Hey earth muffins! On my journey towards living a low waste lifestyle, I was introduced to the sustainable fashion movement. It is pretty exciting that more people are opting out of fast fashion to explore other, more eco-friendly, options. I absolutely love sustainable fashion, so I wanted to share a post of all the ways you too can participate in the movement. Before we jump into examples of sustainable fashion, I thought it would be best to briefly explain the term “sustainable fashion“… Let’s jump right into it!
What Exactly is Sustainable Fashion?
According to the Internet, “sustainable fashion is a movement and process of fostering change to fashion products and the fashion system towards greater ecological integrity and social justice.” One of its main goals is to encourage the use of eco-friendly (possibly biodegradable) fabrics that have less of an impact on the environment. It isn’t just about the actual clothing though. The movement cares about the whole production process, who produces it, and the life span of the piece before it reaches the landfill. You don’t just have to buy from sustainable fashion brands to participate in the movement! There are many other great ways that I love to embrace it as well.
Examples of Sustainable Fashion Include:
1. Wear clothes you already have!
Nothing is more sustainable than using what you already own. Even if your closet is stocked full of pieces from Forever21, you can still participate in the sustainable fashion movement. Instead of buying new clothes each season, use the pieces you already have to create new outfits. The faux pas of never wearing an oufit more than once is a fast fashion faux pas that needs to change. Wear your clothing until you can’t anymore! 😍
2. Take care of your clothes – this includes mending them
This is SO important! You want your clothes to last as long as they possibly can so that you don’t need to replace them for a long time. Take the time to wash and dry them correctly. If you find a hole somewhere, use your sewing skills to mend it. For anything that is too big to sew back together, get creative with patches and embroidery to cover it up! Such great examples of sustainable fashion – I love to see people rocking their favorite items for many years.
3. Borrow clothing
We all have that friend or family member who just has such a great taste in fashion. If you are searching for something in your closet for an event (and can’t seem to find anything that will do), maybe see if you can borrow a piece instead. Just think about all the great clothes you have access to in your friends’ closets! Who knows, they might not even want the item anymore and give it to you to keep. Borrowing is such a great way to avoid overconsumption and stay eco-friendly.
4. Thrift your clothes!
This is my personal favorite way to support the sustainable fashion movement. I’ve talked about thrifting a lot on this blog, and I will continue to do so because it is amazing! When you shop secondhand, you buy clothing that has already been produced. Therefore, the earth’s resources have already been used for the item. Instead of using your dollars to support the production of new clothes (and thus, depleting more of the earth’s resources), use them to buy thrifted items instead. I’ve been finding a lot of great pieces lately – including two pairs of dress pants that fit me like a glove. 🎉
5. Try out renting
Similar to borrowing, you can also rent clothes these days. Rent the Runway started this idea in the fashion industry, but a bunch of brands have now jumped on the bandwagon. Especially for formal events, this is a great option to have a totally new outfit without having to purchase the item (and then have it sit in your closet unused).
6. Purchase from sustainable brands
When thinking about “sustainable fashion”, most people think about just buying from eco-friendly companies. While this is a great way to support the movement (and fits perfectly in the examples of sustainable fashion list!), I personally feel like it should be the last thing you try. It is obviously most sustainable to use what you have already, borrow/rent, and shop secondhand before buying a totally new piece. Even though fashion from eco-friendly companies may be produced sustainably, they still use up new resources compared to the other options. Plus, make sure you can identify greenwashing to avoid companies that might look sustainable but actually aren’t. 😊
Final Thoughts
There are tons of ways to join this movement, which you can see by my examples of sustainable fashion list! I think my favorites include thrifting my clothes and wearing my pieces as much as possible. There is something I love about finding clothes that are inherently my style and then rocking them for many years! Other great options include borrowing pieces from family and friends, renting, and even buying new items from truly sustainable brands. What is your favorite way to support the sustainable fashion movement? Comment below and share your ideas for reducing your impact through fashion!
Love,
Jenna ♥
These are wonderful suggestions! I am definitely trying to wear the clothes that I have instead of buying new things. There are certain pieces in my wardrobe that I have had for 10+ years…and I still like them! The suggestion about taking good care of your clothes and mending them when necessary is so important. It can add years to the lifespan of your favourite items!