Many people are unaware of their contribution to the destruction of our planet. By supporting brands such as Urban Outfitters, Brandy Melville, Dolls Kill and Princess Polly, you are contributing to fast fashion. Fast fashion is an extremely profitable business that mass-produces clothing at a very low cost, is glorified on the runways and damages our environment. According to Business Insider, the fashion industry is the cause of producing 10% of all carbon emissions in the world. The production of fast fashion is so detrimental to the world’s water supply that it became the second largest cause of pollution in the ocean. The industry also emits more carbon emissions than both international flights and waterborne shipping transportation combined. With that being said, there is a way that you can make a difference.
Sustainable fashion is a movement that was created for the purpose of promoting change in the fashion industry. According to Forbes, it addresses the entire fashion industry as a whole in an attempt to foster change towards greater ecological integrity and social responsibility. It supports fair wages and education and reduces the negative impact that fast fashion has on animals. Shopping sustainability prevents any animal from suffering over the expense of your clothes. Another important factor that sustainable fashion promotes is that of minimalism. Minimalism means having as little as possible, which allows for less consumption. Whether you already shop sustainably or want to start, here are some tips to allow you to begin your journey into the world of sustainability.
1. Buying Secondhand Items
The purchase of secondhand clothing, also known as thrifting, has turned into a global trend. It’s not only affordable, but it also keeps plastic and unwanted items out of landfills. Rather than purchasing clothes from the brands that are detrimental to the environment, try thrifting them! There are certain thrift stores in the Los Angeles area and most cities that strictly sell unwanted designer shoes and clothing items. You can also create a more unique wardrobe by shopping secondhand. There are one of a kind pieces that can be found by thrifting that your friends and family members may even be jealous of! Spice up your wardrobe and help protect the planet!
2. Repurpose Clothing
Do you have any clothing items that you never wear, but still want to keep? If so, then repurposing your clothes might be the thing that encourages you to wear them again. For instance, you can turn an old graphic tee into a tight fitted crop top. You can paint your favorite cartoon characters on your old Levi’s or Converse. You can even turn your dad’s old shirt into your new favorite mini dress! All you need to do is grab some fabric and scissors and break out the old sewing machine. There are many videos on the app TikTok or even on YouTube that give you step-by-step instructions on how to repurpose your old clothes. Who knows, it may turn into your new favorite hobby!
3. Donate Unwanted Clothing
Donating unwanted clothing items not only benefits the homeless and low-income families, but it also promotes sustainable fashion. It may even help others to be more sustainable as well by allowing them to purchase your items from thrift stores. You can give your old clothes to a friend or relative that is in need! You can even try donating a piece of clothing every time you buy something new to add to your wardrobe. Keeping the habit of giving away your clothing can make you feel good, influence those around you and decrease the amount of carbon emissions that are released into the atmosphere.
4. Become More Informed
It can be difficult to try and find the right place to start in regards to shopping more sustainably. However, we live in the day and age where we can easily research what brands are contributing to fast fashion and which give back to the environment. The first way you can begin shopping more sustainably is googling the brands that you buy from. If they are a key factor in the contribution of the fast fashion industry, then try and find an alternative rather than purchasing from them again. For example, if you really want something from Urban Outfitters but don’t want to contribute to the world of fast fashion, then try finding their clothes at your local thrift store or buy the brand off secondhand clothing shopping apps such as Poshmark, Depop or Mercari.
Another way to become informed is to reach out to brands you may be interested in through their social media accounts. There are many small businesses that operate mainly on Instagram or Facebook that may be happy to help align with your newfound values in fashion. You can ask them how they contribute to the fashion industry and what fabrics/products they use that benefit the environment.