Tyler Chanel’s blog Thrifts and Tangles is a repository of knowledge and inspiration on sustainability, thrifting, and living one’s best ethical, sustainable life. Her blog includes valuable resources such as an Ethical Brand Directory, a free thrifting guide, and articles that range from natural hair tips to eco-friendly school supplies. We caught up with Tyler to learn how she went from thrifting in Goodwill with her mom to launching her ethical lifestyle platform.
Please introduce yourself! Who are you and what are you up?
I’m Tyler Chanel, an LA-based content creator and the founder of the ethical lifestyle blog, Thrifts & Tangles. My blog encourages others to give thrifting, sustainability, and their natural selves a chance.
I recently launched a digital product called ‘The Influencer Rate Calculator’. I created this product to help influencers figure out how to price themselves. I’m also launching a business/social media podcast called Let’s Talk Orange with my friends over at The Orange Collab.
How did your thrifting and sustainable fashion journey start?
I started thrifting when I was really young, thanks to my mom. She took my brothers and I to our local Goodwill all the time.
When I was in middle school, I stopped thrifting as often and started shopping at popular fast-fashion stores. When I got into my junior year of high school, I watched the documentary The True Cost. This documentary exposed the many problems with the fashion industry. After watching that documentary I made the decision to buy the majority of my wardrobe secondhand and to buy underwear or socks from sustainable fashion companies.
How do you see your role within your platform and community? What is your intention for your platform?
My role is to encourage my community to give thrifting, sustainability, and their natural selves a chance. I share educational resources and simple tips to motivate my community to give those three things a try. I don’t expect my community to be perfect, because I’m not perfect on this journey.
I love emphasizing that these behaviors can have a positive impact on the planet and on your wallet. I think sharing from this perspective makes my content relatable and accessible.
What do you think are some of the challenges that people face with breaking up with fast fashion?
I think finding affordable, ethical alternatives to fast fashion can be challenging. This is why I encourage people to shop secondhand when possible.
I also think it’s challenging to break up with fast fashion because it is hard to find size inclusive alternatives at a reasonable price point in sustainable stores and in thrift stores.
If you do not have the privilege to break up with fast fashion, I’d suggest shopping for quality rather than quantity. Buy pieces that will last you a long time and pieces that you will love for many, many years.
Are there any ethical concerns with thrifting that you can identify?
Some ethical concerns with thrifting are usually around the gentrification of thrifting and wealthy shoppers buying and reselling a lot of the clothing. The belief is there won’t be quality items available for low-income shoppers to buy . I think there are a massive amount of clothes being donated to thrift stores, so there are plenty of clothes for everyone. But the problem is the high demand for clothing can cause more popular thrift stores to drive up the prices - meaning lower income shoppers are being priced out from their local thrift stores.
What are three books, articles or podcasts that you'd recommend for people to learn more about climate and sustainable fashion?
Here are some great podcasts for learning more about climate and sustainable fashion:
Are there three brands or items that you personally love in the sustainability space?
I love Passion Lillie’s wrap dresses, Stojo’s 12oz cup, and Elate Cosmetic’s unify loose powder.
What are you hopeful about right now?
I’m hopeful that these extreme weather patterns we have been experiencing will lead to more immediate climate action and hopefully make climate-deniers realize climate change is an actual problem.
If there was one thing you wanted people to know about climate, what would it be?
Our individual actions to help the climate are important, but we need to start holding large corporations accountable to have the largest impact.
Other info
BIO: Tyler Chanel is an ethical blogger and model based in Los Angeles California. Her blog and YouTube Channel, Thrifts & Tangles, provides educational tips to inspire others to give thrifting, sustainability, and their natural selves a chance.