what is sustainable style?
A few years ago, I started thinking seriously about how my clothes are made. Capsule wardrobes were very trendy and I loved the idea of a curated closet. I was also starting to gain a little more social awareness of how negatively the fast fashion industry affects the environment and the people making the clothing. If I’m buying a t-shirt for $2, how little is the person making that t-shirt getting paid?
But I quickly discovered that a rigid, minimalist wardrobe wasn’t for me. I fell into the rut of wearing the same black jeans, sweater, and boots combo all winter. It felt more like having a uniform and I quickly became bored of the clothes I owned.
I started to do a little more research into the impact of the fashion industry and learned that:
Consumers bought 60% more garments in 2014 than in 2000, BUT only kept the clothes for half as long.
85% of all textiles end up in a landfill each year.
Fashion production makes up 10% of humanity's carbon emissions.
It’s estimated that 35% of microplastics in the ocean come from washing synthetic textiles such as polyester.
What does that mean for me as a consumer?
I started looking into ways to reduce my environmental impact through my fashion choices. I didn’t want to squash my self-expression in the way that I felt having a capsule wardrobe was forcing me to, but I didn’t want shopping to be such a guilt-ridden activity as it was quickly becoming. I realized I have a lot of options and they’re a lot more varied and fun than just owning 5 shirts and 5 pairs of pants and wearing them on an endless rotation.
Thrifting
My grandma has always been notorious in my family for being able to find designer items and brand new clothing with tags at Goodwill. I always admired that skill from afar but didn’t think I had it in me. With a little bit of practice thrifting has become my favorite way to find one-of-a-kind items. And by purchasing used items I’m not contributing to the waste produced by creating new clothes, and preventing used clothes from ending up in a landfill.
Shopping sustainable brands
Sustainable brands used to scare me. As a broke college student the idea of spending $60 on a sweater from Everlane when I could buy a $15 sweater from Forever 21 stressed me out. However, I realized that long-term I was actually saving myself money, which brings me to my next point...
Quality over quantity
By buying high-quality clothing made from fabrics that are build to last, I reduced the total amount of clothing I bought overall and curbed my impulse-buying habit. I started investing in my wardrobe and saving myself money long-term. Think about it: $40 for a new pair of boots every winter vs. $200 for a well-made pair of boots that lasts 10 years.
Repair instead of replacing
And what happens when you get a tear in your favorite jacket that is supposed to last through the next five winters? If it was cheap from a fast fashion chain, it’s very tempting to just buy a new one. With investment pieces it makes more sense and is more sustainable to get it fixed. And if you don’t want to spend the money on having someone else do it, it’s easy enough to learn simple sewing to fix rips or replace a button.
I hope this post was helpful! Let me know your favorite sustainable and ethical brands by leaving a comment below.
— Hannah