Sustainable Choices For More Ethical Fashion

Everyone is guilty of being wasteful  at times. We buy things we don't need or throw things away when they are in a condition where they can still be used. But many of us also want to make an effort to be more sustainable and make more socially conscious and ethical choices in various aspects of our lives. One way you can do that is to pay attention to the things that you wear. By making more sustainable fashion choices, you can make a significant part of your lifestyle  more eco-friendly and more responsible. There are a number of changes you can make now to be more sustainable.

Choose Jewelry Mindfully

Jewelry is one of the most important elements that you should consider if you want to be more sustainable. It often uses precious metals and a variety of gemstones, which need to be mined. This often means unethical practices that include the exploitation of workers and connections to various conflicts. Fortunately there are ethical options like diamonds from Brilliant Earth. Another option is lab-grown jewels, which can simply be made to order. You should try to take the time to look for jewelry made with ethically-sourced materials. You can also browse second-hand jewelry so you're not creating demand for new items.

Read Labels
When you're buying new clothes, checking the label can tell you a lot about what you're getting. The label will tell you the composition of materials the garment is made from, as well as how you should care for it. It should also tell you where the garment was made and perhaps even where the materials come from. Many more brands now include their ethical and sustainability practices on their labels. So by checking the label, you can see what efforts they're making to help protect the planet and/or the people they work with.

Research Brands
Doing your research is a great place to start you when you're looking to transition to more ethical fashion products. A clothing label won't tell you everything you need to know about a brand, so it's best to look them up. The fact is that not all fashion brands are going to tell you all about their practices. When transparency is an issue, you can research a brand to find out what others have to say about them. If they're engaging in less than ethical practices, or there's no evidence of them actively trying to be sustainable in their production, you will know to stay away.

Buy Less, Buy Better
Sometimes being more sustainable with your clothes and accessories isn't just about what you buy but how often you buy anything. Buying things too often and when you don't really need to, is wasteful. If you buy new clothes often, you may not even end up wearing a lot of them. One of the best ways to be more sustainable is to buy less and to buy better quality items that will last so you end up wearing them for longer. Make an effort to take good care of your clothing and try mending things instead of automatically throwing them out.

Making sustainable, socially conscious and ethical choices will allow you to enjoy fashion with a clearer conscience. It will be better for the planet and can even be better for your wallet.

This is a contributed post.

Photo: Michaa