Just chiming in to share a different perspective (not necessarily related to the WAK-ZARA collab issue): As someone who lives in SEA and being part of lower income spectrum, Fast fashion brands-like Uniqlo, H&M, Zara, et cetera-are actually very expensive and considered as "branded". *One shirt is equivalent of a one-day or most of the time two-days of work already. Thrifting is big here though as they're cheaper and more accessible to most people.*
Regarding your point that we should be upset with Zara - I think the reason this hurt so much for our community was that a lot of us have stopped financially supporting fast fashion for some time now, we do not approve of them and so we vote with our wallet to support smaller brands LIKE WAK. So it feels like a punch in the gut to know that we put our trust in the wrong place.
That's definitely true - we want to support with our wallets like smaller brands so it did feel quite hurtful when they go on and support fast fashion retailers
I guess what confuses me the most about the ZaraxWAK drama is that people are surprised? Just because I've seen WAK kits in other fast fashion retailers in my area, so I just assumed it was something they did. It's also a reason I haven't splurged on one of their kits. I thought about it, but then I found them at a local Marshall's, and decided I didn't want to invest in them. Excellent video, by the way. Very clearly presented. 💕
@@TheHarryKnit It was bothering me, so I did a little digging. It was a Stitch and Story kit, not a WAK kit that I saw. I was new to knitting and thought they were the same company. 😬 My bad.
I really enjoyed your thoughts on this. I think while Zara could have certainly made those kits on there own, I think they were fully trying to exploit the we are knitters name to make them look better. I hope we are knitters takes this as a learning experience because while I think we are all rightfully upset I think that there overall mission is a good one if they can correct and do right by it. I think we need as many companies out there as possible promoting slow fashion. So while I was initially super angry at WAK, I also hope they don't die because I want to see successful companies in the slow fashion and sustainability space on a big scale. I think that is how we kill fast fashion.
I found your comments and opinions to be thoughtful and well presented. I'm impressed by your awareness of the issues, including both the ecological and ideological perils of fast fashion, and the harsh socioeconomic truth that not everyone has the accessibility or the resources to choose slow fashion. And, as an older person, I found it extremely helpful that you began by explaining all the parties involved. As someone who often buys clothes at secondhand shops & thrift stores, I had no clue who Zara was. You also made me think about slow living versus fast living in other areas of my life. I've been very fortunate to have been self-employed as a psychotherapist for 40 years, and even in my field, the push (often by insurance companies) is to do faster therapy, shorter term (thus allowing them to be more profitable companies). Whereas I am committed to the slow pace of deep personal growth in my work, much as I'm committed to the slow process of knitting. I like your point that each of us is on a journey, and trying to find a way to live sustainably is an on-going set of lessons. My house is almost 150 years old-I am fortunate to be its current owner, & I hope 150 from now that someone will love it for its good bones & its rootedness and its endurance, and that those who own it after me will continue to repair and maintain it, as a way of doing sustainable housing. I hope we (humans & animals and plants & my beloved house) are still here then! Your wisdom as a younger person gives me as an older person a sense of gratitude & hopefulness. Thank you.
Zara does what Zara does, it would be silly to expect them to be/do anything else. HOWEVER, WAK is/was not a new company and apparently had several months to check out Zara and determine if this was in their wheelhouse, ethically speaking. Zara us certainly not blameless, but WAK is not some innocent child being taken advantage of in this. I'm sure they had a plan of their own as well. Have a good day. 🐞
Thanks for putting this video out and awareness to sustainability and climate change. I appreciate you addressing the facts about both companies first before going into what happened. I totally agree that WAK got taken advantage of, but in the end it was their choice. A very poor, stupid choice. I hope this opens other makers’ eyes and to support (if they can!) indie dyers or local yarn shops!!
Thank you so much for this video! So interesting to hear more about it. I have to say, I wasn't really surprised when WAK collaborated with Zara, their knitting kits always seemed very fast-fashiony to me, especially because their bulky roving type wool doesn't really hold up long. I dunno 🙈
To be honest: When I started knitting the first contact I had with wool was from WAK because my best friend bought their wool for smaller projects like beanies or scarfs. I thought that wool was supposed to cost 25 Euro a skein and didn’t pick up their wool because I thought (as a student with a tight budget) that this was not an option because I would never be able nor willing to pay over a hundred euros for just a vest, leave alone buy enough wool for a sweater. So I started sewing with my mother’s old sewing machine which was much less expensive. I only got into knitting during Covid when the only shop that was open was like a huge drug and hygiene/bio food/toy store etc. which also sold standard wool, the cheapest horrendously acrylic yarn cost 99 Cents which I bought for my first project. Had I not seen that making my own knit garments was also financially feasible, I would have never got into knitting. Since then I have always viewed WAK as not interested in promoting knitting and self made garments but only in profits. When you pay 50 pounds for two skeins and believe this is the usual price for wool you won’t get into knitting or crocheting because you just can’t pay that. And their wool is super nice, no question, but it is and never was in my eyes worth the amount the sell it for. And that comes from someone who now splurges on hand dyed yarn which is of course more expensive, champagne yarn like NORO but who also knows that a good standard 100% wool skein costs between 3-8 Euros from hobbii or drops.
That's so true! I do like splurging on expensive yarn occasionally but your hobbies and interests should be accessible to you at the price point you're comfortable with ❤
I really appreciate this type of content. A main reason I knit is to make my own clothes and lower my environmental impact. Your perspective is unique and very educational. Please keep making videos about the social/economic/environmental impacts and implications of fashion and fiber arts. Thank you!!
I pretty much concur with a lot of the comments I wouldn't but this yarn because of the price point and the fact that I'm trying to minimise my fast fashion purchases ( I always try to take care of my clothes to make them last as long as possible)
I don't feel that you stumbled! You made some very clear and well thought out points. I agree that in situations of sustainability the responsibility should be on the brand/company rather than the consumer. As you said, the parasocial relationship between companies their brands and consumers can be very intense when there is a breakdown in those values- but even when there is not a value breakdown, we need to be aware that brands and companies are not people. In terms of this collaboration, it sucks! It makes me think of so many brands that try to take advantage of artists and makers "just for the exposure" and that makes me sad. We are knitters is a brand that's relatively small compared to Zara, but they have been around for a while. It surprises me that they would be fine being taken advantage of in this way.
Appreciate your perspective and felt like this was a great nuanced overview on this topic! Hopefully in general it can lead to more people supporting indie dyers, you are so right, corporations are not our friends!
Thank you for uploading this! I never knew about the situation, but this video was very helpful and your voice was very calming and that helped me understand better :) I agree with you- that more blame needs to be out on Zara. This whole situation is just really interesting and sad :/
I have no sympathy for WAK because they betrayed their stated values. I don’t believe for a second that WAK didn’t make any money off of this collab. I’m sure they didn’t make much, especially with the backlash, but I do not believe that all they were planning to get was clout. Their response solidified this. Yes Zara is worse but we knew that. WAK is just a business putting on a facade for money. If you can afford their yarn, it’s better to shop from an indie dyer that appreciates each transaction.
I really enjoyed this video! I think its very unfortunate that WAK did this collab, and you're right that its quite ironic/an oxymoron. I did read one take on the subject that was a bit different (although I don't really agree with it) and it was that this is one step forward to making large corporations like Zara to become more self-aware and delve into the slow fashion/sustainability movement. However, Zara just completely took advantage of WAK and likely only used WAK's name to promote their mass produced products in a better light (used WAK to make Zara look better... aka greenwashing). I'm really surprised that WAK even allowed for something like this to happen (especially considering they made no money from this), but maybe they thought it would bring more clout/followers to their pages instead?
Great video, I think you covered the subject well. I made a video on the subject too. Yeah I was surprised on how much the kit cost too. 50pounds???? For what again? Ridiculous.
![Yarn Snob Reviews We Are Knitters Yarns, New and Old [My Wallet Went On STRIKE!]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/1eBoJie0Oho/mqdefault.jpg)
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So sorry if I stumbled on my words - I wanted to keep it concise but evidently not with the time lol ✨
Just chiming in to share a different perspective (not necessarily related to the WAK-ZARA collab issue): As someone who lives in SEA and being part of lower income spectrum, Fast fashion brands-like Uniqlo, H&M, Zara, et cetera-are actually very expensive and considered as "branded".
*One shirt is equivalent of a one-day or most of the time two-days of work already. Thrifting is big here though as they're cheaper and more accessible to most people.*
Well said! I'm from SEA as well, and fast fashion is considered a luxury to us. That said, I love how we're getting into thrifting as a new gen!
Regarding your point that we should be upset with Zara - I think the reason this hurt so much for our community was that a lot of us have stopped financially supporting fast fashion for some time now, we do not approve of them and so we vote with our wallet to support smaller brands LIKE WAK. So it feels like a punch in the gut to know that we put our trust in the wrong place.
That's definitely true - we want to support with our wallets like smaller brands so it did feel quite hurtful when they go on and support fast fashion retailers
I guess what confuses me the most about the ZaraxWAK drama is that people are surprised? Just because I've seen WAK kits in other fast fashion retailers in my area, so I just assumed it was something they did. It's also a reason I haven't splurged on one of their kits. I thought about it, but then I found them at a local Marshall's, and decided I didn't want to invest in them.
Excellent video, by the way. Very clearly presented. 💕
I had no idea they sold at marshalls and other retailers! I thought they just had a pop-up wow
@@TheHarryKnit It was bothering me, so I did a little digging. It was a Stitch and Story kit, not a WAK kit that I saw. I was new to knitting and thought they were the same company. 😬 My bad.
I really enjoyed your thoughts on this. I think while Zara could have certainly made those kits on there own, I think they were fully trying to exploit the we are knitters name to make them look better. I hope we are knitters takes this as a learning experience because while I think we are all rightfully upset I think that there overall mission is a good one if they can correct and do right by it. I think we need as many companies out there as possible promoting slow fashion. So while I was initially super angry at WAK, I also hope they don't die because I want to see successful companies in the slow fashion and sustainability space on a big scale. I think that is how we kill fast fashion.
That's a really insightful perspective! Thanks so much ❤
I found your comments and opinions to be thoughtful and well presented. I'm impressed by your awareness of the issues, including both the ecological and ideological perils of fast fashion, and the harsh socioeconomic truth that not everyone has the accessibility or the resources to choose slow fashion. And, as an older person, I found it extremely helpful that you began by explaining all the parties involved. As someone who often buys clothes at secondhand shops & thrift stores, I had no clue who Zara was.
You also made me think about slow living versus fast living in other areas of my life. I've been very fortunate to have been self-employed as a psychotherapist for 40 years, and even in my field, the push (often by insurance companies) is to do faster therapy, shorter term (thus allowing them to be more profitable companies). Whereas I am committed to the slow pace of deep personal growth in my work, much as I'm committed to the slow process of knitting. I like your point that each of us is on a journey, and trying to find a way to live sustainably is an on-going set of lessons. My house is almost 150 years old-I am fortunate to be its current owner, & I hope 150 from now that someone will love it for its good bones & its rootedness and its endurance, and that those who own it after me will continue to repair and maintain it, as a way of doing sustainable housing. I hope we (humans & animals and plants & my beloved house) are still here then! Your wisdom as a younger person gives me as an older person a sense of gratitude & hopefulness. Thank you.
Awww thank you so much, I really appreciate it 🌻
Zara does what Zara does, it would be silly to expect them to be/do anything else.
HOWEVER, WAK is/was not a new company and apparently had several months to check out Zara and determine if this was in their wheelhouse, ethically speaking.
Zara us certainly not blameless, but WAK is not some innocent child being taken advantage of in this. I'm sure they had a plan of their own as well.
Have a good day. 🐞
Thanks for putting this video out and awareness to sustainability and climate change. I appreciate you addressing the facts about both companies first before going into what happened. I totally agree that WAK got taken advantage of, but in the end it was their choice. A very poor, stupid choice. I hope this opens other makers’ eyes and to support (if they can!) indie dyers or local yarn shops!!
Most definitely! I hope to try out more indie dyers sooner than later!
You didn't stumble! You were quite eloquent and knowledgeable! Thank you for this insightful video xx
Glad you enjoyed it!
Thank you so much for this video! So interesting to hear more about it. I have to say, I wasn't really surprised when WAK collaborated with Zara, their knitting kits always seemed very fast-fashiony to me, especially because their bulky roving type wool doesn't really hold up long. I dunno 🙈
To be honest: When I started knitting the first contact I had with wool was from WAK because my best friend bought their wool for smaller projects like beanies or scarfs. I thought that wool was supposed to cost 25 Euro a skein and didn’t pick up their wool because I thought (as a student with a tight budget) that this was not an option because I would never be able nor willing to pay over a hundred euros for just a vest, leave alone buy enough wool for a sweater. So I started sewing with my mother’s old sewing machine which was much less expensive. I only got into knitting during Covid when the only shop that was open was like a huge drug and hygiene/bio food/toy store etc. which also sold standard wool, the cheapest horrendously acrylic yarn cost 99 Cents which I bought for my first project. Had I not seen that making my own knit garments was also financially feasible, I would have never got into knitting. Since then I have always viewed WAK as not interested in promoting knitting and self made garments but only in profits. When you pay 50 pounds for two skeins and believe this is the usual price for wool you won’t get into knitting or crocheting because you just can’t pay that. And their wool is super nice, no question, but it is and never was in my eyes worth the amount the sell it for. And that comes from someone who now splurges on hand dyed yarn which is of course more expensive, champagne yarn like NORO but who also knows that a good standard 100% wool skein costs between 3-8 Euros from hobbii or drops.
That's so true! I do like splurging on expensive yarn occasionally but your hobbies and interests should be accessible to you at the price point you're comfortable with ❤
I really appreciate this type of content. A main reason I knit is to make my own clothes and lower my environmental impact. Your perspective is unique and very educational. Please keep making videos about the social/economic/environmental impacts and implications of fashion and fiber arts. Thank you!!
I pretty much concur with a lot of the comments I wouldn't but this yarn because of the price point and the fact that I'm trying to minimise my fast fashion purchases ( I always try to take care of my clothes to make them last as long as possible)
I don't feel that you stumbled! You made some very clear and well thought out points.
I agree that in situations of sustainability the responsibility should be on the brand/company rather than the consumer. As you said, the parasocial relationship between companies their brands and consumers can be very intense when there is a breakdown in those values- but even when there is not a value breakdown, we need to be aware that brands and companies are not people.
In terms of this collaboration, it sucks! It makes me think of so many brands that try to take advantage of artists and makers "just for the exposure" and that makes me sad. We are knitters is a brand that's relatively small compared to Zara, but they have been around for a while. It surprises me that they would be fine being taken advantage of in this way.
Yeah, I was surprised too! It seemed so out of left field!
I love how well thought out this video is and the references provided. Would love a series on any related topic!
Thank you! I'll try my best to make one hahaha
Appreciate your perspective and felt like this was a great nuanced overview on this topic! Hopefully in general it can lead to more people supporting indie dyers, you are so right, corporations are not our friends!
100%! I hope indie dyers get more recognition!
18:02 I feel the same sigh of existential dread on a regular basis...
all day erryday 😳
Thank you for uploading this! I never knew about the situation, but this video was very helpful and your voice was very calming and that helped me understand better :) I agree with you- that more blame needs to be out on Zara. This whole situation is just really interesting and sad :/
Glad it was helpful! Yeah, it's really just messy all round
I have no sympathy for WAK because they betrayed their stated values. I don’t believe for a second that WAK didn’t make any money off of this collab. I’m sure they didn’t make much, especially with the backlash, but I do not believe that all they were planning to get was clout. Their response solidified this. Yes Zara is worse but we knew that. WAK is just a business putting on a facade for money. If you can afford their yarn, it’s better to shop from an indie dyer that appreciates each transaction.
That's an interesting perspective, thank you! I defo hope we can support more indie designers as a community!
I really enjoyed this video! I think its very unfortunate that WAK did this collab, and you're right that its quite ironic/an oxymoron. I did read one take on the subject that was a bit different (although I don't really agree with it) and it was that this is one step forward to making large corporations like Zara to become more self-aware and delve into the slow fashion/sustainability movement. However, Zara just completely took advantage of WAK and likely only used WAK's name to promote their mass produced products in a better light (used WAK to make Zara look better... aka greenwashing). I'm really surprised that WAK even allowed for something like this to happen (especially considering they made no money from this), but maybe they thought it would bring more clout/followers to their pages instead?
Maybe they thought it would bring more clout but I don't think I saw any promo on Zara's end so it is pretty odd
Great video, I think you covered the subject well. I made a video on the subject too. Yeah I was surprised on how much the kit cost too. 50pounds???? For what again? Ridiculous.
It surprised me too!! Whaaaaaaaaat??
Detrimental