7 ways to build an eco-friendly wardrobe

10.17.2016

We can follow fast fashion or create our own style.  Ah, yes to own style please(hand raise emoji),fast fashion is such a bore anyway.  By choosing eco-fashion we waste fewer resources, save energy, reduce the amount of waste going to landfills, and reducing pollution.  A lot of these fast fashion chains have unethical labor laws. So by making better choices we are helping other people as well as respecting animals and the environment.  Here are a few ways to make your wardrobe more eco-friendly:

Host a Clothing Swap: Gather friends together for cocktails + hors d’ oeuvres and to bring a few good conditioned clothing items to exchange.  There are several ways to host one from, and you can even do a seasonal one.   Here is a cute article from Kelly Golightly on how to host a fabulous clothing swap party.

Shop at Vintage + Thrift Stores: This is by far the best way to really own your own style.  It’s also an awesome way to decrease your global footprint. You can also shop for gently used designer clothes online as well(and you can also sell here too) try Threadup and Poshmark.

Cut up your old t-shirts: You can do a lot of fun things with old t-shirts, with new sewing at all  From turning an old tee into a grocery bag or a totally new tee. It’s easy to use Pinterest for a bunch of ideas.

Have an up-cycle party and re-make your old clothes new again: Who doesn’t love a craft party? You can do so much with old clothes and accessories.  Add rhinestones, dip-dye your shoes add cool patches to old sweater. The list can go on and on.

Choose Fabrics Wisely: Synthetic fabrics take a significant amount of energy to produce.  Fabrics such as polyester and nylon are not biodegradable.  Natural fabrics like cotton, silk, polyester and ray are all recyclable.  Organic cotton has less pesticides and is much better for the environment. Many retail stores are increasing their use of organic cotton.  Good sustainable fabrics such as bamboo, wool and hemp as well.  Good questions to ask yourself when choosing fabrics is it natural, recycled, upcycled, second-hand, fairtraide, local, and for a good cause.  These are all great things to consider in your decision.  Quality over quantity : )

Shop Local: Buy buying products made in the US we support our local economy and also lowers the carbon footprint of our purchase. Some of my favorite designers that make clothes in the USA are Nanette Lepore, Wildfox Couture, Alice + Olivia, for a full list you can check out here. Also choosing to support a local independent designer in your area helps support your community.

Look for Eco-friendly Brands + Boutiques: By finding brands and stores that you love that are supporting sustainability, then you already know they are doing their best to be Fair Trade and less toxic to the environment and our bodies. Here is a great list of brands who have ethical guidelines.

Don’t throw away old clothes:  This is really toxic for our environment when we just toss stained clothes in the garbage. Let’s not be lazy, check to see if there is textile recycling drop off in your area. And Goodwill and Salvation Army will take clothes in any condition. And all their unwanted clothes goes to recycling textile companies.  In a Huffington Post article recently they stated that in 2013 alone, Americans discarded 15.1 million tons of clothing and other textiles, and 85 percent of the that wound up in landfills.

So let’s take really good care of the clothes we have.  Be awesome and thrifty.  And with the money we save from that buy good quality clothing that is good for the environment and community.  And when we do have to throw something out let’s go the extra mile to donate it or recycle it. High five!