Vivienne Westwood said it best: ‘Buy less, choose well, make it last.’ If you’re finding the idea of creating a more sustainable wardrobe quite daunting, we’re here to break it down into ten easy steps. Think of these top tips as the fashion equivalents of buying a reusable bottle and using metal straws.
1. Buy secondhand and vintage
During lockdown while shops are closed, look to websites like depop and ebay for second hand saviours and bargains.
This overabundance of unwanted clothing makes secondhand shops the perfect solution for fashion addicts, by minimising gradually the demand for new clothing, keeping textiles out of the landfill or from being shipped overseas. Secondhand stores are almost all charitable, locally, or family-owned, so shop away from big business corporations and invest in small businesses. And best of all, shoppers can sometimes find unwanted designers clothing for fast-fashion prices.
2. Invest in timeless pieces
As Westwood points out, the best thing shoppers can do is to buy less. If like many fashion followers, you’re a shopping addict then the only way this is achievable is by investing in timeless and high-quality clothing that lasts longer. Most of the environmental impact comes from the very fact that a garment was produced in the first place. The longer you use a garment and the more times you wear it, the lower the impact.
3. Curate your wardrobe
One popular notion in the conscious fashion world (thought it’s hardly new) is the idea of a capsule wardrobe: an edited collection of versatile pieces that can be endlessly mixed and matched, so that you get maximum use out of minimal possessions.
The goal is to stop buying into new seasonal trends, and create your own personal style, with a closet full of pieces that make you feel like your best self. If you love your closet and can easily put together a great outfit, you’ll never say, “I have nothing to wear!” and run out to buy something last minute to make you feel beautiful again, nor will you be tempted by whatever fun cheap thing is in the window at Forever 21, because you already have everything you need, thank you!
4. The ex test
Cora Hilts, founder of luxury sustainable platform Reve en Vert, has a fun way of training yourself to be a more mindful shopper. She says to ask yourself; ‘Would you want to run into an ex in the garment? Would you feel confident and assured and good about yourself? If not, don’t buy it.’ Simply by cutting down on what we buy allows us to have an edited, considered and hopefully more sustainable wardrobe.
5. Avoid these fabrics
Like all plastics, polyester is made from oil (a non-renewable resource) and almost all synthetic fibers shed microfibers into waterways. Viscose rayon (this includes bamboo rayon) turns tree pulp into a textile through a chemical-heavy and energy-intensive process and raises serious issues for forestry management (discover the work of Canopy to find out more).
Conventional cotton relies on pesticides and herbicides (not to mention huge amounts of water) which are often applied improperly and excessively when farmers don’t have the means or access to more sustainable methods, and these polluting processes are known to have a devastating effect on biodiversity.
6. Look for these fabrics
It’s difficult to avoid man-made fabrics like polyester on the high street, especially if you enjoy athleisure clothing, swimsuits, or anything with stretch. So, look for polyester that’s made of recycled water bottles, fishing nets, carpet, and other post-consumer products. These products financially support the recycling industry and help to keep plastic waste from the landfill and ocean.
Tencel is a viscose rayon alternative by the Austrian company Lenzing made from sustainably-sourced eucalyptus trees in a closed-loop process that ensures no toxins are released into waterways. Silk, hemp, linen, and wool are all natural, lower-impact textiles. If you’re vegan and/or concerned about animal welfare, look out for wool certified by the Responsible Wool Standard, and vegan silks championed by the likes of Stella McCartney.
When it comes to cotton, choose organic or GOTS certified. GOTS certified cottons are monitored from the point of growth and monitor the fair trade of the farmers, the consumption of water used, regulate pesticides used, and, on a whole, monitor the full supply chain.
7. Ask brands questions when you aren’t sure
Knowing the origin of your clothes and how they’re made is a good starting point before you buy. If you are making a decision on a purchase, go out of your way to find out the story and process behind it. Ask questions and discover for yourself. The more knowledge you have, the more informed you will be to make the right choice.
8. Seek out brands that pay their artisans fairly
Understanding the environmental impact of your garment’s entire supply chain is very difficult – all the variables (production, dying, finishing, shipping), debates and scientific reports can lead to a mental burnout on the whole idea of conscious consumption. But by picturing the positive social impact of a fairly-made garment is much more inspiring.
9. Show your favourite brands you Care
Not ready to pass up on that overcoat from Zara? Curious where it’s made? Email or tweet the brand. “Consumers think their voices don’t matter, but they do,” says Jessica Radparvar, the founder of the social impact communications consultancy Reconsidered. “Tweets, emails, questions asked in retail stores — if frequent enough, these communications get laddered up. I know many Corporate Social Responsibility teams that then use these anecdotes as ‘proof points’ to show that consumers are demanding transparency,” she says. “That can in turn help them get buy-in, approvals, and funding for projects they want to push forward.”
If they don’t answer, and you can’t find any information anywhere about attempts to go sustainable or ethical, you might want to cross them off your shopping list.
10. Try Renting
If you’re keen to try out a new trend, have a special event coming up, or you’re just bored with your closet but on a budget, renting lets you feel fabulous while using fewer resources. Try Frontrow, which lets you rent luxury fashion, By Rotation or Girl Meets Dress.
Sufiyeh Hadian-Clarke
