Practising Sustainable Fashion

Fast fashion is one of the major contributors to unsustainability and an increase in the carbon footprint. However, there are many sustainable methods of practising fashion now as well. The beauty of fashion is that it is boundless; you don’t really have to abide by any set of rules since all the fashion rules are constantly being broken. You can also always incorporate new elements into your fashion journey, and one of those elements is the practice of sustainable fashion.

Sustainable fashion goes beyond simply shopping at brands that claim to be sustainable. While picking the brands you utilise is a part of practising sustainable fashion, there is a lot you can do on your own as well.

With that being said, here is how you can practice sustainable fashion in the world today. 

Find Sustainable Fashion Brands

There are millions of fashion brands in the world and it is your duty to pick the right ones. One such example is that of Levi’s, a beloved denim brand that popularised the fabric and made it mainstream! Levi’s has aimed to source 100% sustainably sourced cotton along with only utilising renewable sources of energy to make their products by 2025. Other than that, brands like NAADAM are also working towards sustainability by buying directly from herders in the Mongol Desert.

Picking the correct brand is important, and even though their clothes might be a bit more pricey than the fast fashion trends we constantly see, the extra money is absolutely worth it. 

Thrifting Is Trendy Now

It’s time to hit the thrift stores again and pick up stuff that was once loved by someone else. Thrifting ventures are not just limited to stores that are far and few in number; there are now many thrifting ventures you can find online as well. 

Not only are the thrift stores cheaper, but you can also find some excellent pieces for creating outfits as well. And with many older trends making a comeback in 2022, finding vintage items might just make you a fashionista. 

Quality Over Quantity

One of the biggest problems with fashion is hoarding. People buy cheap outfits that get torn or wear off quickly and end in landfills because they cannot be used again. Why not buy a few high-quality items that will last you a long time instead? A rule to stick by when casually shopping is to ask yourself if you can at least wear the outfit 30 times. If that doesn’t seem possible, maybe look elsewhere. 

Don’t Fall Prey To Greenwashing

Words like “sustainable” and “environmentally responsible” on brands are just that: words. You need to do your own research and figure out how brands are sourcing their materials and how they are getting rid of their waste. Don’t go by what you see on their tags; all brands are so much more than that. 

One way to do this is by figuring out what the brand has done to back its claims over the years. Most brands that are actually behaving responsibly list all of their projects on their website, so that’s a good way. Make sure you find more than just claims and vague plans. 

Create Outfits With What you Have

Instead of focusing on individual pieces, you should try creating outfits. You can pair a skirt with many different tops and create many outfits. Similarly, you can do the same thing with shirts. Tucking them in, wearing them loose, or tying them around can create entirely different looks. Furthermore, you can wear an outfit multiple times with different outerwear each time for a completely new look. In fact, just accessorising differently gives your outfit a different vibe, and you don’t need to continuously look for new clothes when you can mix and match instead. 

Don’t Dump Your Clothes When You Are Done

When you have worn a piece of clothing enough times, make sure it stays out of the landfill. See if you can revamp it in some way and use it as an entirely new piece. You can also give it away to friends, loved ones, or underprivileged people. Even leaving beloved clothing items in thrift stores is a great idea to prevent them from ending up in landfills.