Aren’t we all ready to opt out of the old fashion game? With haunting reports of human suffering and environmental distress behind the colors, textures and volumes of fashion, I definitely am!
More and more fashionistas care for the environment, fair trade, and human rights just as much as they love the aesthetics of fashion, and if you’re reading these lines, you might be one of them. Here are my favorite 3 ways to be a sustainable fashion warrior:
1. “Choose Well, Make it Last” – Vivienne Westwood
Vivienne Westwood brilliantly sums up the most essential ways to dress sustainably. Fashion tech and lab produced textiles aside, the easiest way to help the planet breathe is to simply buy less. Try to buy only what you need. Avoid impulse purchases; they hurt your wallet and the planet. Won’t wear it at least 30 times? best to walk away. See a garment as an investment piece instead. Go for that amazing piece that will stun every time.
Being a conscious shopper is also about choosing well. Try putting a face on your clothes: in which country, from what materials and from whose hands are they made? You can find more info on the brand’s production line and supply chain on apps like Good On You, or check out Remake’s stylish edits that are good for people and our planet.
You might want to only support brands that have sustainability and ethical practices in their DNA. You can find many of them here.
Remember that loved clothes last. Do not over wash, or wash in hot water. Use soft, ecological detergents, or as the AEG Care Label Project puts it, ‘wash less, to care more’. Mend when needed. And, enjoy on repeat!
2. Minimalism: the Capsule Wardrobe
With minimalism making a comeback, one way to be a part of our Movement is simply to buy fewer, better things. A capsule wardrobe consists of a dozen or so high quality, timeless pieces that fit well and are interchangeable. These items can create many new looks, as they are easily combined with each other, as well as with new seasonal pieces. Donna Karan has done it. Millennials are doing it. It is the most efficient way of dressing stylishly and sustainably. Not to mention the piece of mind you will have from having an uncluttered closet.
3. Share the Love: Vintage treasures and Swap parties
The quest for hidden treasures in thrift shops, in your grandma’s wardrobe and vintage bazaars is trending. It brings the element of adventure and surprise back to shopping. Don’t know how to start? Host an intimate swap party with friends. You know the saying, “one woman’s trash is another woman’s treasure”? Well, I feel so good in my short-sleeved jeans jacket, and my fake-leopard ankle boots: they came into my possession through swapping and we live happily ever after.
The sustainable fashion movement is now a hot new trend, but lets work together to make it an established practice instead. I’d love to hear how you #wearyourvalues and plan to be a sustainable fashion warrior. Do drop me a line the comments.
Images: Remake; Unsplash
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