Sustainability has recently become a huge point of interest in fashion, especially with climate change becoming something many want to reduce and hopefully reverse. Fast fashion recently became largely popular, with new clothes constantly coming in and low prices. Fast fashion, however, has become more recognized as hurting the environment as the constant production is unmanageable and large amounts of unsold products and wasted resources are piled up by fast fashion brands.
People now are looking for more sustainable options. I have compiled a list of both brands that have a focus on sustainability as well as online forums for people to sell their clothes and accessories, so you can help make a difference on your environmental impact!
Number 1: Depop
Depop is an app where people are able to sell their old clothes or accessories they no longer want. Sellers fill their stores with items they may not want, do not fit or possibly created themselves. Depop has unending amounts of unique pieces, from vintage to brand-new. I personally use Depop and have had a lot of luck finding pieces I want that may have been limited edition and are no longer sold or just pieces I want at a better price point. Depop has a specific focus on making fashion more inclusive and less wasteful, making it a great option for those wanting to help make fashion more sustainable.
Number 2: thredUP
ThredUP is marketed as the world’s largest online thrift store. It is a perfect place to buy and sell secondhand items from your favorite brands. The prices are extremely affordable, and the quality of the items are ensured. Shopping for clothing secondhand is a great way to reduce the impact on the environment by fashion. ThredUP is a great option to find pieces to add to your wardrobe in a sustainable way.
Number 3: Levi’s
The process of making jeans often requires a lot of water use for even just one pair. Levi’s has a specific focus on using the least amount of water possible, to make the process of making their jeans more eco-friendly. Levi’s also actively makes commitments to sustainability, in terms of sourcing of cotton to create textiles, animal welfare, and not using child labor for cotton harvesting. Levi’s is an extremely reliable, high quality brand to purchase denim products from.
Number 4: PACT
PACT is a sustainability focused brand for clothing, typically focusing on everyday pieces and underwear and nightwear. PACT is certified by the Global Organic Textile Standard to be completely organic and also is Fair Trade Certified, indicating they are ethical in terms of wages and working conditions. PACT is a great source for everyday basics that are sustainable and ethical.
Number 5: People Tree
People Tree is another brand focused on making fashion sustainable and less wasteful. People Tree has many different pieces such as knitwear, basics, dresses, activewear and much more. People Tree is also Free Trade Certified and makes use of sustainable fibers like organic cotton and Tencel lyocell. They also make use of low impact dyes when making pieces.
These 5 great resources for sustainable fashion can help you lower your environmental impact and help aid in the fight to end excessive waste in clothing production and fast fashion.
Resources:
https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/clothing/g27154605/sustainable-fashion-clothing/
https://www.levistrauss.com/how-we-do-business/sustainability-resources-and-commitments/
https://www.fairtradecertified.org/
https://www.global-standard.org/