When was the last time you went shopping or ordered some new fashion item online? Did you think about the fabric, the environmental impact of the ones you already discarded, and the story behind how they were made? If you thought about this even for a few minutes, you’re on your way to shopping fashion sustainably. However, this can be challenging when most people still believe that conscious fashion is expensive. It’s time to debunk this myth. Let me quickly take you through these 5 TIPS TO SHOP FASHION SUSTAINABLY.
Before reading on, I would like you to take in one of my favourite quotes about Sustainable fashion. ¨Ethical and sustainable fashion is not a product. It’s a practice. It’s a movement. There’s no obligation to buy. and you can get started right now. Today¨. – Elizabeth Cline
1. Buy Secondhand / VintageÂ
You should consider buying pre-loved items. This allows you to be more creative, saves you money, and is good for the environment because let’s be honest… we really don’t need all the new items that are being produced every minute. Below is a picture of me wearing my latest vintage finds. The coat is from a vintage store in Prague and the belt is an old levis I bought on depop.
2. Buy Less
By Swapping, Mending, and taking care of what we already own, we are  saving a good amount of money that can go towards purchasing high-quality items made to last.
We often complain that sustainable fashion brands are expensive but fast fashion brands are actually more expensive long-term. This is because of their business module that encourages overconsumption. Besides using modern-day slavery, most of these brands use cheap materials that aren’t meant to last. The items are designed to fall apart so we can run to the store for a replacement after a few wears.
3. Rent ClothesÂ
If you are attending a special event and you feel the need to wear something new, renting is the best way because these are clothes you would wear only once in a while and you might not want to be seen in the same outfit more than once.
The advantage of renting clothes is that you can get an exclusively expensive outfit at a bargain. I have personal experience with Mywadrobehq.com
4. The Fabric
When you decide to go shopping, keep an eye on fabrics that are natural and can break down easily. I have some articles about fabrics you might want to check on ENVIRONMENTAL FRIENDLY FABRICS and worst fabrics for the environment. The top fabrics to go for are organic linen, bamboo, hemp, organic cotton, and any material that is biodegradable. Avoid materials that are popular in the fast fashion industry like Polyester and nylon because they are petroleum-based and of course non-biodegradable. In the image below, I’m wearing a dress made from Fourreme made from Lyocell which is a low-impact fibre and can be considered sustainable if derived from sustainably managed forests which requires less chemical processing and doesn’t result in chemically-laden waste water. The finished textile of this dress does not require bleaching and can be coloured using low-impact dying processes.Â
5. Sustainable Brands
I have intentionally set this as the last option because we often mistake sustainable fashion for sustainable fashion brands. Sustainable fashion is a practice that anyone can afford to join. Sustainable Fashion brands are the brands that try to create an alternative for people who want to shop consciously. These brands usually pay their workers a fair wage, provide good working conditions, and ensure that everything from their material sourcing all the way to packaging is carefully considered.Â
Below is a list of my own favorite sustainable Fashion brands that I have tried and would buy from again. Each one of these brands has its own unique stories that made me fall in love. They are more than just brands, they care about the planet and people.
I hope you’ll find one or two from this list.
- Sea2see – Owning anything from sea2see means participating in cleaning the ocean without showing up physically. It also means providing a source of income for the fishermen in Ghana via the UPSEA program.Â
- Gracelandic – An Kenyan woman-owned brand that promotes slow and fair fashion by making a few exclusive pieces sourced from woman-owned businesses.
- Projectkin Travel bag made from hemp and vegetable-tanned leather.
- Fourreme – A brand that carefully handpicks manufacturers that are committed to sustainable growth by applying methods that are as environment-friendly as possible and contributing to the circular economy in textiles.Â
- Pakt
- Ivy Marie– Luxury Loungewear that’s good for people and the planet. Up to five trees are planted for each order you make.
- Jo-Anne vernay– Luxury vegan shoes made pineapple leaf fiber and other biodegradable materials such as organic cotton and ultra suede.
- Enda Sportswear – Running shoes made in Kenya with the aim of giving back to the communities in need.Â
- Anuprena – Based in India, This company works closely with weavers in rural areas to produce beautiful ethical fabrics and sustainable handwoven textiles.
- House of miro – Produces mmidful clothing and accesories that are sustainable and kind to the wearer and maker.
Thank you again for reading and feel free to drop your thoughts in the comment box below.Â
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Great sustainable fashion brands list! I love buying pre-loved items too!
Thank you for reading Risa
I love charity shop (2nd hand, vintage) clothes. Really afforable, quirky sustainable fashion. Some great tips here, thanks so much for sharing!
ANd I really enjoy how you style them cause I see your social profiles. Thanks for reading and dropping a comment.
Great tips, and now we can enjoy shopping with a good plan without feeling the overwhelming guilt I guess ~:P I will share this with my friends and hope they agree too!
I hope your friends will find this useful.
I love shopping for eco-friendly brands as well as vintage/secondhand. vintage pieces bring in some unique moments in fashion and in terms of accessories it’s priceless. sustainable brands give a creative vision of top seasonal trends which is very special. also, most sustainable ecologically aware brands are small-ish which is always amazing in my eyes. many designers are very open to their customers it makes me very happy
This is nice Lyosha. It makes me happy too that many brands are recognizing that sustainable fashion is not just a trend but it’s a movement that is only getting stronger.
Thanks so much for these tips here as I’m trying to be more fashion sustainable too. Learnt them now here. Cheers
Great to learn that you are on your journey. Cheers
It’s been over two years since I bought a brand new dress, and visited the mall for clothes shopping. I’ve been shopping from vintage and charity stores, and I made my own clothes! Nothing is more amazing than having a closet full of clothes that I made and love 🙂
Wow… I love reading these kind of comments because it makes me believe that we can all be conscious consumers.
Perfect list I have to keep this as my note.. Thanks for sharing it will help a lot on me. Love the tips of buy less very relate on my side.
I’m glad you found this useful. Thank you so much for reading and remember to be gentle on yourself cause we all start from somewhere.
I really love buying secondhand. Reusing clothes that people don’t need anymore is so important for the environment and you get really cool fashion.
These are good tips – helping save money and the environment. The best way to save, however, is not to spend in the first place. All of us have far too much stuff, anyway, don’t we?!
Absolutely agree with you Renata. Thank you so much for reading.
Thank you so much for this! These are such great tips for making more sustainable changes to your wardrobe. I am definitely going to have to apply these to my fashion sense.
I love reading that a post has touched at least one person. Remember that any changes you make, however small, will a difference.
Good topic. I also like buying handmade or making clothes myself.