NF01 November/December 2023
Issue one of nearfield celebrates new beginnings across the region. We get excited about the reopening of Bristol Beacon, meet the hardy dippers revelling in the cold waters of the restored Cleveland Pools, find out what the Bristol Old Vic's new artistic director has planned; and explore the vintage shops, upcycling workshops, and reclamation yards breathing fresh life into old. We also keep readers moving through winter with a guide to indoor and outdoor activities, and meet the Icebreakers in our first community takeover. Plus we round up all the best events, experiences, and food and drink in the southwest this winter.
Issue one of nearfield celebrates new beginnings across the region. We get excited about the reopening of Bristol Beacon, meet the hardy dippers revelling in the cold waters of the restored Cleveland Pools, find out what the Bristol Old Vic's new artistic director has planned; and explore the vintage shops, upcycling workshops, and reclamation yards breathing fresh life into old. We also keep readers moving through winter with a guide to indoor and outdoor activities, and meet the Icebreakers in our first community takeover. Plus we round up all the best events, experiences, and food and drink in the southwest this winter.
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46 Vintage Clothing<br />
NEW BEGINNINGS • NEW BEGINNINGS • NEW BEGINNINGS •<br />
thical brand directory<br />
and experts on<br />
sustainable fashion<br />
Good On You describe<br />
‘fast fashion’ as,<br />
“Cheap, trendy<br />
clothing that samples<br />
ideas from the<br />
catwalk or celebrity<br />
culture and turns<br />
them into garments<br />
at breakneck speed.”<br />
Sounds great! Affordable styles<br />
that keep you on trend.<br />
Unfortunately, this comes at<br />
a cost. Not to your bank balance,<br />
maybe, but for the environment<br />
it’s like going deep into an<br />
overdraft that’s already maxed<br />
out. Research from the Geneva<br />
Environment Network and the<br />
UN Economic Commission for<br />
Europe shows that the fashion<br />
industry is responsible for 10%<br />
of our carbon emissions, plus<br />
there’s all the water usage,<br />
pollution and exploitation of<br />
workers to factor in. Systemic<br />
issues that aren’t going away.<br />
Fashion Revolution’s <strong>2023</strong><br />
Fashion Transparency Index<br />
reported that “99% of fashion<br />
brands do not disclose<br />
a commitment to reduce the<br />
number of new items they<br />
produce.” They also explain that<br />
“just 12% of brands publish<br />
a responsible purchasing<br />
code of conduct”. So while the<br />
responsibility for fixing the<br />
fashion industry shouldn’t lie<br />
primarily with consumers, we<br />
can help influence supply and<br />
demand by shopping elsewhere,<br />
opting instead for vintage looks<br />
and re-edits of preloved and<br />
secondhand items.<br />
It’s something more and more<br />
people are choosing to do.<br />
There’s been a spike in popularity<br />
for reselling apps like Depop,<br />
Vestiaire Collective, Vinted and<br />
even Facebook Marketplace.<br />
TikTok search terms like<br />
#upcycledfashion, #thrifting<br />
and #secondhand are in their<br />
billions, and fashion influencers<br />
are including #thrifthaul and<br />
#charityshophaul in their posts<br />
to tap into the trend. IRL, in<br />
the southwest, we’re seeing<br />
an influx of events like Bristol<br />
Thrift Market, whose first market<br />
saw 1,000-plus people come<br />
through the doors at Document,<br />
Bristol, recently. Co-founder<br />
and organiser Hannah explains<br />
the importance of closing the<br />
loop and why thrifting is also<br />
important for the local economy.<br />
“Buying secondhand not only<br />
keeps clothes in circulation,”<br />
she tells us, “but it also supports<br />
local businesses and fellow<br />
thrifters in the process. There’s<br />
also not a lot that matches the<br />
thrill of sifting through countless<br />
rails of dreamy vintage clothes<br />
and finding the perfect one-off<br />
piece at a bargain price.”<br />
As the cost of living crisis drags<br />
on (and on), this bargain-seekers’<br />
thrill has gone up a few notches.<br />
And, as you’ll find in our handy<br />
guide, there’s nowhere better to<br />
find it than the southwest.<br />
GILMOURS GARMZ<br />
Warminster, BA12 9AN<br />
Harry Gilmour,<br />
owner: “I’ve always<br />
had a quirky passion<br />
for clothes; loving<br />
vintage and goodquality<br />
branded<br />
clothing. For me,<br />
sustainable fashion is<br />
the way forward, and<br />
I have a shop full of<br />
amazing handpicked<br />
clothing right in the<br />
heart of Warminster.”<br />
<strong>NF01</strong>