Sustainable Fashion: How to Dress in an Eco-Conscious Way
Sustainable fashion has always been an important topic in the media, but over the recent few years this movement has been popularized even more thanks to numerous bloggers, fashion influencers, and other content creators. Its aim is to reduce as much as possible the negative impact that the fashion industry has on the environment and also promote fair labor practices. If eco-friendliness is something you are really interested in and you’d like to find out more about how you can make your wardrobe more sustainable while still dressing trendy, this article is for you!
The 5 Rs
The first step towards building a sustainable and ethical wardrobe starts with a detailed revision of all the clothing you already have in your possession. To make this step easier, we recommend sticking to the rule of the 5 Rs of fashion: reduce, rewear, recycle, respair, resell. Give this method a try and you’ll be surprised to find out how many outfits you can wear with only a few garments. You can also organize clothing swaps or yard sales that would help you get rid of the clothes that are in good condition but don’t fit your standards anymore. Plus, it will greatly help the community and the environment, as the clothing that you’ve decided that you won’t wear anymore can find its new home in other people’s wardrobe.
Switch to natural fabrics
There are plenty of reasons for why natural fabrics are much better for you and the planet, especially now that summer is coming and we’re looking for comfortable garments that would protect us from the heating sun. Organic cotton, linen, silk, and wool are only a few of the textiles that you should incorporate into your wardrobe to make it more sustainable. Dresses, shirts, trousers, and even accessories made of these fabrics will keep you cool and stylish all summer long. An Irish flat cap made of linen in a neutral color, for example, can protect you from the harmful UV rays while also being the perfect addition to any outfit you decide to wear. You can find a wide range of summer headwear made of natural fabrics online that will make the perfect addition to your accessory collection. Moreover, natural fabrics are durable and can serve you for a lifetime but even if they become too worn out they can easily be recycled and it doesn’t take them more than a few months to completely break down in soil.
Shop at thrift stores
If you want to make your carbon footprint as small as possible, shopping at thrift stores is a wonderful way of promoting sustainable fashion. It is commonly known that this industry is one of the most polluting ones, as creating new clothes require numerous resources and create tons of waste that end up in the soil, water, and air, and thrift stores reduce considerably the need to produce new garments. Additionally, it encourages customers to donate and recycle clothes and accessories which are eco-conscious practices. Also, many garments that were made of sturdy high-quality fabrics such as denim, wool, and leather look much better after a few years of wear so next time you decide that you’re in need of a new pair of jeans or a leather jacket, make sure to browse your local thrift stores before heading to the mall.
