The global fashion industry is currently in a crisis when it comes to pollution, waste and an abuse of human rights. One way we can all help is by making our wardrobes more sustainable. This can go a long way to creating a positive impact on the environment as well as our wallets. And to do so is easier than one would think. I'm outlining ten ways to create a more sustainable closet. Some of these are just simple habit shifts that anyone can easily do.
If you haven't done so in awhile, go through your closet. Take stock and remove anything you don't wear anymore. Knowing exactly what you own will keep you from buying repeat items and also helps you to have a better handle on your wardrobe in general. Assess the items you have set aside and separate them into three piles - items you still might wear, items you’d wear if they fit better, and items you won’t wear anymore. The first pile should be integrated back into one side of your closet and revisited the next time you clean it out again. At that point you should reassess if you've rediscovered any favorites or these are just pieces you're just not going to wear again. Set aside the first two piles on one side of your closet and then separate the last pile into items that can be sold, donated, recycled or given away. If you’re not sure which pile to put something in, take a look at what’s selling well online because that will give you a clue about what to do - you can find out how to find things that sell on Poshmark, for example, to help you make the right decision.
2. Tailor, Upcycle & Repurpose
Give those items you still like but don't fit well or require mending a critical eye and make a decision on whether they're worth the cost of tailoring to you. A simple mending or alteration can give new life to an old piece of clothing. If pieces just simply don't work any more, try repurposing them into another piece of clothing altogether like turning a dress into a shirt or transforming them into a household items. Old shirts can be used as cleaning rags. Anything you can do extend the life of your clothes increases it's sustainability.
3. Shop Your Closet
If you feel like you have a closet full of clothes but nothing to wear, the simple act of shopping your own closet can be a fantastic way to see your wardrobe with fresh eyes and this is a sustainable practice as well. You might rediscover old favorites that have been hidden away behind those pieces on regular rotation. Challenge yourself to find different ways to style and wear off season pieces by layering or pairing them in unexpected ways to create new outfits. Doing this can help you to appreciate all of your clothing while finding creative ways to wear them.
4. Rotate Your Wardrobe
This one goes hand in hand with shopping your closet. We all have certain pieces we love and as much as we want to wear to wear them all the time, we should refrain from doing so in order to extend their life. Regularly rotating your clothes will create more space between wearings as well as more space between washes. Sustainability has a lot to do with getting the most out of your wardrobe and something as simple as not wearing the same items all the time can go a long way to making a big difference in the lifespan of your wardrobe.
5. Take Care Of Your Clothes
If you want your clothing to last, you need to take good care of it. This means proper storage and not washing it too often since that can lead to fading, shrinking, loss of shape and a general degradation in quality. Consider investing in a fabric steamer to freshen clothing in between washings. Washing less and being mindful of care instruction will help your clothes last longer as well as lessen their environmental impact since all the resources that go into it like water, heat and energy have a significant carbon footprint.
6. Shop With Intention
Shopping with intention is integral to building a sustainable wardrobe. This means changing your mindset when it comes to shopping. Instead of looking at it as a chance to splurge, shift your focus to being mindful. Identify needs in your wardrobe and look towards making an investment in staples that can be reworn time and again. When you select a piece of clothing, consider it's fabric content and care, how you plan to wear it as well it's potential for styling versatility. Apply the 30 wears rule. If this is an item you can wear a minimum of 30 times, it is a good purchase. Consider trends carefully and opt for timeless looks that won't go out of style. Trans-seasonal clothing that works all-year-round is another good bet. Doing these things should help you to make smarter and more sustainable shopping decisions.
7. Choose Quality Over Price And Quantity
Fast fashion is always attractive because of it's low price but it's unsustainable because it's made from cheap materials so it's not going to last. This has a negative impact on the environment since it will result in more clothing in landfills. Instead of buying 10 pieces of trendy inexpensive clothing that you might wear a handful of times, choose to invest in in 1 or 2 pieces quality clothing that will last you a lifetime. High quality, well made pieces crafted from natural and sustainable materials are a sure way make your wardrobe more sustainable. Yes it will cost more initially but this tactic actually saves you money in the long run because you will end up with items that you can wear for years versus items that might fall apart after a few months.
8. New Isn't Always Better
New may be nice but choosing to buy vintage or secondhand offers a unique opportunity to discover one of a kind pieces clothing at friendly prices while helping to keep textiles out of landfills. Thrift stores, vintage and consignment shops as well as designer resale sites like Vestaire Collective, Thredup and Fashionphile often carry many of your favorite designers and brands. Shopping secondhand can open your eyes to a whole new world of fashion and it will feel good to give a pre- loved clothing/accessories a new lease on life.
9. Choose Your Fabrics Wisely
Fabric production carries certain environmental impacts. Read labels and make good choices. Organic cotton, silk, tencel, hemp, linen, wool, and recycled materials are better since they require less water, resources, and chemicals to produce. The fabrics you should avoid due to toxic production and polluting processes include polyester, acrylic, viscose, and conventional cotton.
10. Less Is More
Sure shopping is fun but there is nothing sustainable about overconsumption. Most of us are probably guilty of buying more than we need. That's why it's important to regularly organize and audit your closet so you know exactly what you own. If you already have five black coats, you really don't need another one. Learn to love and appreciate what you already have and take good care of your clothing and you will realize that less is really more.
If you want to make your wardrobe more sustainable, consider putting some of these practices into action. Even small changes can make a difference and understand that it will take time to create a truly sustainable closet that reflects your environmental and ethical values as well as your aesthetics. When it comes to shopping, do your your research and look for brands that are transparent about their production practices and labor policies and pay fair living wages to their workers.
36 comments
The sustainability aspect and the environmental impact played a huge role in my decision to start a Capsule Wardrobe this spring.
I am one of those people who contstantly wear the same things, so I'm really trying hard to rotate my wardrobe and give all the pieces equal love.
Thanks for these reminders, chingu:) Overconsumption is never a good thing. I still buy new stuff obviously, but I do try to only buy stuff now that I know will last awhile or that will really get worn and not just sit on the closet.
Happy Monday!
These are fantastic tips for making one's wardrobe more sustainable. I agree with everything your wrote, from organizing our closets and learning how to shop them, to taking good care of our clothes and choosing wisely. Every purchase is important, because things we give money tend to grow more powerful. If we buy designer items from small time designers, ethical brands or local seamstresses, we will be helping creative individuals fulfill their dreams. People often complain that there isn't enough variety but they rarely think about supporting people who make unique garments and designs. It's not so hard to do once we set our mind to it.
These are all great suggestions and I implement them in my fashion and lifestyle. I pretty much wear simple pieces these days and love my vintage! Twice a year I like do a purge and go through clothes and accessories for charities, I always find pieces shopping my closet. Happy July, Rowena. I’ve been wrapped up in work but wishing you lovely new week! xo
I agree with all your tips. And right now I'm in the midst of sorting out my clothes.
https://sarahrizaga.blogspot.com/
Excellent tips. I think if you can afford it do a RTR for more trendy pieces. Then buy classics and the 30 wear rule and also good quality pieces. And then do second hand where you can get designer and well know brands for a fraction of the cost.
Allie of
www.allienyc.com
Great suggestions for a more sustainable wardrobe!
This kind of organization is perfect and I agree with every single point!
Kisses, Paola.
Expressyourself
These are great tips for having a more sustainable wardrobe. I agree I look for quality over quantity. Have a great week Rowena!
I am 100% with you on these tips! I've only thought about it more in recent years, but really do invest in fewer quality pieces and try to implement the 30 wear rule too. Vintage clothing and accessories have been on my radar more and more lately - what a great way to get especially high end accessories these days!
I am 100% with you on these tips! I've only thought about it more in recent years, but really do invest in fewer quality pieces and try to implement the 30 wear rule too. Vintage clothing and accessories have been on my radar more and more lately - what a great way to get especially high end accessories these days!
Really great ideas!
Thanks for the outlines to save my wallet and the environment as well :-)
Enjoy your day!
So so many great and wise points- Since couple of years I prefer to buy less but better quality.
This is my kind of post! I've been working a lot more on #4 and #7. My closet is organized and I have way less stuff now than I did even six months ago an I love it. I just need to really rotate my clothes so outfits feel fresh.
http://www.ohtobeamuse.com/
These are great tips - especially the organise your closet one! I can't wait until my wardrobe room is finished in the new place so I'll have the opportunity to see all my clothes at once! it makes it much easier to find new outfits when you can see things you haven't worn in a while, and curbs the urge to shop!
I hope that you are having a great week so far :)
Away From Blue
Thank you for your supporting comment dear xx
Have a lovely weekend
I love the idea of shopping your own closet to see it all with new eyes! Great tips! Thanks for the inspiration!
Anna / http://atlifestylecrossroads.com
Thank you so much for these tips. Sustenible wardrobe is a good idea!
https://chicchedimamma.com/
This is a very informative Post and I totally agree with all the ten points highlighted. Fashion is so fast paced these days with trends going in and out every season that we really have to make conscious efforts to practice sustainability. Thanks so much for sharing all these tips; I'm going to bookmark this post for future reference and reading.
Enjoy the holiday weekend.
Great points and so true new is not always better sometimes I come out with a practical chic outfit with what I have. Have a lovely weekend.
Great ideas. I love to take care of my clothes and always think of different fun ways to style what I have.
what a beautiful post! I loved this! your blog is just stunning! Another great post from you! have a nice day
Jadieegosh
Good tips 😘💚💙
Tailoring pieces already in our wardrobes is such good advice! We often overlooking pieces due to them 'not quite fitting right' and so this is an easy solution! Great advice in this post :)
Gabrielle | A Glass Of Ice x
Rotating and shopping your closet is so important! It's so easy to forget what you have hidden away!
Corinne x
www.skinnedcartree.com
Thank you for interesting information. I found something useful for myself))
http://www.recklessdiary.ru
I really need to shop with intention. Thank you.
www.rsrue.blogspot.com
I love the idea and I even love more to see, that you use your blog to share such an important message. Wearing more suistanable Fashion is really important.
Lovely post my dear.
take a look at my BLOG and my INSTAGRAM
I am proud to say that I have been doing most of these!
what a thoughtful blog post! tailoring pieces is such a helpful tips because I've been doing it lately and I feel like I have a whole new piece of clothes! and I totally agree with the less is more part! x
have a lovely day!
These are such great points. I've been meaning to compile a similar post for ages and you've made so many wonderful points. I totally agree with recycling, reselling or donating unused or unloved pieces. I have too many friends who toss out bags upon bags of clothing and it hurts my heart so much when I hear them say they've done so. Hope you won't mind me linking to this post Rowena, when I get around to creating it I mean. I love what you've suggested and been really trying to up my game in living more sustainably, especially when it comes to fashion.
Sxx
daringcoco.com
Sustainability in fashion is so important. We all can do our part to ensure the environment is protected. We can all shop less, donate used or unwanted clothes to thrift stores and ensure that when we do buy stuff, we are buying from sustainable brands. Kudos to you for enlightening us on this topic! - www.jamilakyari.com
Dear Rowena, I agree to each single point of your list and I try to follow these rules as far as I can manage it! In fact I think really it is possible that we have all fun with our wardrobes - we really should have the courage to try out new combinations and not waste our money for cheap quality.
Happy 2020!
xx from Bavaria/Germany, Rena
www.dressedwithsoul.com
I love this article, and I agree to rotate the closet, which is what my sister and I usually do when we feel we are about using things.
Great job
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I really appreciate your post
I completely agree! Thank you for talking about something so important!! :)
Totally agree with the point of sustainability in every part of our life! Amazing post!
Love and Wellness
wellnessshopland.com
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