More people are now becoming more conscious of what they are purchasing. Whether that is their food, clothing, brands and even the type of stores we use. Everyone knows that the world is suffering by our hands and everyone knows that something needs to be done to help our futures. Fast fashion is just one of the contributors to the pollution we see around us and we can do a lot about this.
If you have looked through your wardrobe and realised that your clothes are either off-trend, broken or just don’t fit you anymore, then this could be the perfect opportunity to start creating a more sustainable wardrobe. In this article, we will give you some helpful tips on how to do this the right way.
Purchase Second-hand Clothing
This may not be for everyone but this is definitely one of the best ways to make your wardrobes more sustainable. Purchasing second-hand clothing is a way where you can give good quality pieces of clothing that extra bit longer by giving them a new life. These can be found in local charity shops, clothing swapping groups on social media, gumtree, car boot sales or charity fundraisers.
There are now Apps where you can connect with people who are selling clothes. If you like designer brands then there are many different apps where you can find these such as Depop. If you have children then this is a great one as baby clothes are in abundance in these methods.
Choose Sustainable Fabrics
Try to opt for fabrics that don’t use microfibres as these come off in the wash and often then end up in our oceans which are extremely difficult to clean up due to them being so small. Cotton is a fabric that also uses on average 3,900 litres to make a white T-shirt.
There are alternatives out there that don’t pollute and use less water such as bamboo, organic cotton or GOTS certified cotton. GOTS certified cotton is monitored on its fair trade to the farmers, the growth, the amount of water it uses, the amount of pesticide used as well as the logistics like the supply chain.
Choose Quality Over Quantity
It’s all far too easy to buy something that looks great but is also inexpensive. It’s also easy to not worry about how long it will last, but you will notice it after a couple of months when the piece is losing colour, changing shape or fraying. By spending a little more time we can choose items that will look great for a long time that last just as well.
Opt for classic styles that can be worn for years to come, neutral colours always work best with these timeless designs. Spend more time looking at the patterns and how it feels, “does it look too thin?”. Always try clothing on if you can, and if you’re doing it online, then expect to return some.
Tailor & Repair
Tailoring and repairing have been around forever and it’s surprising how many people forget about them. There are many options to get your bags repaired and your clothes and shoes tailored and repaired. This can also be beneficial in multiple ways such as extending the life of items and reducing waste.
Once you have purchased your quality over quantity item of clothing, go to the tailors and get it suited to your body shape so it feels great to wear all the time. The same can be done to shoes and bags if they need repairing such as a cobbler.
Sustainably Wash Your Clothes
There are a few ways to do this, firstly you could stop washing your clothes as often and spot wash instead. There are deodorisers that remove the smell. This has many benefits such as helping your clothes to last longer and also reduce the amount of energy and water you use.
The second option is to only use cold water when washing clothes and also use the short cycle. There are detergents now that are specifically designed to deal with cold water washes. Air dry your clothes when possible, the added benefit to this is they make your clothes smell great, Also opt for doing laundry at peak times for energy usage.
There are now special bags that hold your clothes filled that have microfibres so they don’t go out in the water such as a guppy bag. This is great for sports clothing like the full tracksuit that you lounge in the house for or your old clothing that contains microfibres.
These are just some of how you can start to create your new sustainable wardrobe. This is not to say that you can’t buy new things, just buy things that will last as this will ensure you are on the right track with being more eco friendly without compromising only your timeless style.