That five-dollar shein shirt in your shopping cart. Oh how tempting it is, all those cute clothes for those ridiculously cheap prices!
And yes, I’m equally as tempted to order a cute pair of jeans and a fun top for less than $15 with shipping but, as I am sure you have heard, the practices used by a variety of fast-fashion brands and clothing companies in general are unsustainable and often, unethical.
So, what can you do to help our environment and your closet?
I’m sure you’ve heard about thrifting or even participated in it yourself. The recently popular act of “thrift shopping” is simply going to a consignment, flea market, or thrift store to buy previously worn clothes, typically for a cheaper price. I personally love buying my new clothes in this fashion, not only is it more sustainable and less wasteful, but it is also like a fun treasure hunt. Thrifting is often promoted as a way to refresh your wardrobe by not investing in cheaply made clothes that will get thrown into a dumpster within a few years. Instead, individuals donate their clothes and items to eventually find their new homes, where hopefully, the cycle will repeat itself. And as much as this is a great process and should be used more frequently to reduce material waste, there is so much more you can do to become a more sustainable shopper.
1. Buy only what you need, not just what you want.
I struggle with this, even now. Whenever I go shopping, I find something that is not a need, but a want. And oftentimes, that doesn’t discourage me from buying it. But, as I am learning more about this process and better understanding how my shopping habits impact our earth, I am attempting to develop new habits.
The thing I have recently been doing is keeping a list on my phone of needs. My favorite pair of athletic shorts are getting a little small? Add them to the list and next time, when I go out shopping or thrifting, I can make sure I am staying productive and on-task, rather than buying something that I will sit in my closet for the next eight months. This has really helped me keep track of what I actually need VS the things I convince myself to buy.
2. Research the companies you are buying from.
This is so important and something I am equally trying to work on to advance my sustainable shopping habits. A majority of the time, when looking at companies, they often “greenwash” their product. Greenwashing is the act of “practice of falsely promoting a brand’s environmental efforts without the implementation of business practices that back up these claims.” (Morgan). This is used in order to convince consumers that their products are eco-friendly when reality, they are not.
Here are a few tips to help you become more aware of greenwashing when shopping.
Watch out for the green. Clothing companies will put green plants or make their tags green in order to falsely identify their products as “eco-friendly. While this may sometimes be true, researching a company before assuming its green tag means it’s environmentally safe is more foolproof than assuming it is simply because of its color or labeling.
Look for certifications. For example, certifications like, “Fair Trade, EcoCert and B Corporation to PETA, GOTS or BCI” (Green Queen Team) are good ways to detect whether a company is using sustainable materials and/or practices (Still, do your research!)
“Natural” or “Vegan” materials don’t always = eco-friendliness. Although those words may sound like they would be mean a product is more environmentally friendly, “most are made from synthetic, petroleum-derived fabric” (Green Queen Team). Again, researching specific materials and understanding their makeup, where they came from, and how many different materials were used in one item of clothing will help you better understand if it is sustainably made or not. Here is an amazing guide about sustainable materials and specific fabrics that will help you, the consumer, better understand what your clothes are being made of: Sustainable Materials And Fabrics You Should Know About, by Natalie Gale.
3. Buy better products that will last longer.
Back to that shein shirt in your shopping cart, however cute it may be, the cheap material it is made out of often doesn’t last that long. Anyone who has bought cheap clothes has probably realized this … they get ruined in the wash, they start to rip at the seams, or the material in general is cheap and thin.
Instead, start investing in staple products that are made sustainably and will last a long time. There are a few things you can look out for.
The more materials in an item of clothing, typically, the cheaper it is. When companies are using an abundance of different materials, it is normally to cut down costs and thus, it is less eco-friendly and won’t last as long in your closet.
Research clothing brands! There is a variety of platforms you can use to learn more about what companies are eco-friendly and which ones you should be investing in. I have recently been loving the website/app Good on You, which delves into specific brands and helps you, the consumer, make more informed choices. This is just one example of a way you can research brands, but there are so many more apps, websites, and sources you can use to find out more information about the brands you love and help you pick out products and materials that will last in the long run.
Although this is something I have only started to learn about, it is so important people become more informed about what they are wearing on their bodies every single day. Something as small as thrifting instead of ordering online can truly help our environment in the long run, and this will only grow as more people begin to make more informed decisions when shopping for their next clothing item. If you are an NCSU student and interested in sustainable and ethical shopping, consider joining the Greater Good Textile Group. It truly has taught me more about eco-friendly practices and how to be a better shopper!
We love our earth so let’s make our shopping habits start caring about it too.
References Used:
Green Queen Team. “Greenwashing in Fashion Is on the Rise, Here’s How to Spot It.” Green Queen, 30 Sept. 2020, www.greenqueen.com.hk/greenwashing-in-fashion-is-on-the-rise-heres-how-to-spot-it/.
Morgan, Emma. “What Is Greenwashing in Fashion? 5 Ways to Avoid Fast Fashion Claims.” Eco-Stylist, 25 Dec. 2022, www.eco-stylist.com/what-is-greenwashing-in-fashion/#:~:text=Greenwashing%20in%20fashion%20refers%20to. Accessed 11 Nov. 2023.