Ethical Fashion

Frequently Asked Questions

We are living in a time when fast fashion has left a destructive, lasting mark on the planet. A huge majority of the clothing manufactured now is done using polyester, a fabric that lives on forever- and not in a good way. 

Most fast fashion brands rely heavily on poly for clothing, mostly due to the low cost. According to an article published in Suston Magazine, 

"Polyester can't be infinitely recycled because recycling causes it to lose strength and quality. As of now, it is still quite complex to design a recycled polyester product without the addition of virgin material." 

Fashion brands choose poly because it's cheap, but that doesn't just refer to the price of the material- it also describes the quality you get when you buy fast fashion. The clothes are designed to be discarded and disposable, leading to massive amounts of waste. 

Another huge issue is the labor used to create fast fashion garments. The low cost to the consumer comes at the expense of the working conditions for the people (mainly women). Long, brutal hours for minimal pay, in extreme and often inhumane conditions. 

What is slow fashion?

Slow fashion refers to, among other things, the thoughtfulness that goes into the sourcing of the fabric. Asking questions like: 

• Where was the cotton grown? 
• Are the working conditions above board? 
• Are the workers being compensated fairly? 

Why does ethical fashion/slow fashion cost so much more?

There's a lot that goes into making a slow fashion, ethical and sustainable fashion brand, and while those efforts are better for the planet, it also means the prices are inherently higher. Some of the driving reasons behind this include ensuring the workers are fairly compensated, using material that was grown, harvested, and milled at a factory with fair labor conditions, and that the garments are assembled well and won't disintegrate after a few cycles in the wash. 

What are the factors contributing to Deco Denim's higher price points?

Some of the biggest factors for us in particular include: 

• Expensive labor: We've taken pains to only partner with factories who compensate their workers fairly, and not based on their product output
• High factory minimums: Our products are produced in small batches, which is often more expensive
• Using domestically-grown cotton: Cotton grown in the US is not as common as you might think. About 20% of the world's cotton comes from China, and 84% of that comes from Xinjiang, where it's mostly made by imprisoned slave labor (the Uyghurs) 
• High shipping costs: Shipping is at an all time high, but we're working on partnering with suppliers located closer to our home base (San Francisco, CA) so we can lower our shipping costs 

As an ethical fashion brand just getting our start, we've worked hard to do everything we can to provide products that align with our values of sustainability and slow fashion, while also creating exceptionally high quality garments that feel special and unique. 

As Deco Denim continues to grow, we plan to continue making adjustments to improve our products, our pricing, our process, and the overall customer experience. We're so thrilled to have you with us on this journey, and with your support we know we'll be able to truly make a positive impact.