As we all become more environmentally conscious, many of us are choosing to ditch fast fashion and seek out sustainable stores.
Not only can sustainable fashion help to reduce over 5% of manmade CO2 emissions but it can also help to reduce the staggering £12.5 billion’s worth clothing that is wasted each year.
However, for many of us its not easy to make the change. Luckily Cardiff’s arcades are a hub of sustainable fashion brands, vintage stores, and independent designers that can help you fight the waste and enjoy fashion that already has a story.
We’ve highlighted some of our favourite places to shop sustainable streetwear, to keep you looking good, without feeling bad.
7 Sustainable Fashion Shops in Cardiff that You Need to Visit!
Whether you’re looking for a college sweatshirt or a fully tailored suit, Princes & Paupers will source it, sell it, tailor it, and rework it for you, giving you a full style re-haul in one convenient store.
Their finder’s service can help source that perfect wardrobe staple that you’ll treasure for life. They also offer an in-house denim alterations service by Work Ethic which can give new life to your well-loved jeans.
If you’re looking for something a bit out of the box, they also rework many of their vintage finds into new items, recycling old materials to create something brand new.
There’s nothing more sustainable than loving what you’ve already got, and giving a new home to items that have already had a little love sewn into the seams.
On the corner of High Street Arcade is Hobos, a classic retro and vintage thrift shop with plenty of affordable finds.
With an excellent selection of retro sportswear, shoes and bags, Hobos is perfect for a quick rummage on the weekend, or to find classic vintage pieces such as jeans, overalls and the ever-popular shell suit.
Almost all items are pre-loved, and each is selected to ensure high quality for a fair price. More recently, they opened up their basement area, so now with even more stock to choose from. There’s never been a better time to visit!
With the best colour-coordination in the city, Oxfam Boutique stock high quality second-hand items which are ready to be whisked away to a new home.
Rows on rows of colourful vintage, high street, and even designer label clothing leaves you almost spoiled for choice, representing almost every fashion decade of the last century.
Best of all, much of their stock is available to view online, so you can check out the selection before popping in. Why not grab a well-loved paperback from their dedicated bookshop too?
Having studied in Cardiff’s own Cardiff Metropolitan University for Textile practice, as well as in Iran and Moscow, Diba’s inspiration for her designs comes from natural materials and shapes, to create a piece of moving, wearable art.
Each product is hand-made on a small scale, from the planning process to the dying to the sourcing of the fabric. Each piece is designed to be comfortable and feel luxuriously high-quality that will last, making it the perfect place to find sustainable pieces that you will wear for decades to come.
For shoes that will last a lifetime, head to The Brogue Trader for a bespoke pair in premium leather. Designed to be well-wearing and repairable, a pair of shoes from Brogue Trader will guarantee you won’t need to keep buying cheaper pairs that eventually fall apart.
Using locally sourced materials and tradesmen, and boasting an incredible after-care service, premium quality is at the core of everything they do.
Although a pair might set you back a few bob, their durability and long-lasting quality make them a worthy investment.
As one of six sister stores, Ganesha Handicrafts in Cardiff’s Royal Arcade is a staple for those looking for unique, ethically sourced and handmade clothing and accessories.
Here you’ll find the comfiest of harem trousers, cute crop tops, jewellery made with ethically sourced precious stones, as well as soft and small furnishings and gifts.
The owner, having grown up in the regions of India and Nepal, sources his products from artists and makers in the area, making sure each is fairly paid for their work.
An easy, one-stop shop for ready to wear items, Sobeys specialise in reworked vintage, high quality items, and a classic retro vibe.
Great for casual and festival style, Sobeys offer many items that have been reworked into modern, fashion forward items like crop-tops and mini-skirts, breathing new life into old sweatshirts and scrap fabric.
As with any vintage shop, the staff are passionate about what they sell, and are more than happy to help you go through their well-stocked rails to find the piece or size you’re looking for.
Taking steps towards reducing your fashion footprint can be quite daunting. However, becoming sustainable is about making small changes that have a big impact.
Buying less but higher quality items, buying vintage or second-hand or even hiring special pieces for events (instead of buying a dress you’ll never wear again!) is an amazing way of playing your part to help the environment.
