My take on Style, Shopping & Sustainability

I’m going to try to keep this post concise, but I have a feeling it won’t work. I think I’ve mentioned it before, but I never really thought about sustainability before 2018. And then really thought about it in 2019.
I wouldn’t say I come from a wasteful family, but growing up with 3 siblings we always had Gatorade or water bottles in the basement, or Ziploc bags in our lunch boxes, etc, so it was all “normal” for me.

Anyway, now that I’m a “adult” and as a planet we’re seeing the effects of our actions as humans, it has become something on the top of my mind often. Things I didn’t even think about before stand out to me – like how many single use water bottles have I used? Why are miniature ketchup packets so wasteful? Does gum really need all that packaging? Why do we use and throw away so much?

This was my motivation behind Sustainable Swaps 2020. I see the need for change. I want to change. But change is HARD. Unlearning is significantly harder than learning. And now I have to unlearn years of habits, which is why I wanted the challenge. Focusing on one area of change per month is more sustainable (see what I did there?) then expecting a complete life and habit overhaul in a matter of weeks.
My reach is small, but even if I can change my habits and I have some people doing it alongside me, we’re still making progress.

Today though, I want to focus on fashion + sustainability. The fashion industry is one of the top contributors to polluting the environment. Between water wasted, fast fashion garments lasting a few wears + being tossed, and carbon emissions, it’s, quite frankly, a disaster.
Combine those reasons with the constant push to do more, use more and buy more. Which has only gotten worse with social media, and now we’re looking pretty royally fuc***.

There are a few different points I want to touch on with sustainability, so bear with me.

First, what makes a clothing item sustainable?

Sustainable clothing refers to fabrics derived from eco-friendly resources, such as sustainably grown fiber crops or recycled materials. It also refers to how these fabrics are made. (source).

Okay great, thanks for sharing, but what if my budget is $40 for jeans and this “sustainable” pair is $240?

Great question.

My friend Nicole brought this up on her instagram the other day and she said it better than I did, so I’m going to share it here:

“SUSTAINABILITY is a popular buzzword but the discourse is too often INACCESSIBLE to the majority of people. it’s wonderful if you’re able to afford the high prices of ethical fashion brands, but overwhelmingly “sustainable” brands are exclusive to the thin + affluent. when it comes to sustainability in your closet, the goal isn’t just to shop more ethically but to make the items in your closet really stand the test of time. SUSTAINABILITY = LONGEVITY

Which is a great segue into my next point…

We don’t need to overhaul our closets and stock them full of new “sustainable” items. What we need is for us to buy less, take better care of it, wear it more frequently. And then wear it as long as we can. I believe it is better to simply buy LESS than to continue to buy, even if it is considered sustainable.

Do I still buy from fast fashion stores?
Yes.

Does that make me a horrible human?
No.

Case and point. My green H&M midi skirt in the photo below. It was cheap, it’s from a fast fashion retailer, but guess what?
I’ve owned it and consistently worn in for the past 3.5 years, and have no intention of getting rid of it anytime soon. And those jeans? My most loved + most comfortable pair. Purchased from J.Crew at the end of 2017 and still worn all the time.

I’d rather purchase an item from a non-sustainable brand and love it then purchase a more expensive sustainable item to sit in my closet.

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Don’t get me wrong – I am going to slowly work my way toward more sustainable and ethical brands. But I think the best thing to do is simply buy LESS. (yes, WAY easier said than done, trust me).

Another way to shop more sustainably? RESALE.

My favorite place to look is Poshmark and I have been getting into the habit of checking Poshmark for an item first. For example, last summer I scored a pair of Madewell jeans for $30! This winter I purchased my tan faux leather puffer barely used off Poshmark for $45. And I was most recently able to snag a dress I loved last year that sold out for 30% of the original price. Not only does it save you MONEY, it gives clothing items their second act.

In addition to Poshmark there are options such as eBay, ThredUP, The Real Real (high end) and local consignment stores. I’ve already written an entire post on how I resell clothing + accessories – you an check it out here.

Another great option to switch up your wardrobe is to trade with friends, sisters, cousins, etc. Sometimes my sisters and I will give each other items, or do a long term borrow.

When you are done with an item and it’s not in good enough shape to resell or give away – reuse or recycle it. (Old t-shirts, and jersey dresses make great rags). Otherwise, here are some recycling options:

1.) Blue Jeans Go Green – Denim Recycling – they turn jeans into home insulation! (Madewell partners with them!)

2.) H&M – bring in a bag of clothing and textiles to recycle and they’ll give you a 15% off coupon – their website states it has a 0% chance of ending up in a landfill. Read more here!

3.) Patagonia will accept any of their old products

4.) Terracycle – you can purchase a box and fill it with textiles. This could get pricey!

5.) Nike – you can drop off old Nike shoes to be recycled at certain locations. Learn more here.

Circling back – while there is a big push to buy from “better” more sustainable brands, for me the big focus is simply LESS.

Scrolling through Instagram and other platforms it feels like the mass consumerism is so far out of control. But, the beauty in that is that we, the consumers, hold the power. It might take a while, but if we shift our purchasing habits then retailers will have to shift with us.

I hope this was at least slightly informative for you, it’s a topic that’s been on my mind for a while. If you’re looking to learn more about the fashion industry + sustainability, or open your eyes to new accounts, here are my recommendations:

–> follow Fashion Revolution on Instagram (@fash_rev)
–> follow The Sustainable Fashion Forum on Instagram (@thesustainablefashionforum)
–> follow Style this Life on Instagram (@stylethislife)

The five: ways that fashion threaten the planet – The Guardian

The fashion industry emits more carbon… – Business Insider

Sustain Your Style – All You need to know about fashion & sustainability

How to buy clothes that are built to last – The NY Times

How to step out of the shop-spend-consume cycle – Ideas.Ted.Com

The Apparel Industry’s Environmental Impact in 6 Graphics – World Resources Institute

I’d love it if you weighed with your thoughts, ideas or any great resources I should check out! thanks for stopping by today.
xo, Maddy