Whether you’re someone who loves fashion or someone who dreads putting an outfit together in the mornings, we all think about and spend money on our clothing. But, have you ever considered the environmental impact of your clothing-buying habits? Here are suggestions for a few small ways we can reduce our “fashion footprint.”
1. Thriftiness is next to Godliness
By buying second-hand clothes, we reduce the harmful environmental impact of those clothes. On top of being more environmentally-friendly, thrift stores can offer you more varieties of styles and sizes that you won’t find in a department store.
2. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
We’ve all heard this phrase as it pertains to our garbage and waste, but have you ever thought about it in terms of your clothing? Instead of thinking about clothing as something that you wear for one season and then forget about, think of your clothing as a long-term investment. Invest in quality of clothing instead of quantity, and find ways to re-purpose old unwanted clothes.
3. Wash in cold water
Washing your clothes in cold water saves energy, and it will also prevent the colors in your clothing from running together! Make sure to wear your jeans 3 to 4 times before washing them. Also, you will be able to extend the life of delicate fibers such as cashmere and silk by only hand-washing them in cool water.
Work Cited: Waste Couture: Environmental Impact of the Clothing Industry, Luz Claudio Source: Environmental Health Perspectives, Vol. 115, No. 9 (Sep., 2007), pp. A448-A454