Reducing Your Environmental Impact: Fashion
- Kirst
- Jul 1, 2018
- 5 min read
Updated: Mar 8, 2019
So fashion isn't usually a sphere in which people become concerned with their environmental impact. In fact, up until recently, I didn't really know much about the problems in the production of fashion and the waste created when the items are discarded. But it does have an impact, besides the labour and resources used to produce even a simple t-shirt- clothes don't disappear after you throw them out. So here are a few tips to help reduce your impact; be it your shopping practices, helping garments last longer, or even what to do with old clothes.
1. AVOID FAST FASHION
So there's a huge irony in me even typing this because I'm a notorious cheapskate and will always go for the cheaper brand's item as opposed to the exclusive-three-times-the-price brand. But it's something that I personally feel people should become more aware of, and something that I really want to start implementing into my shopping habits too. Fast fashion refers to the mainstream brands that produce new garments basically every week- the ones we know and love and that I'm not going to shame now. But we know them- the ones that make the runway and high fashion items for fractions of the price, but with extremely cheap materials, hard labour practices, and on such a bulk scale that usually the quality leaves a lot to be desired. Alongside that, producing so much and so quickly usually drains resources to a excessive degree, creates pollution, and often the materials used are not chosen for their environmental benefits, but rather the convenience of their production. This also includes the mistreatment and extortion of labour in underprivileged countries. We all know the stories of the Nike sweatshops- but have we ever thought about the factory behind the label "made in...", the people working for a fraction of minimum wage just for you to be able to wear the latest striped shirt trend.
I'm linking a few articles for your own further reading, ones with more statistics and facts;
(All of these articles are just the first few results of a simple google search- so it's definitely worth looking into this more if it is something you want to educate yourself about)
Ways you can contribute to solving the problem;
Support smaller clothing brands; that produce smaller quantities- especially local brands (remember, importing things into your country uses fossil fuels)
Try buy sustainable fabrics; hemp is an ideal one because it can be grown quickly and therefore to turn over new crops the manufacturers don't need an excessive amount of land. Bamboo is also a eco friendly choice. These are often the more expensive choices but are extremely worth it in the long term.
Look after your clothes; the more you care for your garments, the longer they will last, and they won't have to be replaced as often.
Buy good quality; once again, like the point above, buying good quality means you don't have to replace the garments as often.
2. WATCH WHEN AND WHAT YOU WASH
Realistically not every item of clothing has to be washed after every single wear. Obviously- please- wash your underwear and socks between every wear because that's just basic hygiene. But filling your laundry basket every three days and doing a load of unnecessary washing takes a serious toll on your water consumption. Here are some ideas to follow when doing laundry;
Denim: jeans were originally made to go extended periods of time between washes! They were the clothes of construction workers and were meant to be durable and last long enough to only need to be washed every two to three weeks, to ease the financial strain of laundry for the minimum wage earners! And by extending the time between washes, the jeans last longer. Washing wears down the material, which means that your once super tight skinnies will eventually lose their fit and the elasticity will be destroyed from over washing.
T-shirts/material shorts: listen; unless you rolled around in the mud, sweated your actual ass off, got make up on the shirt, or wore insanely strong perfume- these don't need to be washed every single time. Sure, don't throw it straight back into the closet- rather hang it out over a chair in the sun or near a window, let it breath for a few hours, and then it should be good to go and wear again. Especially when it comes to cotton t-shirts; over washing will lead to them entirely losing their shape and quality so just be aware of that next time you "Kobe" it into the laundry basket after wearing it for three hours.
3. OLD CLOTHES
Obviously we can't keep our clothes looking brand new forever. And we all love a good closet clean out. So instead of just throwing them away here are some better ideas to avoid old clothes piling up in the rubbish dumps;
Old t-shirts can be cut up as cleaning rags
Donate to a charity/home/hospice/second-hand store
If shirts/sweaters aren't actually old and you just no longer want them; there are great DIY's available! Turn your knitted jersey into a cozy throw pillow? Bunting? Or if you're super creative you can actually make a quilt out of the pieces.
Make up clothing bags and give them out to the homeless.
Have your own clothing sale and make some extra cash from it?
Old shirts always make for great pj's or gym tees.
Cut your old jeans into shorts- the more worn and torn, the better!
There is so much that can be done with old clothes. Just look up some Pinterest or Youtube ideas! There really is no excuse for them to go to waste, it just takes some effort from your own side to avoid wasting and creating more 'uncompostable' matter to fill the dumps.
I hope that was somewhat helpful. Even the smallest change can make a difference; whether it's reducing your water usage by reducing the load of washing per week, or supporting more sustainable clothing manufacturing.
Ironically; I have a clothing haul coming soon too (I may or may not have gotten a little Pimms tipsy and hit Oxford Street yesterday- highly recommend for your satisfaction levels but 10/10 don't recommend for your bank account). So haul and outfit ideas coming soon.
As well as the last segment of these Reduce Your Environmental Impact posts- on beauty and how your beauty/skin care practices effect the environment.
Have a lovely day xx
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