5 Tips For Making Your Wardrobe More Sustainable |

Table of Contents

705

With global warming being a real issue and fast fashion dominating the fashion scene, it is now more important than ever to be more conscious of spending habits, whether you’re updating your men’s summer wardrobe or looking for something as a wedding guest.

It can be challenging to do this when you have yet to learn where to start. Everyone is now aware that fast fashion is one of the most significant contributors to landfill, with plastic fabrics and microfibres polluting our ecosystem, it is time to take action.

When people hear that you dress sustainably, many believe it’s like the old days with canvas clothing or hemp, but this couldn’t be further from the truth, it’s 2023 and there have been many innovations in sustainable fabrics. It doesn’t have to be expensive, and it doesn’t have to be unfashionable.

In this article, we will go through some key tips for making your wardrobe more sustainable.

1. Start with organisation

When you are looking to make your wardrobe more sustainable, the best step to start is to organise your wardrobe before you make any purchases. You may be surprised by how sustainable your wardrobe might be already, you just haven’t looked to check what is and what isn’t. This won’t be as bad as you think it is, this will simply allow you to understand what you need, what you don’t need, and also, what you have borrowed out and need back.

To get started with this, you need to empty all your drawers and wardrobe and lay everything out on your bed in categories. For example, all your trousers, tees, shirts, dresses, and any other items of clothing that you have. Once you have all your piles, sort them out into what you want, and what you don’t want. Now you have done this, ensure that you audit what you need. When you have piles of unwanted clothes, ensure that you either recycle them, sell them or even better, give them to charity for a more minimalist lifestyle.

2. Do your research

Once you have been through all your clothes and have organised them neatly, it’s not time for some thorough research and having some fun. Now you know what you need, it’s time to start looking for brands that source, create, and use sustainable materials that produce clothes in an ethical way such as using circular production. It’s best to look for companies that are transparent about how their products are made. It’s essential that you look for companies that hold their manufacturers to the same high levels as they claim they do.

Discover their values and aim to align your choices with your own beliefs and values, as this will help to make it easier to make a considered purchase. Another option is to purchase vintage if you are happy to wear items that have been worn slightly.

3. Buy quality, not quantity

Everyone knows that you buy cheap, you buy twice, so ensure that quality is your goal. Obviously, your budget plays a big part in this, but if you want something to last, then quality is what is going to keep it in your wardrobe for longer. It is no secret that when you buy from fast fashion brands, the clothes are poorly made and will only last a couple of washes. The materials used are also made from petrochemicals that are toxic and pollute our oceans with microfibres and plastics.

By ensuring that you purchase quality clothing that is sustainably made, you will know that there is minimum impact on the environment. It’s all too easy to compare products that are alike with one from your favorite high street store by price, but you should know they just won’t last as long as the more expensive alternative. Knowing this makes it that little bit easier to part with your money.

4. Wash your clothing less, and avoid tumble drying

One of the best ways to become more sustainable is to wash your clothes less. This may sound a little odd, but not everything you wear needs to be cleaned every time you wear it. For example, jeans shouldn’t be washed as this damages the structure of your jeans. Laundering your clothes accounts for 80% of the total environmental impact of your clothes, by only washing your clothes after a couple of wears, you will be significantly reducing the impact.

To also save energy further, wash your clothes at 30 degrees instead of hot washes as this can help to reduce the impact by 40%. This also helps to keep your clothes looking like new for longer and doesn’t fade your clothes.

5. Buy clothes that can be worn in multiple seasons

Everyone has some staple items that they wear throughout the seasons. This is a great way to make the most out of your existing wardrobe and dress more sustainably. When your make purchases that can be worn throughout the seasons, you are preventing items from sitting in the back of your wardrobe and letting them go stale and unused.

When you know you can wear a piece all through the year, it makes it much easier to spend that little bit more on the piece. For example, if you are looking for a new luxury hoodie from somewhere like God’s Gift, it can be expensive, but you will be able to wear this all through the year. Everyone loves a bit of retail therapy, so allow yourself to get the things you want if you can wear them for a longer period.

Author Profile

Manuela WillboldOnline Media & PR Strategist: Blogger and Educator by Passion | Senior Online Media & PR Strategist at ClickDo Ltd. | Contributor to many Education, Business & Lifestyle Blogs in the United Kingdom & Germany | Summer Course Student at the London School of Journalism and Course Instructor at the SeekaHost University.