Eco-fashion can seem expensive and overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. Our tips will help you leave fast fashion behind in favour of a more sustainable wardrobe you’ll feel good about wearing. Image © Ira Shpiller/ Shutterstock
Fast fashion – clothing made cheaply and designed to be disposable – is one of the biggest causes of environmental pollution in the world. With such devastating effects on people and the planet, it’s no wonder that more and more of us are trying to make ethical choices with our wardrobes.
Eco-fashion can seem expensive and overwhelming at first, but it doesn’t have to be. Here are nine ways to forget fast fashion and shop sustainably instead.
Sustainable fashion is a movement designed to minimise the harm that clothing production causes – not just to the environment but to the garment workers too.
Sustainable fashion avoids depleting natural resources, such as water, and works towards paying those who create the garments a fair wage in safe conditions.
Charity shops are an easy way to find second-hand clothes on the high street at a low price while helping a good cause too. If you don’t have the time to trawl charity shops for the best bargains, then online resellers like Depop or Vinted are great ways to search for exactly what you need. Buying fast fashion labels second-hand can extend the life of that piece of clothing for a little longer.
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Shopping less frequently and only buying what you need has an important role in sustainable buying. Craft stores and sites like Etsy and Folksy offer ways to customise your clothes so that you can breathe new life into last year’s look. Think patches and embroidery.
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Champagne lifestyle on a budget? Renting is a great way to embrace the party dress you’ll likely only wear once. Instead of buying flashy new attire for every birthday bash or New Year’s celebration, simply rent the designer or high-end outfit of your dreams and then return it when the party’s over.
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Not all fabrics are environmentally equal. Animal leather production requires significant land use and causes large carbon dioxide emissions, while PU leather alternatives made of polyurethane contribute to the world’s plastic use. So, what’s the alternative? Piñatex – a leather formed from pineapple-leaf fibres – offers a natural alternative without contributing to animal agriculture. There are also leathers made from cork, cereal crops and even cacti!
Cotton production uses huge volumes of fresh water. For example, estimates suggest it takes as much fresh water to make a cotton T-shirt as a person needs to drink in 2.5 years. In addition, growing cotton uses harmful chemicals – 6% of the world’s pesticides and 16% of its insecticides.
Alternatives like bamboo, linen and hemp have a much smaller environmental impact and are far more sustainable over the long term.
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But remember, sustainable fashion is about progress not perfection. Small changes in how you shop can make a big difference too.
If there’s something you do need to buy new, try to avoid the big names in fast fashion and look to smaller businesses first. These items are often handmade, and smaller product runs mean you’ll likely end up with something few other people have.
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When starting off an environmentally conscious wardrobe, it’s often easiest to begin with the basics. T-shirts, underwear and vests are purse-friendly ways to make a positive change.
The businesses below cover a range of styles and budgets:
But don’t forget: the most sustainable wardrobe is the one you already have! There’s no need to throw away things because they’re from a less sustainable brand. Not only can you donate old clothes to charity shops or resell them online, if they’re no longer wearable you can also donate them as rags in a separately marked bag.
We need to fundamentally rethink the way we treat our clothes. Watch our Lates Online Future of Fashion event, where we were joined by international voices from the fashion industry, and learn how to breathe new life into your old clothes.
Not everyone’s nifty with a needle, but small repairs such as sewing up holes or putting buttons back on can ensure your clothes have years more wear left in them before it’s time to recycle. There are lots of YouTube tutorials to help you learn the basics.
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Clothing swaps are a great way to get new clothes while clearing your closet of the ones you no longer wear. You can get a group of mates over and trade between you, or you can ask your school, university or work to hold an event.
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Make-up wipes and cotton wool pads are an easy area to make an ethical change. Reusable face cloths or pads that can be washed are a great alternative to disposables. If you menstruate, reusable cups or washable period pants or pads can help reduce the amount of cotton that ends up in landfills.
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Biodiversity is connected to almost every aspect of our lives, but it needs our help. Small actions can make a big difference.
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