A guide for building sustainable fashion habits
As our consumption habits are increasingly affecting our surroundings and environment, we cannot keep on shutting a blind eye and thinking that it does not start with us. The over consumption is not only becoming a bigger problem around the world, but it may also affect our personal lifes. You can put is as you like, but I know for sure, there are so many people struggling to put categories, pros and cons and decide on what they actually want and need. Inevitably, countless numbers of ads and influencers have a great impact on our societal consumption habits, which is where we are right now. So, in order for us to feel less overwhelmed, the key is to learn how to utilise those countless adds for our own and environmental benefit.
Building the mentality of living sustainable lifestyle, especially if you’re a fashion lover, could be quite hard. So I gathered some tips and tricks on how to implement those small changes in your life. Some are based on my own experiences to give you some real life essential there on how I implement them in my own daily life.
First things first, probably most of us only start thinking about sustainability habits when you get the urge to buy something new. Maybe you want that renewal for your wardrobe as the new season kicks in, and then the next thought “but I have so much stuff…even though I don’t like/or feel like those items anymore”. This is the cycle that I think a lot of us go through… Well, at least it used to be me! Now, it does not even pop to my mind because I have created rules that help me choose more sustainably.
The first step that helps me out, is always KNOWING WHAT I HAVE. By this, I mean really dig into your wardrobe. Have that wardrobe checked up every 6 months or even when you feel like you want to renew it. Going through all your garderobe allows you to really see the overall picture of your possessions, things you forgot about, items that have been standing there or have been worn twice since you got them and so on. Separating items that you love for sure and want to keep, and those that don’t bring happiness, are nice but not really for you, and then just old things, that need to be let go off. Don’t give too much thought for the items you know you never lean to. It simply means they are not your item and should not stay with you.
For the items that are kept, this is the part where you lay them around and see what exiting outfits you can make, what matches with what, and then actually have a clear picture what you are dealing with! Don’t be scared to be left with a small wardrobe, 2-4 items per category. You can make tons of combinations without overwhelming number of garments. When you know your wardrobe for the upcoming season well, you can start thinking what is it lacking, what other items you need to tie everything in together, so you could be a master of mix and match.
Trying not to rush with new purchases but keeping in mind what items could elevate your current wardrobe is the key. Whether those are basics or even a pop of colour . DEFINING EXACT FEATURES of your new purchases is a game changer. For example, I decided I wanted a new watch as my old one was scratched and been with me on and off for 7 years. It was silver, round, with a black colour dial. I realised that since my last watch, my style has changed a little, and now, I wear both silver and gold jewellery, with most of them having emerald stones. Because of these changes and indicators, I had a clear vision of how my next watch should look: mix of silver and gold strap, if possible squared shape, and an important part to me was that it would have dark green or black color dial. These were the specific features I had in mind, knowing that it is a long-term purchase, and I want it to match with as much of my jewellery as possible. On one occasion when I decided to go and check out some watches, I described to the saleswomen what I needed, and in few minutes, I had 5 watches laying in front of me, out of a few hundred in the whole store. It didn’t take me long to find the watch I was happy with, saving me time and effort. The only thing it was missing was a squared shape, but I ended up liking the round shape because all the other features matched my expectations.
By categorising and having clear vision for your item, is such a key while shopping in the masses of the whole Fashion industry. Of course, you won’t be able to be so specific every time you want to purchase something, but holding on to this mentality to find at least one feature you really want to see in the item, which you are thinking of buying, could help find the best match for yourself!
INVEST IN QUALITY, you don’t have to have high funds to be able to purchase better quality items. High-quality items are often more durable, lasting several years rather than just a season. Especially, you should keep this in mind when purchasing basics like t-shirts for summer or long sleeves for winter etc. Also, look for well-constructed garments with reinforced seams and sturdy fabrics. Quality clothing may have a higher upfront cost but often proves more economical over time due to its longevity. Fabrics are the main part you should pay attention to, so I’ll go deeper into them in my next post. (More sustainable fabrics)
Probably one of the most important things about clothes is HOW YOU TAKE CARE OF THEM. Washing your items less frequently in a low temperature and using gentle detergents, is common knowledge. However, not enough people do it and understand the benefit it gives to the fabric, especially when protecting its fibbers and adding lifespan to it. Right washing settings and laundry products, especially correct amount of products, protects your garments. Unfortunately,when such products are overused, it can actually damage the fibbers. So more product, like fabric softener, will not add much but may definitelly damage it. Also, air drying gentle fabric garments helps with containing the garments shape, fabric texture, integrity of garments, and saves energy compared to using a tumble dryer. Interestingly, natural fabric items made from wool, silk, cashmere, linen and so on, can be easily freshen up by letting them sit outside and air up from odour. Great tip when travelling, especially if you have woolen items like suits, is that you can place them in the shower, fresh after you get out, and then the humidity and warmth freshens up the fabric, helps with wrinkles, odour and overall look. A thing to note, it is not suitable for woollen sweaters, as they don’t have sturdy shape. IF you are NOT SURE of how to wash or take care of certain items - dry-cleaning is the answer. It does take some extra time and costs, but you will save the fabric and the garment.
With REPAIRING AND UPCYCLING, it is a very similar situation. It is so much better to save what you already have and get it repaired, rather than buying a new item, which again, leads to so much more pollution given back to the world, as it needs to be made from scratch. By spending extra money to take care of what you already have, prevents extra consumption asyou reuse what you have. Not to mention, the contribution to your local businesses - like sewers and dry cleaners, which helps these people to get more income and to continue with their small (most of the time) businesses. Importantly, items that cannot be fixed or reused, should always go to recycling bins, charity organisations or any community around you, where they can be remade into something new and great.
SECONDHAND SHOPPING AND BUYING is a great idea these days and its popularity keeps on steadily growing . Second-hand shopping used to look very different a few decades ago, and now, it is even so easily accessible online. Currently, I live in the Netherlands and platform Vinted is huge here. Fun fact: I am originally from Lithuania and so is Vinted! So when this platform just appeared, us Lithuanians, were the first ones to try it out, and honestly, I thought it was genius. It is not surprising that this platform continues to grow in the EU and the UK. If you are not a fan of it, there are plenty others more known in other countries like Ebay, ThredUp, Depop and local markets that can be found in Facebook groups ect.
SUPPORT SUSTAINABLE BRANDS. Local handmade brands are the best start when looking into a sustainable lifestyle. Most of them are small, ran by a handful of people and are handmade. If you ask about their story, most of the time, they will be extra willing to talk about how it all started and you’ll instantly see what this brand is about and how it works. For example, when buying from big brand names, it could be difficult to find any information on the origin of the garment and you might think you do not have time to do this research about every brand you purchase from. So my suggestion would be: think of the main ones you lean to most of the time. When you’ll start purchasing more consciously, and unnecessary purchases won’t come up as often, you’ll notice some main brands you go to. It may be because you like their models, prints, colours and so on. Those are the brands where the research could start: just some info from now and then could start a habit of getting familiar with your products, letting your conscious beliefs and mindset come through.
In my upcoming blog posts, I will be looking into some brands and what is their connection with sustainability. So, you can keep up to find out more…
Conscious buying is the key, not every piece you own will be or has to be a really expensive good quality item. Fast fashion rules at the moment, and it won’t change in a blink of an eye. But building those skills of buying what you need and really taking care of those items, makes them last so much longer, and if it really is your style, the fit hugs your body - you can hold onto those items for a good few years and enjoy them to the maximum potential. Learning how to take care of yourself and things you use every day, lets you improve your consumption habits, and most importantly, allows you to build those sustainable practices.
