5 simple steps to sustainable style without the overwhelm.
I had a lovely catch up with my pal Kelly at @kelly_mystyle last week and we touched on the subject of sustainability in fashion and how intimidating those words can be.
You may be thinking…………..Does being sustainable with my style mean I can't buy anything new? That none of my clothes should be synthetic ? Is leather ok? What is greenwashing? Will I be judged for buying a new top from a high street brand if I mention I'm being more sustainable ?
I completed a survey in December and 53% of people said they found sustainable style overwhelming. My lovely followers also said that the main reasons for shopping fast fashion brands are convenience, ease, habit, and price.
The ease of shopping at big brands has been a part of our lives for so long that changing our approach isn’t easy - both in terms of the time researching and cost. However, I strongly believe that collectively if we all take small steps to change our style mindset it will make a huge difference.
“‘Be the change you want to see in the world’”
By being the change we want to see, fashion brands will have to start taking note.
The reality is that building an entirely sustainable wardrobe is not straightforward. You need to think about how the item was produced, whether the people throughout the supply and production chain were treated and paid fairly. The use of chemicals and type of fabric needs to be considered. In addition, how much energy is being used to produce the item and how easily - if at all - does it biodegrade. There is A LOT to think about.
How can you start taking a more sustainable approach without feeling completely overwhelmed?
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1) Arm yourself with knowledge
The first step is to be aware of how your clothes impact the planet and the communities making them, and arm yourself with knowledge that will help you make better buying decisions. Following accounts on social media and signing up to relevant newsletters (such as mine!) that provide snipers of easily digestible information is a good way to start. Here are a few sources that you may find useful:
Launched following the Rana Plaza disaster in Bangladesh, and amongst other things they raise awareness and educate people about the systemic challenges facing the global fashion industry. Their instagram page is great to snippets of information about the fashion industry.
If you love a podcast, Kestrel Jenkins interviews people across the fashion industry about why what we wear matters. She has a lovely, relaxed style of interviewing her guests and I’ve learned so much from the fabulous people she has spoken to.
Fashion’s Dirty Secrets documentary by Stacey Dooley
If you can find a way to watch the above documentary from 2018, I highly recommend it. It will open your eyes to why we need encourage change in the fashion industry.
…. and of course my Instagram account for fabulous preloved items and information on sustainable style.
2) Small changes make a big difference
Don’t feel like you need to change the whole way you shop in one fail swoop. Once you understand more about why change is important, you can look at the way you shop and decide which changes are easiest to implement. First, make a few manageable changes and when you feel comfortable with those you can add more over time. You do not need to become an Eco Warrior overnight, you just need to keep taking steps in the right direction.
You could think of a couple of items that have a particularly high negative impact on the environment and initially pledge to buy these items preloved where possible. For example, a study by Levis Strauss and Co found that it takes 3781 litres of water to produce just one pair of jeans. Or perhaps, knowing that sequins are plastic and don’t biodegrade, you may wish to consider preloved sparkly purchases going forward.
Make your changes manageable, changing something in your approach to style is so much better than nothing.
3) Deep dive into your wardrobe
Take some time to understand how you currently shop and the motive behind new purchases. Do you have swathes of unworn clothes in your wardrobe or do you wear everything you purchase ? By taking time to fully understand how you currently shop, it will help you make changes that will benefit your style and the planet.
“By owning less items, you will wear more outfits”
It is said that most people wear 20% of our wardrobes, 80% of the time. So if you have a volume of clothes you simply do not wear, think about how you could part with some of them in a sustainable way to clear space and create some calm. Believe me when I say that by owning less you will ultimately wear more.
4) Explore Preloved
Adding something new to your wardrobe can be adding something that is simply ‘new to you’. In the past wearing secondhand clothes would have conjured up visions of moth holes and musty secondhand stores.
“There are enough clothes on this planet right now to clothe the next six generations of the human race”
However, with the increased realisation that there are far too many beautiful clothes in people’s wardrobes that are not being worn - preloved is becoming increasingly popular. More and more women are choosing to purge the quality and designer items that no longer suit their lifestyle or body shape so that someone else can enjoy them.
So when you have the urge to hop onto your favourite high street website, check out a preloved selling site such as Accentuate first to see if you can find something wonderful preloved. It will be kinder to both your wallet and the environment.
5) Spend more money on less items
We have all become very accustomed to buying clothes at extremely low costs, but this hasn’t always been the way. Our grandparents would have paid a lot more for their clothes (pre fast-fashion) and ultimately would have made much better choices knowing their clothes would have to last.
“Quality over quantity”
It is no surprise that many garments from fast fashion brands simply do not stand the test of time. Items that are made at extremely low costs have not been made to last, so after a few washes you may be in the market for a replacement. For example, a £5.99 t-shirt may sound like a real bargain but the quality will be poor and it almost certainly will not be ethical or sustainable at that price. If, instead, you invest in a £35 organic cotton t-shirt from a conscious brand the chances are it will last longer in your wardrobe and be kinder to the planet and community that has made it.
The best approach? Save up, invest in quality items and buy less. It’s that simple :-)
Do you feel inspired to make some changes ?
Maria xx