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  • Essay / The Benefits of Slow Living as a Lifestyle

    The purpose of slow living is to slow down and connect with life. Slow Living began under the name “Slow Food” in 1986 in Italy, in response to the growing number of fast food chains. The definition of “Slow Fashion” was first mentioned by Kate Fletcher in 2007 when she compared the slow food movement to the sustainable and ethical fashion industry. Sustainable, organic, eco-friendly, minimally or unprocessed methods can all be part of “slow living”. Slow living is seen as a direct retaliation against the fast-fashion system, going against everything it represents in terms of sustainable and ethical practices. The fast fashion industry is the second most polluting after oil. Resources are being depleted faster than they can be replenished. “The average UK consumer now buys up to a third more textiles and clothing than four years ago and spends a quarter less per item of clothing.” These unsustainable practices need to be rethought, as does our attitude towards fashion. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay. Slow living incorporates mindfulness and relaxation as part of its practice. Many different types of crafts can be produced in a 'slow' way, for example knitting, embroidery, painting and knitting. “Studies show that rhythmic, repetitive needle dancing can lower heart rate and blood pressure, thereby lulling the knitter. a peaceful, almost meditative state. Slow living is also considered relaxing because of how involved you can be in the process, with many people growing and processing their own raw materials, for example sheep's wool for yarn. Environmentally conscious people have more control over the harmful materials they use. With fast fashion, there is a disengagement in the relationship because the consumer has no idea if the product was ethically produced. With a slow life, people are more likely to appreciate their material possessions that they have made themselves by hand. “The craftsman is proud of and cherishes what he has made, while the consumer rejects things that are perfectly usable in his never-ending quest for the new” (Sennett, Motorcycle Book). The object I have chosen to analyze in this essay is a Slazenger tracksuit repaired by Celia Pym. Pym is known for her distinctive style of “visible repair”. Pym likes working with tracksuits because they don't fray, making the reconstruction process easier: "I'm not sporty, so the unsporty nature of these clothes is fun and the end product is very beautiful: a piece of fabric ordinary is transformed into a work of art” She reconstructs and repairs woolen and woven garments, mending them into wearable garments in her own distinctive style. The threads are always a loud assortment of a wide variety of colors that are deliberately sewn mismatched to show that the item has been repaired, thus letting people know that it is a handmade garment , which contradicts most people's intentions when repairing a garment, which is to make the repair imperceptible. There's also a bit of a stigma around repairing clothes, usually that you're too poor to afford new clothes. The contrasting combination of such a wide variety of colors enlivens the dull black tracksuit. I saw this work at an exhibition called “Subversive.