencer
“You are what you wear. Do you want to be cheap, disposable, unoriginal?” – unknown
“If we design for the landfill, if we produce clothes that are effectively disposable, we will all start to treat them like litter.” – Lucy Siegle, journalist, author of To Die For: Is Fashion Wearing Out the World?
“One of the big problems is that today we don’t expect to wear something for a very long time.” – Andrea Venier, CEO of Officina+39
“Don’t add to the pile.” – Leah-Jane Musch, blogger at Unmaterial Girl
“Fast Fashion has turned us into passive consumers who are constantly chasing the fantasy that buying more clothes will make us happy.” – Clara Vuletich, designer, sustainability strategist
Sustainable Fashion Quotes
“Call it eco-fashion if you like, I think it’s just common sense.” – Livia Firth, founder and creative director of Eco-Age
“Good design is sustainable design.” – Imran Amed, fashion expert, founder, CEO, and editor-in-chief of The Business of Fashion
Here are some examples of great design: 24 Essential Sustainable Clothing Brands For Men
“Fashion can be a universal player in protecting the planet.” – Pharrell Williams, singer, songwriter, fashion designer, and entrepreneur
“Ethics + Aesthetics = Sustainable Fashion” – unknown
“Fashion shouldn’t cost the earth.” – Environmental Audit Committee
“Sustainable fashion is not a trend but the future.” – Antonia Böhlke, founder of Mochni
“Green is the new black.” – unknown
“The most environmentally friendly product is the one you didn’t buy.” – Joshua Becker, blogger at Becoming Minimalist, author of The More of Less: Finding the Life You Want Under Everything You Own
“If it can’t be reduced, reused, repaired // Rebuilt, refurbished, refinished, resold // Recycled, or composted // Then it should be restricted, redesigned // Or removed from production” – If It Can’t Be Reduced 🎵 Pete Seeger
“Everyone can do simple things that make a difference, and every little bit does count.” – Stella McCartney, fashion designer
“There is no such thing as ‘away’. When we throw anything away it must go somewhere.” – Annie Leonard, executive director of Greenpeace USA, creator of The Story of Stuff
“We don’t have to pollute, exploit, and overconsume to look stylish.” – Csilla Herbszt, founder of The Pretty Planeteer
“Becoming more mindful about clothing means looking at every fiber, at every seed and every dye, and seeing how to make it better. We don’t want sustainability to be our edge, we want it to be universal.” – Eileen Fisher, fashion designer
“Everything we make returns to the Earth either as food or as poison.” – Slow Factory
“As the sustainable fashion movement is growing, so do our options to choose from.” – Csilla Herbszt, founder of The Pretty Planeteer
“One day we’ll wake up and Green will not be the new black, it will be the new invisible. Meaning, no longer will sustainable be the exception or something that’s considered au courant; instead, it will be a matter of course – something that all designers incorporate into their design ethos.” – Summer Rayne Oakes, fashion model, environmental activist, author of Style, Naturally: The Savvy Shopping Guide to Sustainable Fashion and Beauty
“The best way to make a contribution in fashion is to promote the idea that a fundamental interest in preserving the environment is itself fashionable.” – Giorgio Armani, fashion designer
“Being green is not just about buying ‘eco’. It’s an unshakable commitment to a sustainable lifestyle.” – Eco Warrior Princess
“The most sustainable garment is the one already in your wardrobe.” – Orsola De Castro, founder of Fashion Revolution
“Fashion has the power to not only redefine our own industry but become a role model for others to reinvent their practices.” – Timothy Ho
“Fashion is about people and the environment we all share. Let’s encourage a conversation that isn’t prescriptive. We need to celebrate the complexity of this.” – Orsola De Castro, founder of Fashion Revolution
“We’re at a climate crisis, and sorry but I’m not going to applaud a company that sells millions of items a day just because they introduced a tiny collection with sustainable materials. We’ve passed that years ago…” – Csilla Herbszt, founder of The Pretty Planeteer
“It’s got to be fashion and not what people perceive as ‘organic fashion’ – those hippie, oatmeal type of clothes – they have to be gorgeous clothes. Otherwise, no one would buy them.” – Katharine Hamnett, fashion designer
“Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without.” – Boyd K. Packer, religious leader, educator
“There’s no brand that’s doing it perfectly and there’s no consumer who’s doing it perfectly. You do what you can, and once you start incorporating the small things into your day-to-day life, they’ll become habitual.” – Kelly Drennan, founding executive director of Fashion Takes Action
Conscious Consumerism Quotes
“Every time you spend money, you’re casting a vote for the kind of world you want.” – Anne Lappé, author, educator, and sustainable food advocate
“Minimalism is asking why before you buy.” – Francine Jay, minimalist living advocate, blogger at Miss Minimalist, author of The Joy of Less, A Minimalist Living Guide: How to Declutter, Organize, and Simplify Your Life
“Purchasing is always a moral act.” – Pope Francis, head of the Catholic Church
“Clothes aren’t going to change the world, the women who wear them will.” – Anne Klein, fashion designer
“Buy what you need, love what you have.” – unknown
“What you do makes a difference and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.” – Jane Goodall, primatologist, anthropologist
“Become an active citizen through your wardrobe.” – Livia Firth, founder and creative director of Eco-Age
“Our enormously productive economy demands that we make consumption our way of life, that we convert the buying and use of goods into rituals, that we seek our spiritual satisfaction and our ego satisfaction in consumption… We need things consumed, burned up, worn out, replaced, and discarded at an ever-increasing pace.” – Victor Lebow, economist
“If you are an active consumer, it means that you are a privileged person. You have enough money and resources to fill the essential levels of the Maslow pyramid. This privilege comes with social responsibility…” – Alexandre Desabrais, co-founder of Solios
“Fashion should be about challenging the status quo.” – Dilys Williams, director of Centre for Sustainable Fashion
“Don’t buy shi(r)t you don’t need.” – unknown
“Consumer demand can revolutionize the way fashion works as an industry. If everyone started to question the way we consume, we would see a radically different fashion paradigm.” – Carry Somers, fashion designer, social entrepreneur, founder of Fashion Revolution
“Shop less, think more.” – Vivienne Westwood, fashion designer
“This is the typical fallacy on which all of consumer America is based. Some piece of useless crap will make people like you.” – Blake Nelson, author
“Retail is not going to stop any time soon, so why not encourage stores to stock better so consumers can buy better.” – Kerry Bannigan, founder of Conscious Fashion Campaign
“As consumers, we have so much power to change the world by just being careful in what we buy.” – Emma Watson, actress, sustainable fashion and women’s rights activist
“The most important thing to remember is that you can wear all the greatest clothes and all the greatest shoes, but you’ve got to have a good spirit on the inside. That’s what’s really going to make you look like you’re ready to rock the world.” – Alicia Keys, singer-songwriter
“We need an entire consciousness upgrade so we’re not filling a void with consumerist purchases.” – Mara Hoffman, fashion designer
“Less is the new more.” – unknown
“Realize the political power of your money and spend it with the brands you know are treating their workers and the environment in the best possible way.” – Lily Cole, model, actress, entrepreneur, founder of Impossible
“Don’t buy things with money you don’t have, to get things you don’t need, to impress people you don’t know.” – unknown
“Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does.” – William James, philosopher, psychologist, educator
Vegan Fashion Quotes
“As a designer, I like to work with fabrics that do not bleed. That is why I avoid all animal skins.” – Stella McCartney, fashion designer
“The really great thing about my shoe store is that there’s not one dead animal in it.” – Stella McCartney, fashion designer
“There is no leather without a dead animal.” – Csilla Herbszt, founder of The Pretty Planeteer
“Compassion is the new fashion.” – unknown
“I want to bring a message which is veganism, and that there doesn’t have to be torture in fabulous fashion. You can be stylish, and sustainable all at the same time.” – Miley Cyrus, actress, musician
“Cruelty is one fashion statement we can all do without.” – Rue McClanahan, actress, comedian
“I’m not for the killing of any creature, whether it be seals, cows, dogs, anything as I’m totally against animal cruelty. I don’t eat or wear animals, so I’m opposed to fur and any other kind of animal products.” – Bryan Adams, singer, animal rights activist
Second Hand Fashion Quotes
“When you wear vintage, you never have to worry about showing up in the same dress as someone else.” – Jessica Alba, actress
“Consume less; share better.” – Hervé Kempf, reporter, environmental editor of Le Monde
“Second hand is my first hand.” – unknown
“Waste isn’t waste until we waste it.” – Will.i.am, rapper, singer, songwriter
“I’ll wear your granddad’s coat // I look incredible // I’m in this big ass coat // From that thrift shop down the road” – Thrift Shop 🎵 Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
We’re helping you find the best thrift stores so you can spend less time browsing the racks and more time looking incredible: How To Find The Best Places To Thrift With These 10 Simple Tips
“Shopping second hand is not only a great way to have new clothes in your wardrobe for an affordable price, but it also gives the clothes a second chance to shine.” – unknown
“My favorite sport is thrifting.” – unknown
“Good things come to those who thrift.” – unknown
“Shopping second hand opens up possibilities. You’re not limited to what’s in season or trending at the moment, which means you can build a unique, timeless wardrobe.” – unknown
“I get highs, to be totally honest, in second-hand shops. My hunting instinct, I expect, really kicks in.” – Bjork, singer-songwriter
“Repurpose your clothes into something // Amazing you might have clothes worth praising // Everybody talkin’ givin’ you pats on the back // For the awareness you’re raising” – #4KEEPS 🎵 Josh Megwa, Joelle Barwick
“Second-hand is the new organic. When we buy preloved clothes, we do not add chemicals or production stress to the environment. Everything else is various shades of greenwashing.” – Jane Milburn, sustainability consultant, founder of Textile Beat
“It’s the responsibility of any person who donates anything – clothes, food, money – to understand where their donations are going and who and what they serve. Charities are not dumpy or waste bins.” – Elizabeth L. Cline, journalist, author of Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion, expert on consumer culture, fast fashion, sustainability, and labor rights in the apparel industry
“I’m really interested in fashion but at the same time I find it quite competitive. Second-hand stuff leaves you more open to whatever your own personal style is rather than feeling dictated to by shops.” – Sophie Ellis Bextor, singer, songwriter, model
“I’ve always been quite thrifty. I can’t bear to spend hundreds of pounds on designer clothes. I shop in second-hand shops in Portobello Road and go to Sue Ryder.” – Ashley Jensen, actress
