How to Transform Your Closet with Sustainable Fashion Choices
In an era of rising temperatures, extensive floods, hurricanes, and massive fires, it’s utterly frightening to encounter climate change deniers. What’s worse? When we know climate change is real— when we are aware of its devastating effect, and we choose to do nothing.
Yes, large corporations and transportation systems are a big culprit of climate change, but our individual contributions and decisions play a significant role. But how can we make an impact? It’s simple. Carbon dioxide is bad for our environment. Let’s reduce it by taking action; HOWEVER, we can.
More accessible than buying an electric vehicle, solar panels, energy-efficient appliances, or even eating less meat, is starting with what you wear.
One of the most effective and quick ways to live a more sustainable lifestyle is by changing your relationship with your wardrobe.
Currently, the fashion apparel industry is the largest contributor of greenhouse gases in the world. According to a study by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the fashion industry is responsible for 10% of annual global carbon emissions; that’s more than all international flights and maritime shipping combined. At this pace, the fashion industry’s greenhouse gas emissions will surge more than 50 % by 2030.
Fast fashion uses a significant amount of the planet’s resources.
Much of fast fashion is filled with synthetic and polyester fabrics. When fabrics like polyester are washed, they release microplastics into the wastewater that can’t be properly filtered at treatment plants.
Has it come to another “perfect” pair of jeans or drinking water?
Even the use of natural fibers like cotton can be detrimental to our environment. For instance, it takes around 1,800 gallons of water and the aid of pesticides to produce cotton in one pair of jeans. This frivolous use of water can lead to drought and even threaten drinking water supplies. The fabric dyes also pollute waterways, harming communities and native wildlife.
Toxic waste and climate change not enough to convince you to reconsider your wardrobe choices?
What about the 2013 collapse of the Rana Plaza in Bangladesh that housed five fast fashion garment factories. Over 1000 people were killed, and another 2,500 were injured as a result of the demand for low costs garments. These industry-standard practices exploit employees (usually minorities) and lead to unsafe working conditions that have a devastating effect on their physical and mental health. This tragedy was detailed in the documentary The True Cost.
What is fast fashion?
Shopping for clothes traditionally was centered around seasonal occasions like back-to-school, the holidays, and special events like weddings. When the price of clothing dropped, trend cycles accelerated, and shopping became America’s favorite pastime. Suddenly, for the first time, the masses can wear the newest trends from fashion week.
Fast fashion can be described as quickly made, mass-produced, low-quality, trendy clothes that mimic designs from luxury designers. Some fashion retailers like Zara can take a garment from design to the sales floor in just two weeks to capture the demand of the trend at its height. Other fast fashion players include H&M, Forever21, Fashion Nova, TopShop, and many more.
Fast fashion usually is intended not to last long, so that the customer will be in need of a new garment consistently. The more demand for cheap and quickly made clothes, the greater the pressure to reduce costs of production by using toxic materials and unethical labor and business practices. Fast fashion fuels consumption and leads to insurmountable waste that makes the fashion industry one of the biggest contributors to greenhouse gas.
Fast fashion encourages frivolous spending and wasteful behaviors like wearing a garment only once if that. It leaves us often dissatisfied and wanting more.
Fortunately, the industry is changing and offering more sustainable alternatives by the day! We’ve seen the birth of the slow fashion movement, spawning brands with eco-friendly fabrics and practices. The anniversary of the Rana Plaza tragedy is now Fashion Revolution Week. During this day, individuals around the world ask, “Who made my clothes?” to bring more awareness to unsafe fashion industry practices and encourage people to purchase ethical fashion.
What is sustainable fashion?
Sustainable fashion is clothing that is designed, manufactured, distributed and used in ways that are environmentally friendly. Ethical fashion is a similar term used in the conscious consumerism world that refers to producing garments that value social welfare and employee rights.
The fashion industry has a long way to go. However, changing our habits and approach to fashion is becoming easier on you and your wallet thanks to #SecondHandSeptember, educational outlets like Good On You, and growing demand for sustainable goods.
What are the benefits of a sustainable wardrobe?
Gratification of reducing your carbon footprint = we don’t go extinct as fast
Reduces exposure to toxic chemicals
Preserves natural resources
Avoids repeat purchases and ultimately saves money
Reduces water pollution and habitat destruction
Saves animal lives
Helps to stop the exploitation of garment workers and support fair labor practices
Better for your skin
Wear more quality clothing
How to build a more Ethical Wardrobe:
First and foremost, take care of the clothes you currently own.
Your most sustainable clothes are the ones already in your closet! Be sure to mend any holes or stains. Alter as needed. Do it yourself if you can; there are plenty of available tutorials on repairing garments. Fallen out of love with a piece or two? Ask yourself how you can update it to make it more current?
Buy less, choose better.
Forget about trends. Only purchase items that you absolutely need. Make sure the item is quality and will last longer than a year. Wear them at least 2x a month. Choose items that are made of recycled fabrics. Prioritize organic fabrics and materials. Try to stay away from textiles made from plastics and fossil fuels like acrylic, elastane, polyester, and polyurethane. Consider what impact the garment has on the earth and your wardrobe. Ask yourself, will you wear it at least 20 times?
Stop shopping fast fashion!
Look for the eco-friendly Bluesign or OEKO-TEX 100 certifications.
Buy vintage or second-hand.
You’d be surprised at the quality of second-hand clothes you can find. Try Random & Chic, Washington Ave. or The Closet Trading Co.
Rent or borrow special occasion clothes from friends.
Check out Rent the Runway.
Be mindful of greenwashing.
Greenwashing is the process of conveying a false impression or misleading information that may lead the consumer to believe the organization is environmentally friendly. Focus on ethical brands that also maintain sustainable business practices beyond their product. Is the company consistent in its sustainable practices? For more, read the Fashion Transparency Index.
Edit your wardrobe and take note of your past mistakes in clothing purchases.
Be sure to sell or donate your clothes to someone who will appreciate and wear them. Encourage them to keep the cycle going. Never throw away clothes. Try using them for a craft project or rags to clean the car or pets.
Challenge yourself to not buy new clothes for a month.
Then try a “no-spend” month and see how it goes. We promise you, you can make it through four weeks of no clothing purchases.
Use the Good on You app to understand how ethical a brand is prior to buying from them.
Choose brands that are transparent about the specifics of their supply chain.
5 Things to Look for in Ethical Brands
There is progress to celebrate. A number of apparel brand are becoming more invested in ethical methods of producing goods and managing their business. Currently, there are five main concerns sustainable fashion brands address:
Minimizing water usage
Limiting pesticides and harmful chemicals that affect the environment
Ensuring clothes are built to last
Minimizing excess waste from production
Cutting back on the use of agriculture
Sustainable Brands to shop…when needed ;-)
ADAY
Amour Vert
Ardently
Back Beat Co.
Cuyana
DôEN
Eileen Fisher
Everlane
Levi’s
Patagonia
People Tree
Vetta
CONCLUSION
The daily decisions we make, like where we spend our money, contribute to what type of world we create. We longer have to compromise, friends. Choose wisely.