BE MORE INFORMED
One of the most difficult things about trying to be more sustainable is knowing where to start – and more importantly, where to shop. In this day and age, however, it is much easier than it once was as there are so many brands that are run with a sustainable focus in mind.
Tome, Reformation, Aitch Aitch, Amur, Article22, Zady, Kitx, Veja, Bottletop and Lemlem are all recommended and certified by Eco Age. Don’t forget to keep an eye out for sustainable ranges in some of the high street’s biggest shops, like H&M’s Conscious Collection.
Do a little investigative work, find a handful of brands you love and start from there. After a while, your portfolio of knowledge will have grown – and you’ll have a whole host of brands to choose from.
SHOP VINTAGE
“Every new item of clothing made has a substantial carbon footprint attached to its manufacturing; but the amount of new energy needed to produce vintage clothing is zero,” Emma Watson said on her Press Tour account. “Vintage clothing has a huge role to play in making fashion more sustainable and reducing a global footprint that includes the 132m metric tons of coal used yearly through the production of new fibres, dyeing and bleaching of garments and the 6-9 trillion litres of water used by the industry.”
William Vintage, Vestiaire Collective and Edit Second hand are all great options. More best designer resale sites below.
With more and more brands seeing the importance of an environmental focus, dressing sustainably no longer means compromising
so stop thinking it does.
DONATE YOUR UNWANTED CLOTHES
Donating your unwanted clothes to a good cause, rather than leaving them hanging in your wardrobe will help others to be more sustainable, who will invest in your old pieces, rather than buying something new. A great way to do this is to have a one-in, one-out policy – live by the mantra that every time you buy something, you’ll donate something else in your wardrobe.
LOOK AFTER YOUR CLOTHES SO THEY LAST LONGER
It sounds obvious, but it’s so important. Of course if you are buying better quality clothes, they are likely to last longer (and you’re also more likely to treat them better because they were more expensive) but this goes for everything hanging in your wardrobe. Look after them properly and it will help you to have to replace them less often. From caring for your cashmere to washing your denim inside out, go the extra mile to ensure your clothes stay at their best for longer.
LEARN HOW TO REPAIR CLOTHING YOURSELF (OR FIND A GOOD TAILOR)
When something rips or a heel breaks, you don’t necessarily have to throw it away. Learn how to repair your clothes and accessories – or, even easier, pay a professional to do it. Think twice before before using it as an excuse for something new.
CHANGE YOUR PERSPECTIVE
“I don’t think that ‘eco’ should be a word that immediately conjures up images of oatmeal-coloured garments or garments that are oversized or lacking in any sort of luxury or beauty or detailing or desirability,” Stella McCartney writes on her website. “I don’t think that things have to look ugly because they’re organic; why can’t they be beautiful as well? You can’t ask a consumer to compromise. I don’t think you can say, ‘Here is this jacket that looks terrible but it’s organic, and here is a really beautiful jacket that’s cheaper but don’t buy it because it’s not organic’.”