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FAQ

Shop ZERO

When is there going to be a sale?

On ZERO there will never be a sale. Our pieces are seasonless to avoid trend oriented purchases, which means the piece will never go out of style. Sales encourage shoppers to buy something they might not need because it becomes financially tempting. We only want our pieces to be purchased when you are certain that there is a space in your closet for it.

Why is the clothing on Shop ZERO more expensive than fast fashion?

Clothing at Shop ZERO is priced appropriately to ensure every individual along the production chain was compensated fairly and that environmental regulations were followed. If your shirt cost $10 dollars, I can guarantee that somewhere along the path of production someone was not compensated fairly, and harm was placed on the environment. Our understanding of how much clothing should cost is based on a system of exploitation. Clothing is expensive, that is why you only buy it when you need it.

What is the purpose of made-to-order? I want my shirt now.

Made-to-order ensures that a garment is only made when there is a demand for that piece. Currently, the fashion industry grossly over produces clothing, around 100 billion garments a year, and nearly 60 percent of those end up incinerated or sent to landfills. Made-to-order takes on a slow fashion approach to make sure the supply is never greater than the demand.

I don't understand how my purchasing habits impact the environment. What does one beach cover-up really matter?

When we think of environmental harm we picture turtles caught in plastic, and aerial shots of cleared out rainforest. Yet, when we swipe our credit card and indulge in a pre-beach vacation shopping spree, we do so without these mental images. See, the thing is, that new beach cover up that is BEYOND important to have for vacation, is slowly going to impact your ability to vacation. Each wash will release hundreds of thousands of microplastics into the wastewater, particles so miniscule they pass through treatment plants with ease, and land straight in our oceans (14 million tons of microplastic exist on the whole ocean floor.). When small sea creatures eat these toxic fibers, then get eaten by larger players on the food chain, we have an ocean full of creatures who are full of toxins. As we kill off ecosystems, we kill off our oceans, and in doing so kill off our beach vacation. (Try vacationing on a dead ocean).

So while a new coverup and quick swipe of the credit card may appear harmless and feel very necessary at the moment, it is all connected. If we are not actively choosing to better our planet, our actions are directly harming it.

Do fast fashion brands really design their products to have a short life span?

Scary, but yes, this is correct. Longevity and fast fashion are at odds, if people treasure their purchases and buy to last, fast fashion loses its consumer base. The industry is VERY aware of this, so planned obsolescence has been factored into production. What is planned obsolescence? It is a business strategy where the manufacturer builds the product to have a frail design so it is unusable in the foreseeable future, thus promoting new purchases. Examples of this can be seen in the recent rise of poor quality fashion items or the speed at which once fashionable pieces appear unfashionable. End of life is designed into the piece from its conception so you constantly need to buy more.

Oh my, Shop ZERO has me thinking about my consumption habits. I think I might have a shopping addiction. Is that an actual thing?

Nearly 18 million adults throughout the United States have a shopping addiction. This is not your fault, companies pay millions of dollars annually to get you hooked on spending. Now that you are aware we hope you second guess a purchase before making it and ensure there is space in your closet for the piece.

All the information on Shop ZERO has been so eye opening. How can I, as an individual, change the future of our planet?

We are so glad ZERO has opened the door for you to continue learning about environmental consciousness. Rest assured, no single person can dictate the future of our planet so the pressure is not all on your shoulders. As you continue to learn more about your impact on the planet, it will become clear which practices are best to adopt with your lifestyle.

We are not suggesting that everyone become vegan tomorrow and boycott air travel (but if you can, more power to you). Do not strive to be perfect in your approach, because when perfection can’t be met you will fall into a place of inaction. Keep adopting your lifestyle with the planet in mind till you find a groove that works for you. In the meantime, please continue to read and learn all you can, this is a team effort.

Why is the fashion industry so harmful to the planet and its people?

Exploitative practices have become widely accepted throughout the fashion industry as brands blindly chase profit. Currently, brands are all looking to sell their products for cheaper and cheaper while still maximizing their profits. This almost always means someone throughout the production chain is getting a pay cut, rather than the person at the top. The fashion industry is one of great profit, and because of this it has become one of great harm.

I am a sustainable fashion label that wants to be on Shop ZERO. How to I get in contact?

We want you to be on ZERO! Please have a read at our requirements page, and if you think your brand would fit in among our labels, then contact us at hello@shopzero.co ! We are always looking for new brands and would love to hear about your approach to conscious fashion.

Sustainability is not limited to environmental vitality, it encompasses human and economic prosperity as well. How can Shop ZERO claim to be sustainable while promoting clothing that is inaccessible to many?

This is an excellent question that has a multipart answer. To begin, we must start somewhere, and the ZERO you see today is not a stagnant vision of the ZERO of the future. We understand that the sustainable future we wish to be a part of must be envisioned through the lens of a collection of identities. Accessibility in fashion is our priority, but we are aware that this accessibility can only be achieved once the entire industry has been transformed. What we mean to say is, clothing appears affordable because individuals are underpaid, conditions are hazardous, and longevity is disregarded.

So who is really afforded through this model if it continues to compromise an individual's prosperity? A $10 shirt is not “accessible to all '' because the shirt traps the garment workers in a system of poverty, while promoting the idea that it is better to buy 8 shirts for $10 rather than spending $80 dollars on a shirt that will last you a lifetime. This is not to say everyone can buy a $600 dress just because it will last longer than a $50 one. Not many can, we certainly can’t and we don’t expect you to be able to either. However, we do not believe the solution to fashion accessibility is cheaply made clothing through exploitation, this only places the financial burden on laborers as opposed to the customers.

When we envision the future, it consists of an industry that has been transformed through regulation of production and supply chain. When this occurs, a shirt will no longer cost $10 because a shirt should never cost $10. Clothing prices will increase, but so will the lifespan of the piece, leading to less purchases needing to be made.

We want ZERO to be a platform where every socioeconomic status is met so conscious fashion can become the reality for all. We hope this answer provides insight into the intrinsically difficult structure in place that prices clothing as such, and brings attention to the fact that we are actively working on solutions to add price diversity to our website. In the meantime, we highly advise that people turn to vintage clothing or the purchasing of preloved items if there is an immediate need to fill a part of your wardrobe affordably. We do not see ZERO as a black or white solution, it’s not a ‘you shop us or you don’t care’ mentality, we understand that there are reasons that lead to every individual's purchasing decisions. We are constantly looking to add new brands to diversify our offerings, and hope in the nearby future to have a place for every individual on our website. It is worth mentioning, climate change can be largely attributed to the world's top 1% income bracket. The greed, and/or naivety of this group is leading to a global crisis that disproportionately impacts marginalized communities, those contributing far less to climate change. Climate change is an act of inequality. The solution does not lie in a singular universal approach. The solution must encompass the voice and ideology of all those who make up the human race. As ZERO grows and gains brand recognition, we seek to highlight and create a destination for labels from all corners of the world, where practices and solutions can be discussed openly. We appreciate you understanding that where we are at now is not our vision for the future, successful expansion is continually finding those doing the hard work to fight off climate change and injustice through their work in the fashion industry.

Ordering

What size should I buy?

Sizing differs from brand to brand so thoroughly read the sizing policy on the products description page.

Can I cancel or modify my order?

Modifying or cancelling an order is possible so long as the merchandise has not yet entered the packaging or shipment phases. Please contact us at hello@shopzero.co with any order modifications.

Shipping, Returns & Exchanges

What is the shipping policy?

At this time, shipping policy differs from brand to brand. Please read the shipping policy on the product page to confirm before purchasing. In the future, we will move over to a universal shipping policy.

Do you ship overseas?

Yes, we ship all over the world. Shipping costs will apply, and will be added at checkout.

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