With climate change and endangered animals disappearing, the glamorous world of beauty and fashion is now slowly and surely switching to an eco-friendly, animal-rights-aware direction, and finally catching up with global demands to be more green. In this article, we let you in on four ways to join the fashion earth-friendly movement and be part of the change.
1. Love What You Own
Fast fashion is starting to lose popularity as people are becoming more aware of the waste problem on our planet. Instead, fashion icons are now calling for loving what you own and recycling what you no longer love. For instance, you can replace the lenses on your favorite old sunglasses for better protection, instead of buying a brand new pair. You’ll find that you can give your old frames a completely new look just by changing the color of the lenses. And let’s say, if you have a set of basic cotton t-shirts, do you really need to buy more? Decorate your existing old tees with statement prints, sequins, or cutouts, and give them a whole new purpose. There are many tips and tricks on the internet on how to repurpose your old wardrobe items without replacing them, which will help you reduce waste significantly. Do your research now, and help solve the pollution problem that we all face.
2. Make Responsible Purchases
You don’t have to buy an item of every single emerging trend to stay fashionable, because the basics are a wardrobe staple and never go out of style. But if you are absolutely determined to wear a certain piece, make sure to know what you’re paying for.
Educate yourself on the eco-friendly fabrics and materials out there to make informed decisions about not only what to buy, but where to buy from. Opt for non-animal derived products, organic fabrics, sustainable materials, and locally manufactured pieces. And remember, it’s not just about the production process, but also the transportation (and fuel) it took for it to reach your neighborhood store.
3. Explore Thrift Shops
The beauty of fashion is that trends tend to move in cycles; crop tops were a thing of the 90’s, and here they are, experiencing a glorious Renaissance; flare pants and bell bottom jeans were rampant in the 70’s and the 2000’s, and behold – they are making another major comeback these days.
While they still might be and uncharted territory for many, consignment and vintage shops can offer some serious finds of high-quality threads without costing an arm and a leg. The clothing they carry is usually well-made and in impeccable condition, sometimes even attached to a high-end label. This is a form of recycling we should all embrace as a planet-conscious habit.
4. Reconsider Your Washing Methods
Clean clothes are a must, there’s no denying that. But as you seek perfection in your stain-removal techniques, you may be surprised to learn that there are more environmentally-friendly ways to enjoy spotless laundry. Wash full loads (the magic figure is to fill ¾ of the drum) to reduce the number of loads, hence, the amount of water consumed; use cold water in your cycles (almost 90% of the energy used for washing goes into heating the water); replace your commercial chemical detergents with green brands that use natural ingredients; and avoid using tumble dryers – they consume a lot of power, besides, your clothes will live longer if you line dry them!
Guiltless Fashion
We all love to look good in our clothes, and feel comfortable in our skin. And while the fashion industry remained full of natural leather, fur, and synthetic fabrics made of petroleum products or plastics, the mood is now shifting. If you try the tricks above, you will be getting a bunch of steps closer to showing our planet much love, while still enjoying your wardrobe.
