The world has changed a lot over the past few years. Issues around covid, climate change and the environment have made us think hard about how we consume scarce resources. The fashion industry is now seen as one of the most wasteful in the world and associated concerns around the welfare of workers mean that, as responsible consumers, most of us are keen to change our habits.
"Essentially, it's up to us to minimise our consumption - only that way can we be sure that we are making a difference"
Unfortunately we cannot rely on information from the industry to lessen the impact of what we buy. Anything that is manufactured, whether or not from recycled or organic materials, will deplete the earth's resources however much we are told that the products are green / sustainable / organic / ethically made / carbon neutral and so on. By reducing our consumption we can make a difference.
| Image Edward Howell |
Here are five ways in which you can be more sustainably stylish in 2022 by lessening the impact of what you buy, while still building a stylish wardrobe around your own tastes and preferences;
1. Buy better:
Clothes which are well-made will fit better and last longer. Wearing something that feels and fits beautifully is a constant joy. Cheaper and less well-made clothes just don't give that lasting satisfaction, encouraging even more spending. Cheap goods cost little for a reason, employees may be poorly paid and housed, manufacture and materials will be poor quality.
This is about chasing style, not fashion. The constant hankering (encouraged by aggressive online marketing) after the latest fashion items to add to a largely unworn wardrobe of clothes simply induces constant dissatisfaction. On the other hand, tracking down a beautifully made pair of shoes that mould like butter around your feet and look supremely stylish is a pleasure that never fades.
2. Buy less:
Do you really need yet another jacket, shirt, pair of trousers? If you buy them, how often will you wear them? Plan your style and your wardrobe will follow. This is linked to the next point....
3. Plan around YOUR style and not the vicissitudes of fashion:
It's all about building longevity into your clothing collection. Plan your wardrobe around classic keys pieces that will fit with what you like to wear.
This requires thinking about what you want your personal style to be. Clothes which don't fit within that style and which you are unsure about or make you feel uncomfortable about wearing shouldn't be part of your wardrobe.
We must now accept that fashion and trends are no longer responsible or sustainable. The permanence of style is now our goal.
Turn out your wardrobe and revisit the items you've forgotten about - how will they fit in with your 2020 requirements? Sell, donate to charity or repurpose.
Seeking advice from a personal stylist (try Sarah Gilfillan of Sartoria Lab, link below, whose wardrobe edit is superbly helpful) eases the search for better clothing and also streamlines the use of what you have already.
4. Ask questions and demand answers from brands about the ethics and sustainability of their products:
Think about what you buy. Brands are keen to jump on the green bandwagon and many of their claims are suspect or apply only to a few lines in an otherwise vast collection of clothing. Look behind the claims for independently validated information about such things as organic cotton, green practices and employee welfare. If you are not sure, avoid the brand.
| Where are your clothes made? (Image Rio Lecatompe) |
Buying locally (such as British made if you live in the UK) may not be an absolute guarantee of ethical behaviour (as Boohoo showed us last year), but at least you can talk to the brand to find out more about their approach to sustainability.
Buying from smaller brands generally means also that you can claim valid bragging rights when you find one that is special - after all, who cares about yet another product from a mass-producing fashion brand even if the name is internationally recognised? Go for originality and individualism.
5. Try vintage and used/preloved:
Our desire to always be surrounded by new things is no longer fit for purpose when this leads to overconsumption and the disposal of millions of unworn items of clothing annually. Men in general seem less keen than women to buy pre-used and vintage, but careful searching will turn up some high quality clothes that you won't see everyone else wearing and which provide high quality at an affordable price.
LINKS:
To browse other features in my Sustainable Style series, click here.
For more here on the blog about the issues I raise here, please read Sustainable Style 1: Can We Fix A Wasteful Fashion Industry?, click here.
Blog posts on buying vintage.
Sarah Gilfillan Sartoria Lab.
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