Being More Sustainable in Your Clothing Purchases: 6 Simple Practices

*Collaborative Post

There is a lot to consider when we think about sustainability in terms of our clothing choices. You may be someone that has more of a DIY mindset and likes to fix up your clothes, but to be fashionable and sustainable in your purchases is easier than ever. So let’s show you some ways to be your stylish self while also benefiting the planet. Here’s a few tips on how to make better sustainable clothing purchases:

Choose Your Supplier

The most important thing we can all do is to buy from better brands, which can spill into every other aspect of our lives. It’s not just about the clothes or the shoes, you can buy sustainable body jewellery as well. The mantra in eco-friendly circles is “buy less and buy better.” Before you make any purchase, you need to understand if the supplier is the right one according to their environmentally friendly practices. When you support designers who promote sustainability, this can greatly narrow your search, making life a lot easier. That philosophy naturally extends to timeless wardrobe pieces such as Aran sweaters, which are valued for their durability, quality materials, and long-term wear rather than fast, disposable fashion.

The “30 Wears Test”

The 30 Wears Challenge was created in 2015 by Eco Age co-founder Livia Firth and journalist Lucy Seigle, which encouraged people to ask themselves if they would wear something a minimum of 30 times before they purchased it. This is a great way to begin your sustainability journey, but you can take it further. As sustainability becomes a bigger part of our lives, you would need to ask yourself if the item of clothing you buy is worthy of your forever wardrobe. Going beyond the 30 Wears Test is the best way to be more contemporary in your choosing. 

Changing Your Attitudes to Purchases

A lot of people want to buy new, and this can be the overriding mindset, but as we are all experiencing constricted finances, you can opt for vintage pieces that have great second-hand credentials. There are many designer resale websites that you can find, which will give you that style, and not make you think that just because something is second-hand makes it inferior. 

Donate Unwanted Clothes

Rather than leaving your clothes hanging in the wardrobe, donating them can help others to start their sustainability journey. We should look at our wardrobe, and if something has passed the 12-month mark, and we have only worn it a handful of times, it’s time to go! You could also opt for the “one-in, one-out” policy, where every time you purchase something you will donate something to lighten your wardrobe. 

Avoiding Greenwashing

While so many of us are becoming more aware of our environmental footprint, we need to look beyond buzzwords like “eco-friendly” and “responsible.” Greenwashing is a term where brands use misleading claims to suggest that it is more eco-friendly than it really is. You can conduct research on the supplier to check if they really are being environmentally friendly or sustainable. 

Understand Your Materials

If you want to make more sustainable purchases, you need to know the impact each material is making. The best place to begin is to avoid synthetics like polyester, as this comes from fossil fuels and takes many years to break down. 

There is a lot to consider when it comes to sustainability, and this only touches the surface, but it’s a great place to begin.

*This is a collaborative post. For further information please refer to my disclosure page.