Making environmentally conscious decisions has become more important to many of us, but have you thought about the environment when buying clothes? Did you know that the fashion industry is the world 2nd largest contributor to pollution, with oil in 1st place? It is time that we became more aware and started to buy sustainable fashion.
Here are a few ways to shop more sustainably
- Do your research– look into businesses corporate social statements on what they are doing for sustainability. This will help you decide which business to buy and support and which may need a little encouragement for positive change, you could write a letter or contact them on social media and find out more.
- Buy local– Supporting local business is a great way to be sustainable in fashion. Often these are 1 off pieces and the supply chain is much smaller than large high street stores, meaning much less environmental impact. You will probably find that the producer also cares about sustainable fashion and they will have much more knowledge of the origins of the raw materials used.
- Vintage and Wardrobe swaps– You can find awesome pieces in vintage shops, and the quality of items is almost always incredible. Some items may have been worn for 20+ years and still look like new, that’s gotta tell you something right? And wardrobe swaps are fantastic, get some friends together, and make a night of it. You’ll find since you are of similar ages and have a similar style, finding items you love will be easy as can be.
- Repair any damages– Get yourself a needle and thread and sew that hole up, you won’t see it when you’re wearing the item and you’ve just saved yourself money! As you get more confident you can fix bigger problems, like missing buttons, worn denim and even rips.
- Buy investment pieces– Clothing that will stand the test of time means not buying a replacement every 2-3 years. Not only saving you money in the long run but is more sustainable. Especially pieces which never go out of fashion e.g. denim jacket, and chunky black boots
Whatever your budget, you can shop sustainably when buying clothes. Do your research and use this knowledge to buy smart and conscious. And if you want to be more eco-friendly on a whole, click here.
