As fashion trends vary from season to season, so do our wardrobes. When we look back, we've all bought a piece of clothing solely for the trend, whether it's a fancy crop top, long skirts, calf-length dresses, or polka dot trousers, but only worn them once or twice before they ended up hanging around somewhere in our wardrobe. Because what was once fashionable soon turns into a fashion faux pas that we later regret and even question ourselves, "Why did I buy this?"
While fast fashion lowers the cost of clothes for customers, the environment pays a high price for it. Even though you may have received the crop top and long skirt at a bargain, we’re all paying a considerably larger price in the form of pollution, health hazards, and the depletion of natural resources.
Since trendy clothing is generally manufactured from low-quality materials and has a limited shelf life in people's wardrobes, massive volumes of clothing regularly wind up in landfills. According to estimates, textiles account for around 85% of landfill waste worldwide. That implies the typical individual only wears their clothes seven times before discarding them, despite the fact that the average lifespan of a clothing item is roughly three years and most of the clothing and textiles are recyclable. And as a byproduct of this cycle, it doesn’t take much time for the fashion industry to become the second-largest polluter in the world, after the oil industry. Not only does fast fashion consume a lot of energy, water, and other resources, but it also leaves a lot of toxic trash in our oceans and ecosystems.
If we wish to safeguard the planet and its resources for present and future generations, this cycle must end. You may be wondering at this point what all possible solutions and alternatives are available out there, so let's discuss them further ahead.
Recycle and Repurpose
Stop throwing away your clothes and other fabrics in the trash since they don't decompose quickly, and some of them are often made of synthetic materials that are not biodegradable or safe.
Garments and other textiles are largely recyclable and could be reused for a wide range of different purposes. Regardless of how soiled, ripped, or damaged a piece of clothing is, it can almost be reshaped and repurposed into something original and unique using recycled clothing fibers. It's amazing how we never realized that they could be used to make anything from our "new" clothes to the decor in our bedrooms and kitchens.
In addition, you also have the choice of donating, tailoring, or swapping any clothing you no longer wear with your friends and siblings.
Minimal Wash More Care
Buying clothes that are made to last is one thing, but there is a lot more you can do to make them last.
The most basic thing you can do is take good care of the clothes you already own. Well-maintained clothing lasts and looks excellent for a longer period of time. As a result, you could end up buying fewer things overall, and the urge to replace them will be less frequent, which will ultimately lower your long-term contribution to the expenses of fashion.
Furthermore, to assist you in living a more mindful lifestyle and to help you in general, fashion brands include their wash care label to ensure that the clothing are properly cared for. So, while they are doing so much, let us take the initiative by cold washing what needs to be cold washed, ironing on low heat, hanging dry in the shade, and so on.
Shop Mindfully by Choosing Better
Quickly, recklessly, and without giving any thought are the terms to accurately define how we make purchases in today’s time.
We occasionally buy new clothes because they are affordable and won't break the bank. As a result, we accumulate a closet full of ordinary, worn-out, and unflattering clothing that we don't particularly like. And to fill that gap and feel like we have enough to wear, we keep on purchasing. This quickly turns into a never-ending cycle.
Curious how you can break this cycle? It’s simple: Start today by making smarter choices and choosing better! Don't just buy the first trendy midi dress you see; instead, go for a more versatile piece that you can wear and style in multiple ways all year round. Learn to teach yourself to be more conscious when purchasing new clothing, whether from online or vintage or high-street stores. Instead of buying five low-quality shirts, keep looking until you find the perfect shirt that you can pair with multiple things. Invest money in clothes that you know you won't want to replace anytime soon since they are staple pieces and ideal for styling.
Learning to make one-time investments in good, long-lasting, and sustainable clothes can help you save money not only now but, in the future as well by letting you build a strong, higher-quality, and more satisfying wardrobe.
Avoid Impulsive Buying
Resisting the impulse to buy a number of cheap trendy shirts, crop tops, or coordinated outfits. Instead, favour making high-quality purchases and refining your look and lifestyle by reducing your overall fast-fashion consumption.
A win-win situation is when you save money and spend it on high-quality clothing while simultaneously creating an eco-friendly wardrobe. Even though purchasing from ethical brands may initially seem expensive, investing the time to build a thoughtful wardrobe you love will be far easier on your wallet and the environment in the long run.
Buying clothing that is ethical and well-crafted will curb your impulse to buy since it is made of high-quality materials and will last longer, requiring fewer replacements.
Buy Inventory Aesthetics
Reusing already worn clothing is another excellent, cost-effective approach that keeps garments out of landfills.
Searching for something minimalistic or striking in terms of aesthetics? Find whatever you're searching for at a vintage or secondhand store, or on the internet inventory sale of a sustainable brand. Even though it might take a lot of time, it is generally worthwhile in exchange for some genuinely distinctive, well-quality, and one-of-a-kind clothing pieces.
So, if you haven't already, give it a go!
Support Ethical Brands
If you want to support ethical brands today, you have several options to consider, like Apanakah.
Shopping responsibly and mindfully isn't as difficult as it sounds. Instead, it's as simple as buying less and taking care of the clothes we already own in order to break the deadly cycle of textile waste. By practicing a few basic sustainable fashion principles, we can all do our part to decrease textile waste and lessen the environmental impact that the fashion industry has.
It's high time now to make slow and sustainable fashion a year-round trend.