A Simple Guide to Sustainable Fashion and What it means to You!

Here is: How to be Sustainable!

Hate to break it to you, but there is no such thing as being 100% sustainable with fashion.

ONE:

The first reason being: washing clothes infuses nature with microfibers. It also takes a toll on the environment through the use of water, electricity, and most laundry detergent is not eco-friendly. Here you can find a list of some green laundry detergents

TWO:

There are, however, many different ways of approaching the topic that you can learn from to become more sustainable and decide where you stand.

THREE:

Before we get started on all the different aspects there are to consider as a consumer, we want to address that there are two perspectives: that of brands and that of consumers.

We will cover this topic from a point of view of -

Brands & Consumers

Pros and Cons of -

• Second hand

• Slow Fashion

• Fair Fashion

• Vegan

• Clothing swaps

• Minimalism

• Local Production

FOR BRANDS this means creating in a way which is most considerate of humanity and the environment. The goal is to have a system which works without leaving a negative footprint.

FOR CONSUMERS this means thinking about what you buy, knowing which philosophies you are supporting through your purchases, and also asking yourself if you are really going to wear that new piece to the extent that it was worth being made.

WHERE TO START?

To help make these decisions easier for you, we have listed the pros and cons of the different approaches you can take when rethinking your wardrobe.

CLOTHING SWAP

PROS - To start off with great and probably the most sustainable solution because you are not only giving the pieces you get a new life, but also the ones you give away = double the save from landfill.

CONS - Organizing a swap event can be time-consuming, but check out locally to find local clothing swaps.

NOTE: have an open mind when attending a clothing swap event as you might not find your style / size in a small closed clothing SWAP events. Also you might not get the similar products for the perceived value of your items!

SECOND HAND

PROS - Another super sustainable solution because the pieces already exist, so you are saving the entire negative impact of production.

CONS - The downside: buying second hand can give unconscious consumers who sell their clothes less incentive to think about their purchases, which fuels more fast fashion consumption.

NOTE: Buying high quality second hand or vintage pieces is the best way to go, if your budget allows it.

SLOW FASHION

PROS - Environmentally friendly by producing fewer new items.

CONS - If you really want to find a con here's one: slow fashion means sticking with what you have for a long time, so this can get difficult to practice when your tastes change.

NOTE: Quality is key here, take the time to really think about if the pieces suit your style and you can see yourself wearing them for a long time. It's best to start with basics. When something breaks, check to see how you can get it repaired before you toss it.

FAIR FASHION

PROS - Ensuring fair wages supports education and directly improves worker's quality of life. If everyone had a living wage* we would see more happiness in the world = less conflict + more love & peace.

CONS - Certifications can be misleading and mean different things.

NOTE: Many smaller brands cannot afford certifications, so if they are not there this isn't necessarily bad news. Look on their website to see what they say in their philosophy/codex/about page, check out their social media channels, and last of all ASK the brands about it.

VEGAN

PROS - Environmentally friendly because it reduces the negative environmental impact caused by animals.

CONS - Some brands will use plastic or other non biodegradable fibers as a replacement to animal based products. Unfortunately, these materials often end up in landfills after a short amount of time. This directly contributes to eco-pollution.

NOTE: Look for innovative materials like pinatex, lenzing tencil, cork, seacell, mycoworks (mushroom skin) and brands that use recycled materials.

LOCAL PRODUCTION

PROS - Minimize your carbon footprint! Garment transport puts out a huge amount of C02, which can be reduced by minimizing the distances during production.

CONS - If you want to have a positive impact on working conditions in developing countries, this won’t get you far..

NOTE: A tag that says 'made in Germany' does not necessarily mean that the entire garment was made in Germany. If you're unsure - just ASK. Brands that are sustainable are generally expressive about their production methods.

MINIMALISM

PROS - Having as little as possible = less consumption.

CONS - If you are someone who likes to change styles and experiment around with new outfits (like me!) you might get bored of this, leading to stress and unhappiness, only with clothes.

NOTE: Do it right: just discarding whatever you don't essentially need will not lead to a more sustainable closet. Consider keeping that second pair of sneakers and wearing them out. This buys you twice as much time until you will need a new pair.