Sustainability has long stopped being a buzzword and has instead become a complex and sophisticated process that is based in several different fields and aims to uncover the secret carbon footprints and negative impact of all man-made processes so that they can be dismantled and replaced with alternatives that won’t harm the planet, biodiversity and human life itself. One of the most well-known culprits is the fashion industry, which is alone responsible for a sizable 10% of the global carbon emissions. Although it might not seem like a lot, if you put it into perspective, you’ll realise that fashion is a bigger polluter than the maritime shipping and international flight sectors combined.
It might seem extraordinary that something as ubiquitous as clothing can cause so much harm, but the rise of fast fashion and micro trends has genuinely caused a lot of harm to the environment. Clothing is produced much faster and comes at a cheaper price, meaning the quality is usually lacking, and workers are forced to labour in inadequate and unethical conditions. Growing crops such as cotton is a job that is often heavily reliant on pesticides, and there are also the dyes that frequently use toxic chemicals to take into account. These substances affect the health of workers and infiltrate water sources such as rivers and groundwater systems, compromising their quality.
Luckily, it’s not all doom and gloom, and there are several things you can do to build a more sustainable wardrobe that lets you look fashionable without impacting the well-being of the world.
Buy less
Although recycling and repurposing are crucial for sustainability, there’s a saying among climate activists that the greenest product is the one you don’t buy. When you don’t shop for items that you don’t need, you attempt to rewire the need for the new. Although it might seem simple, it is actually a pretty difficult habit to achieve and stick with. When shopping, your brain releases dopamine, a feel-good neurotransmitter. Over time, the feeling can become addictive, and you’ll end up shopping compulsively and impulsively, which is terrible for the environment, your finances, and the amount of clutter in your home. If you’re used to shopping very often, try to decrease the frequency bit by bit. Give yourself time before getting something new, as actually thinking about the item will put things into perspective a bit more, and you might realise that you really don’t need to get it.
Emotional durability
The concept of durability refers to how long a piece of clothing can be considered wearable and functional when dealing with normal, daily wear and laundering. But there’s an offshoot of that as well, known as emotional durability. This is the notion that the fashion that lasts is the one to which you have a deep attachment or to which you ascribe special meaning. This can naturally only happen over time through repeated wearing and styling. In order to keep wearing your clothes, again and again, they must feel perfect for you, which is why your wardrobe should represent your preferences rather than passing trends. For instance, you might feel more drawn to printed t shirts that allow you to choose the look of the garment rather than a generic option you can get at an apparel store.
Quality over quantity
Good quality clothes made from study, resilient materials like linen, silk, denim, wool, bamboo and cotton are typically more expensive, leading many shoppers to neglect them and gravitate toward the cheaper options so they can buy more. However, the clothes are more likely to fall apart or lose shape, meaning you’ll have no choice but to buy new ones, repeating the cycle endlessly. This is fundamentally unsustainable, so investing in something that will last longer is better. Paying more also means that you’re making an investment and are more likely to take better care of an expensive piece so that it lasts longer anyway. You can also research to determine which ones use the most sustainable practices and are mindful of their resource consumption.
Accessorise
An eco-friendly closet is oftentimes conflated with a minimal style and the idea of a capsule wardrobe. This means focusing on staple pieces like classic jeans, white shirts and tops, black blazers, and a general neutral colour palette. For some, this can get a bit boring and repetitive after a while, but it doesn’t mean you have to buy something new. All it takes is some careful accessorising. Scarves, handbags, watches, necklaces, earrings and sunglasses are the most obvious choices, but personalised lighters, statement footwear in bold hues, hair accessories, belts and neckties can also serve as additional items that elevate any look regardless of how basic it is.
Change your mindset
Being more sustainable about your clothing includes a fundamental change in your mentality about clothes. This is where emotional durability comes into play once more. Because sure, your clothing should be of good quality, be versatile, have a timeless design and classic cuts that will always look good and be popular. But there are many clothes that fit these characteristics out there, and it’s not like you can buy all of them and still call your wardrobe green. Instead, you need to work on your perspective so that you no longer see clothes as beautiful or worthwhile only when they’re brand new. Learn how to appreciate the quirks and charm of wearing clothes for a long time, such as fading.
Basic maintenance and repair, such as sewing buttons, darning, and mending, can also prolong the life of your favourite pieces so you can enjoy them for longer. Customisation also helps, as it makes the garments feel more personal and allows you to hide any possible defects a piece acquired. As a general rule, if you don’t see yourself loving and wearing an item of clothing for at least several years, it is probably better not to consider buying it in the first place.
Sustainability is not easy to achieve, and it takes changing some of your habits. This can be uncomfortable in the beginning, but after you get used to it, things will come much more naturally. And both the planet and your finances will be grateful.
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