Montreal designers advocate for slow fashion amid industry’s fast-paced culture [Video]

Everything in Montreal moves at a fast pace, and fashion is no exception.

“It’s not easy at all to do,” says dorsaLi founder and fashion designer Dorsa Babaei.

Still, Babaei is committed to slowing down Montreal’s fashion industry.

That’s why her brand only uses sustainable fabrics purchased exclusively in Montreal and works with local, ethical manufacturers.

However, Babaei admits that doing so comes at a cost.

“If we were to say produce our pieces somewhere else, it would be way more time-friendly- we would get out pieces made faster, but then, it wouldn’t be sustainable,” she says.

Sustainable local options are limited in Montreal, explains UQAM Department of Fashion Professor, Marie-Eve Faust.

“Local designers don’t have the fabric and the fiber made here,” she says. “We don’t have them made here yet.”

From paying fair wages to buying ethically sourced textiles, Faust says fashion designers here face significant economic hurdles …