The fashion industry is massive, with profits exceeding the domestic product of several countries. According to some estimates, the fashion industry makes up 4 percent of the global market, representing approximately 406 billion dollars of market value. Some fashion brands, like Louis Vuitton, Chanel and Forever 21 are instantly recognizable in multiple continents.
However, not every fashion company is a multinational corporation. There are thousands, if not millions, of aspiring fashion designers putting their work out there though small companies. These small companies sometimes cater to consumers larger brands ignore or use production methods that are less profitable but more environmentally friendly.
Discover how you can support these small fashion companies and ensure they can survive these uncertain times.
How to Support Small Fashion Brands
Supporting small fashion brands doesn’t mean that you have to stop buying from large companies. You can getGuess shirts for women while also being a loyal customer of a small business.
Here are some ways you can ensure you help a new fashion company or smaller designer succeed.
- Wear Them
The best way to support a small fashion company is to wear their merchandise. Even small boutiques will have ample selections of clothing apparel, accessories or footwear. Check out their catalogues and see if any of their products appeal to you. If they do, place an order. You may be pleasantly surprised by how much better the craftsmanship of these boutique clothing is when compared to fast fashion brands. Some of these small companies can even cater to your specific needs. For example, there are designers who provide wonderful clothing to plus-sized men and women.
- Mix-and-Match
If the small clothing company you’ve chosen to support doesn’t have an extensive catalogue or have yet to expand their collections, there’s no problem in wearing their pieces with clothes from larger companies. In fact, mixing and matching your old clothes with new pieces acquired from a small company can be a great way to highlight how wonderful their products are. For example, if you purchase lovely vintage leather shoes from a small company, you can match it with a skirt you bought from a department store.
- Showcase Purchases
Social media platforms are a huge boon to small designers. While large businesses have multiple avenues to market and advertise their products, exposure from their customers is a bigger deal for smaller boutiques. Whenever you buy products from small fashion businesses, be sure to snap a few photos while wearing them. Don’t forget to tag or mention the designer and the name of their business so your friends can find these designers themselves.
- Learn About Their Advocacies
Many small fashion companies adopt advocacies. You should educate yourself on which ones a boutique supports. For example, if you are against animal cruelty and similar practices, you can learn which small companies operate on vegan-friendly policies. If you are passionate about the environment, you should have no problem in determining if a small company is using eco-friendly manufacturing processes. Finding a small fashion company that shares your ideals and advocacies can help you become a more loyal customer, as well as provide you with clothing that’s in line with your beliefs.
- Start Experimenting with Clothing
Once you make the choice to support small fashion companies, you can start experimenting with your own wardrobe. There multiple clothing styles and techniques you can explore that goes well with the aesthetics of small fashion companies. If you enjoy vintage clothing from boutiques, you can look into emulating looks from past decades. If you like the worn-out or weather look of a certain small designer, you could learn how to distress jeans.
Small Fashion Companies
If you want to start supporting small fashion brands but have no idea where to begin, here are 3 companies that you may find interesting. Learning more about their advocacies and business practices can enlighten you, as well as expand your fashion choices.
Torrid
Torrid is a small fashion brand that caters to the clothing needs of women with sizes 10 to 30. Mainstream fashion companies often don’t carry clothing for women with such builds, but Torrid has been creating bold and beautiful pieces for plus-sized women for 20 years.
American Duchess
American Duchess believes in providing long-lasting and bespoke vintage-style clothing. Too often, fast fashion outlets only carry clothing that lasts virtually no time at all. American Duchess’s products not only last long, they are made with eco-friendly materials.
Herbivore Clothing
Dedicated vegans looking for clothing that aligns with their beliefs and dietary habits can turn to Herbivore Clothing for help. This small fashion company provides unisex clothing sourced made with vegan-friendly processes and materials.
Your clothing choices reflect your personality. Supporting small businesses and less-known fashion designers won’t just help you, but help other voices be heard in the fashion community.
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