Clothing today is cheaper than ever, according to Quantis a person on average consumes 11.4kg of apparel each year. To some people, this probably does not sound like a bad thing but in reality, the real problem we face is that this low-cost, non- economical way of filling our wardrobes is slowly damaging the plant. The fashion industry is the second-worst polluter in the world, oil and coal being the first. Checking the label before making a fashion choice can make a substantial difference, even if you believe a purchase could be an eco- friendly one this actually might not be the case due to the fabrics used. According to Green Choice ‘nylon manufacture creates nitrous oxide, a greenhouse gas 310 times more potent than carbon dioxide and making polyester uses large amounts of water for cooling’. One pair of jeans uses 7,600 liters of water to make, scary right? Our shopping habits and way of life are to blame but if changed from fast fashion to sustainable our shopping can turn into a solution. To some people, a sustainable way of approaching fashion sounds daunting, expensive and a lot of effort but in reality, this is not true. You can still feel sexy, confident and elegant in your clothes but just make a difference whilst doing so.
· Donate and feel great.
Donating your old clothes to somebody that will find a use for them is a great step on the road to becoming a sustainable fashionista. You are helping the plant, people in need and clearing out your wardrobe all at the same time. It’s a win-win situation. According to EPA, it costs on average £35 per ton to dispose of waste within a landfill. Clothing that sits within landfills releases toxic greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane into the environment when they start to break down. To also make new clothes it takes hundreds of gallons of water, and the production of new textiles accounts for 10% of all carbon emission on the planet. All of this can be reduced or even avoided by the simple act of donating instead of throwing.
· Shop less to shop better.
Let's start decluttering those wardrobes. Keep those items that you adore and give away the ones that have been sitting there for years. Stop buying large amounts of cheap clothes and invest in fewer high quality, environmentally friendly pieces. Within fashion, people seem to have a strange fear of being seen in a certain piece of clothing more than a few times but just remember, it is okay and any item of clothing can be worn again and again, you just need to mix it up that’s all. We wear clothes for our benefit and nobody else's, always remember that before deciding your outfit choice for the day.
· Go vintage.
One person’s trash is another person’s treasure, right? Vintage fashion is a beautiful thing, it is kind of hard not to fall in love with clothing that has so many memories and history attached to it. Having clothing that has a personal value to you or a story behind it makes it easier to hold on to and gives people more desire to wear it. Having a minimalistic wardrobe with sustainable and high quantity pieces within it helps define your personal style and it also makes getting ready in the morning that little bit easier.
· Re-fashion.
Remember that beautiful shirt with the pattern on it that you can’t seem to throw away? Revive it, get creative and turn it into something you can love and create memories with all over again. Turning an item of clothing that means a great deal to you into something new is one of the many beauty’s of sustainable fashion. The journey of garments does not have to stop when you do not fit into them anymore. Sometimes parting ways with certain items of clothing can be hard but with this way of life you don't ever have to worry about that again and you can also make change whilst doing so.
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