The staggering amount of waste stemming from the over-production and over-consumption of clothing, especially in America, has a huge impact on our planet and presents an amazing opportunity for change.
In fact, it’s estimated that 92 million tons of textile waste is created annually from the fashion industry. Shockingly, every second, the equivalent of one garbage truck of textiles is landfilled or burned globally. That is one of the many problems in the fashion industry which include unsustainable agricultural practices, water waste, microplastic and toxic chemicals, and human and animal rights abuse.
Simple lifestyle changes can have a significant impact! Here are 5 sustainable fashion changes you can implement today!
1. Ditch Fast Fashion.
How?
Start buying clothes that are meant to last and do not need replacing every season. This means well made clothes with high quality fabrics. It also means thinking twice before buying something. Here are some ideas;
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Can you picture yourself wearing the item of clothing regularly and years from now?
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Consider buying hIgh quality pieces that you can mix and match – think capsules and coordinating pieces.
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Investigate the concept of timeless fashion. It’s okay to have a few pieces that are unique but try to have the bulk of your clothing be styles that stand the test of time.
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Consider renting clothing for variety and special occasions. This is a perfect way to complement a timeless wardrobe with some fun pieces which don’t add to the landfill.
Why?
Our clothing consumption has increased so much that:
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We are buying 60% more clothing than we did in 2000 while we are wearing it approximately 40% less.
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The average piece of clothing is only worn 7 times before it is thrown away.
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We only wear 10% of the clothes in our closet on a day-to-day basis and wear 60% of our clothes for less than a year.
Impact!
If you value a holistic approach, this is an important change to make.
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Buying fewer clothes over a year will naturally lead to saving money, even if each item is somewhat more expensive. Consider tracking your savings and do the math over a year!
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By supporting ethical clothing manufacture, you will do your part to prevent the human abuse that goes with fast fashion.
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You will be happier! People with less reduce their decision fatigue and are happier long term.
2. Eliminate animal based fabrics.
How?
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Stop buying leather, angora, and other animal skins (ie) crocodile skin.
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Avoid cashmere and wool if possible especially if you live in warmer climates.
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Explore leather alternatives such as cactus leather or bio-leather.
Why?
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Leather is one of the fastest growing industries, more than healthcare
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The cattle industry, which produces leather, is responsible for 80% of the Amazon deforestation.
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Leather and wool processing – tanning and dyeing – is responsible for increased medical problems, including cancer in the communities that live surrounding these processing plants.
Impact!
If you value a life-centric approach, this is an important change to make.
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Eliminating one leather jacket can save almost 20,000 liters of water (a small backyard pool has 30,000-50,000 liters of water)
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Help save 300 million cows annually.
3. Breathe new life into old clothes.
How?
Instead of throwing out your clothes, consider some new ways to reuse and recycle.
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Repair and renew – many clothes are thrown out due to simple things like broken zippers and buttons.
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Thrift – consider buying and selling your clothes at thrift stores. This is not for everyone but is a great option if you are comfortable with this.
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Clothing swap – neighborhood clothing swaps are a great way to ensure that old clothes land in the hands of people who will use them. This is especially good for children’s clothing.
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Donate to local charities – local charities tend to be more picky about what they accept but this is to ensure that the clothing is usable for the recipients. They are worth the extra effort!
Why?
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80% of our apparel is made by young women 18-24y who work very long hours.
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Fashion waste is a real problem. A garbage truck’s worth of clothing is landfilled or burned.
Impact!
If you value a holistic approach, this is an important change to make.
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Think about all the money you will save by repairing and reusing clothes.
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Every cotton T-shirt you don’t buy saves 2700 liters of water.
4. Pay attention to fabric choice.
How?
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Buy natural fabrics such as organic cotton, hemp, and bamboo.
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Avoid fabrics which do not degradable such as polyester, as well as fabrics that are not produced sustainably like conventional cotton.
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Think about the sustainability of fabrics such as Lyocell and Modal. Learn more here.
Why?
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Fabrics such as polyester are derived from petroleum and shed microplastics into the environment.
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Conventional cotton is one of the most water intensive crops and uses 16% of all the insecticides worldwide.
Impact!
If you value an earth-centric approach, this is an important change to make.
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Fabrics like Hemp are carbon positive!
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Recycled fabrics help reduce landfills.
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Bamboo is infinitely renewable.
5. Watch your laundry habits.
How?
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Reduce how often you wash your clothes – learn how to do that properly here.
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Use eco-friendly detergent – learn more here.
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Wash in cold water and air dry, if feasible.
Why?
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The average American household does 300 loads of laundry annually.
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Clothes are often washed after one use which shortens the life of clothing.
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Washing clothes sheds microplastics into the environment.
Impact!
If you value an earth-centric approach, this is an important change to make.
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Cold water washing can reduce the energy consumed by 90%.
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Reducing frequency of washing prolongs the life of your clothing, saving you money!