First things first, sustainable fashion refers to “efforts within the fashion industry to reduce its environmental impacts, protect workers producing garments and uphold animal welfare,” according to Wikipedia. Former magazine fashion editor and now founder of sustainable styling agency Fouura Lifestyle Jessica Ramoshaba, says that not so long ago, most of us didn’t think about where our clothes came from, the supply chain that entailed them or the people who made them. Recently, however, there has been a positive shift in consumer ethos not only to care, but make decisions with our dollars to purchase from companies that act responsibly.
When it comes to retail, it has become more common to know where a garment was made, if the workers were paid fairly and if the quality of the fabric is meant to last two years or two decades. Consumers are made aware of when dangerous working conditions have been uncovered and are loath to spend on “fast fashion,” clothes that are rapidly designed but that also rapidly deteriorate in quality. Luckily, technology has advanced to enable brands to sell more eco-friendly materials and create less waste throughout the entire process, from product creation to marketing to store or website sales.
READ MORE: 28 Great Local Beauty Brands To Support RN And Forever
Do we need to be shopping so much?
The concept of sustainable fashion and ethical clothing has gone beyond a trend, and become a business imperative for the industry. In a 2022 survey conducted by Statista, 35% of customers in the U.S. reported that they would be willing to pay significantly more money if the clothing line is eco-friendly or sustainably produced. Customers are, clearly, actively participating in reducing the environmental impact of fashion. As a result, brands also need to evolve to keep up with this outlook. To be able to do that, it is important for professionals seeking to enter this industry to upgrade their knowledge of sustainability in fashion. This can help them guide brands through this significant shift in the way they do business.
READ MORE: Must-Have Style Investment Pieces
Six tips for sustainable styling
Repeat your outfits.
Fact of the matter is that we have a lot of clothes. I often get asked: ‘How do I deal with not wanting to repeat my clothes because people have seen me wearing them on social media or at an event? I feel weird about repeating clothes.”
Factor in cost-per-wear.
This simply means getting as much use as possible from the amount of money that you spend on an item. And this is why it’s important to invest in good quality clothing that can last longer.
Invest in sustainable brands.
One step to being a more ethical consumer means shopping only when we need to and with a purpose, instead of simply getting something new to spice up our day and thinking that this will make us happy in the long run.
Please take care of your clothes.
Make an effort to care for your clothes so they last longer. And of course, if we buy higher-quality clothes in the first place, they are likely to last longer as we are also more likely to treat them more carefully because they cost more.
Don’t wait for a special occasion.
Make every day a special occasion and wear what makes you happy here and now. I have seen so many beautiful pieces, even with labels still attached, waiting for “that special occasion”, “the perfect date”, etc. that might not transpire the way we have dreamed.
Make your wardrobe more circular.
Open your wardrobe to the circular fashion movement. In other words: swap, choose vintage, rent, and donate or gift your unworn clothes. Clothing swap events and apps are gaining more momentum recently; fun physical and virtual places to swap unworn clothes for pieces that will have an extended life in a different closet. Trading what we already have and no longer love instead of letting it make its way into landfills is one of the most sustainable moves we can make with our fashion.
