AIBU to think ethical clothes for kids are very pricey

[cheeseycharlie]

11 YO DD is very engaged with environmental sustainability, is vegetarian and general Greta-fan. She is out of clothes having just gone up a size, so I offered to take her shopping this weekend, and she asked if we could get bamboo clothes because they are more sustainable.
I have looked online for outlets with sustainable clothing (bamboo or otherwise) for kids/tweens and everything is horrendously expensive. She's still growing and it will cost me a fortune to kit her out in this stuff, and it will last her probably 9 months, 12-15 if I buy big.
I understand that unsustainable clothes have artificially deflated prices, so maybe our price expectations are off. However the sustainable brands seem to really pitch themselves at what I consider a super-premium level (like the people who buy all their kids clothes including tshirts at Jigsaw and the like). There's nothing at a more department store sort of price point.
Is there a more cost effective way to make conscientious buying choices for her?
We have lots of second hand shops nearby but when I've looked before everything in the kids section has been a bit ratty.
Nothing in TK Maxx.
AIBU and also any recommendations gratefully received...

Following because I try to be ethical esp clothes but atm have no idea how to do that for my DS!

Why not suggest to her that she dresses from charity shops?
Buying something already manufactured has less environmental impact that anything ethically made new.
Bonus to the charity too.

@Cocomarine

Why not suggest to her that she dresses from charity shops? Buying something already manufactured has less environmental impact that anything ethically made new. Bonus to the charity too.

I was going to say this. Second hand clothes are the most ethical clothes. They are already made so it has zero impact on the environment and you are not fueling fast fashion.

H&M have the conscious collection for kids.

I would suggest you point out bluntly that all bamboo is going to be too expensive. Have a day trawling through the charity shops together (which is more environmentally friendly than bamboo!) then see what gaps need filling in her wardrobe afterwards.

You might find some of the bamboo brands have buy/sell/swap second hand groups on Facebook as well, and be able to get some clothes in decent condition that way.

Buy secondhand from eBay? There are so many ethical brands out there, not all are expensive.

I do wish there were more reasonably prices sustainable clothing options too. Good ideas suggested to check out some charity shops and ebay too.

Second hand from eBay?
Would she fit small adult sizes, could maybe buy new bamboo clothes in the sales?

I'd suggest a mix of charity shop / second hand, a few nice bamboo bits and fill any gaps with 'normal' good quality clothes that will last until they're outgrown and can be passed on afterwards.

Buy her a sewing machine?

H&M do this now. They have a new collection just out

Charity shops are great, any second hand clothes really, and also making your own doesn’t have to be awfully expensive but takes time. Yanbu to point out ethical brands often charge high prices though!

Buying used clothing is definitely the best way to go! Greta only wears second hand I think?
Do you know anyone with older children who might be having a clear out? Or maybe see if you can get something going locally through social media, like a swish party or a swap meet, covid restrictions make it a bit difficult of course but I'm sure you do do something online.

I find the app Vinted great for kids clothes and easier to search than eBay.

I disagree that making your own is a more affordable option - organic fabrics are not cheap especially if you want prints not solids. But perhaps altering clothes bought from charity shops to fit might be an option.

Not sure about that age group but I just wait for sales and get things online for my younger dcs. Little Green Radicals and Frugi are our favourites. They do great sales on Babipur.

For myself I get some things from eBay. Secondhand and sustainable brands, like Duns of Sweden, which you can also get on Babipur.

One place I actually haven't had that much luck with, but which often gets recommended for womens clothing, is Thought. Tbh, I find it all very overpriced for what you get.

Unfortunately paying everyone in the supply chain a decent/sustainable wage is what makes the end price higher - it's just we're all so used to the prices built on unethical behaviours that we've lost site of how much is actually needed to make an item.

Anyway, that's not really what you asked so I'll be more helpful.

• If you're buying second hand, you might want to look at Depop which is incredibly popular among students so might cater for a preteen too.
• Another option is to stick to the sale sections of ethical brands, they're still retailers and will clear stock like anyone else eventually.
• And by far, the best best best thing you can do to be more ethical with fashion, is to just wear clothing for as long as possible. I can't remember the stats off the top of my head but it's something like the average item of clothing sold on the high street is worn 1.5 times before it ends up in a landfill. Just doubling the amount of times an item is worn will half the environmental impact, and then selling it on or donating increases it even further.

I wish I knew more specific brands to recommend, I'm pretty up to date with adult/ young kids brands but not in between 🤦🏼‍♀️

Asda George have a ethical range, it came up in their front page. Seems to be the sort of thing you are looking for. More pricey but more 25% more than 200%

Shop second hand as much as you can. But the first thing is REDUCE. You only need a handful of clothes really.

This is what clothes used to cost. I have I receipt for a skirt similar to this that I bought when per una was new, about 20 years sgo, and the price was the same.
www.marksandspencer.com/denim-button-detailed-midi-skirt/p/clp60459855

It's just that we've got used to fast fashion.

This

Could she wear small women's sizes? I know ASOS has a recycled range and they go down to a size 4.

Maybe hit up some different charity shops? The smaller ones tend to be crap for kids clothes. But there's a big branch of Barnado's near me that has loads of kids stuff, and those huge out of town type charity shops often have bigger sections for kids.

Second hand is the obvious, try oxfam online, ebay, or local charity shops.

If she wants a couple of new items, Rapanui do basics well and reasonably, from size 8. Thought do bamboo clothing, but there are arguments for and against bamboo.

I'd be wary of supermarket 'ethical' collections.

If you want things not made in a sweat shop, it costs! Could she do a sewing course?

I think the main thing to consider is that our expectations of clothes prices has become really skewed. I was just talking to my teen DD about this the other day. I was a teen in the late 80s and clothes were a lot more expensive. They were something to look after and not disposable.

I suggest trying second hand and filling the gaps with a few new things - but avoid buying unnecessary stuff.

Depop is great for clothes (quality is much better than ebay).
Primark released recycled cotton clothes recently and H&M sustainability brand is good.

Download good on you app which shows the ethical ness of brands. You can filter by pricing too.

H&M see a range of basics for pretty good prices.