Isn’t it funny how “slowness” brings such negative connotations to mind? We think of the web page that takes too long to load, getting stuck behind a campervan on a highway, waiting for your hair to grow back after a regrettable decision to cut it into a trendy bob.

 

If lockdowns and pandemics have taught us anything, it’s the magic of slowness. Think of those meals that were labored over all day long in the oven, how we happily nurtured house plants and waited patiently in our bubbles, saving lives as each day passed. Great things come from an investment and honoring of time. Whether it’s the juiciest slow cooked meat, a flourishing monstera or the opportunity to hug loved ones.

 

The Problem with Fast

 

At PERA MAY, we believe in all kinds of magic, but especially in the magic of slowness. Yet, for decades the fashion industry has been driven by fastness. Fashion cycles and seasons have multiplied, consumers demand more for less and aggressive new “discount holidays” (black Friday, ugh) have grown from strength to strength. All this has fueled an industry that is now one of world’s greatest emitters. Textile production alone is responsible for 1.2 billion tons of greenhouse gas emissions each year – that is more than all international flights and sea shipping combined.[1] Of the textiles produced for clothing, 85% of it enters landfill either during the point of production or after the consumer considers the life of the garment to be over.[2] By some estimates, garments are thrown out after as little as 7-10 wears.[3]

 

Our climate is heating fast too. The IPCC’s latest report on climate concluded that the last four decades have gotten progressively warmer.[4] Human activity on earth has already created a climate where extreme weather events are increasing in frequency. The report warns that we are on a path in which the earth’s climate will significantly alter and jeopardise human life.

 

So, we’re bringing back slow in a sexy way!! Like many people we feel the fear that comes with this climate news, but we also feel a responsibility to not make the same mistakes of producers that have gone before us. Therefore, we have adopted a pre and custom order model that means our garments will make it to you a little slower. This comes with a promise that, just like your juicy meat, your thriving monstera and big family hugs, it’ll be worth the wait.

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Slow Magic Rewards the Planet and its People

 

Pre-order means that we can tackle one of the biggest issues in the fashion industry: waste. It’s simple really - we let you, the consumer, tell us what you want and then we make just enough to fulfill your desires. This means we bring our surplus stock down to an absolute minimum and don’t find ourselves in the heartbreaking position of having to devalue or dispose of such high quality goods.

 

As the consumer, you won’t be able to walk away immediately with a PM garment – it will take us time to make these beautiful pieces. We see this as an opportunity to cultivate the magic of slow, to reconnect the consumer with the craft of garment production and to celebrate our makers. Going slow means we know precisely who is creating your garment at each stage from sampling, cutting and finishing. We will also share this information with you, so you can get to know our makers too. Our hope is that you will lean into the opportunity to learn about true craft and choose to not only support the PM team but all of the New Zealand makers that bring our vision to life.

 

Finally, no matter where you shop, slowness starts with you! Rather than seeking a dopamine hit from having a shopping bag in hand, we hope that you will infuse your shopping habits with the magic of slowness. Consider beyond the Instagram trends and begin purchasing creations of your personal desire instead. Take time to consider. Save a little cash. Buy less, out of love. Additionally, at PM it goes without saying that our makers create to the highest quality. These garments are built to last baby! If you join us in the magic of slowness, you’ll have a garment that you’ll want to wear far more than 7-10 times.

 

Whether your slow jam is choosing to buy secondhand, pre-ordering or boycotting an ASOS sale, you support the fashion industry in minimizing its waste impact. If you pre-order with us, you also support the financial sustainability of many makers in New Zealand. As a reward, you get a high quality, limited edition garment. That is worth the wait.

 

So, GIVE SLOW FASHION A CHANCE.

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[1] Ellen McArthur Foundation (2017). A new textiles economy: Redesigning fashion’s future. https://ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/a-new-textiles-economy

[2] Ibid.

 [3] Ibid.

[4] IPCC (2021). Summary for Policymakers. In: Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [Masson- Delmotte, V., P. Zhai, A. Pirani, S. L. Connors, C. Péan, S. Berger, N. Caud, Y. Chen, L. Goldfarb, M. I. Gomis, M. Huang, K. Leitzell, E. Lonnoy, J. B. R. Matthews, T. K. Maycock, T. Waterfield, O. Yelekçi, R. Yu and B. Zhou (eds.)]. Cambridge University Press.