Why Should I Shop Sustainably?
In today’s modern world, the fashion industry is constantly evolving and with trends changing as the wind blows. With new designs and new trends, has led to new problems – the rise in fast fashion and its environmental implications. The fashion industry uses 342 million barrels of petroleum to produce plastic-based fibres such as polyester, nylon or acrylic. The fashion industry is one of the largest polluters globally, contributing to 73% of the microfibre pollution in Artic waters. Sustainable fashion refers to clothes, accessories and footwear that are produced and consumed in ways that minimises the environmental impact, conserve natural resources and promotes social responsibility throughout the supply chain.
How to Shop Sustainably
Support Sustainable Brands: Seek out fashion brands that prioritise sustainability and transparency in their supply chain. Some retailers have moved past harm reduction towards an actively positive impact on the global environment (e.g. garment buy back schemes)
Sustainable Brands: Lucy & Yak, TALA, OMNES, Rapanui, Plant Faced Clothing, Wuka, Batoko, Veja, Kohr, Thought, Patagonia, By Megan Crosby
Move Away from Fast Fashion: Fast fashion heavily relies on trends and an expedited life cycle, as a result the clothes are typically cheap and poorly made. Prioritize quality over quantity by investing in high quality staple pieces that are durable and timeless Think of quality clothes as a long-term investment, without having to frequently replace items you end up saving moving in the money in the long run.
Check for Accreditation: Before making a purchase consider the environmental and ethical implications of the product. Certifications Fair Trade, Global Organic Textile Standard, or Bluesign are an easy way of identifying products that meet sustainability standards.
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GOTS – The Global Organic Textile Standard was developed by leading standard setters to define world-wide recognised requirements for organic textiles. |
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GRS – The Global Recycled Standard is a voluntary product standard for tracking and verifying the content of recycled materials in a final product. |
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RCS – The Recycled Claim Standard label enables to market textiles made from recycled raw materials. |
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PETA –PETA’s statement of assurance or supplied a statement verifying that they do not conduct or commission any animal tests on ingredients, formulations, or finished products and that they pledge not to do so in the future. |
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The EU Ecolabel aims to give consumers an indication of greener products and services. The field of textiles, it defines requirements for environmentally |
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The STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX is a third-party textile certification that tests textile components for harmful substances, and ultimately ensures that these textiles and components are completely safe for human use. |
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Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) – works towards making cotton a sustainable mainstream commodity |
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Cotton Made in Africa supports farmers in Africa to improve farming methods through training on environmentally friendly and efficient cultivation of crops. |
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Fair Wear Foundation is a member organization with over 80 companies participating. The works to improve working conditions worldwide, especially in sewing factories. |
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Cradle to Cradle “aims to promote an economic system without waste. This means that all materials used in a product can be recycled or biodegraded. |
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Fairtrade certification is the promise of sustainable production practices, fair trading terms, and the promotion of economic security |
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The SA8000 Standard and Certification System provide a framework for organizations of all types, in any industry, and in any country to conduct business in a way that is fair and decent for workers and to demonstrate their adherence to the highest social standards. |
Sustainable Fashion on a Student Budget
Thrifting
Thrifting is the act of shopping or buying used goods and is a good way of reducing your environment impact. Check charity shops, consignment stores and online resale platforms to purchase affordable “pre-loved” clothing. Thrifting saves moneys, whilst also extending the life cycles of clothing and reducing the demand for new production.
Second Hand Retailers: Hardly Ever Worn It, Vinted, Depop, Love Luxe, Shush London, Retold, ASOS Marketplace, Pre-Loved, Far Fetched Pre-Owned, Twice Loved, CSD, reThread, Vestiaire Collective, Reluxe , Facebook Marketplace, Etsy
Clothes Swap
Across London various fat positive, gender inclusive and inclusive clothing swapping events are happening. Alternatively, you can organize clothing swap with friends or classmates to exchange clothes you no longer ear. Clothes swaps are a fun and budget friendly way to refresh your wardrobe and reduce the number of clothes ending up in landfills.
Where you can Clothes Swap:
Renting
Renting clothes is a cool way to experiment with your fashion and try new trends whilst saving space and money. Rental services allow you borrow outfit for special occasions such as birthdays, weddings and graduations without breaking the bank or hurting the environment.
Rental Sites: Swished, The Devout, Moss Box, Hurr, Hirestreet, John Lewis Rental, Selfridges Rental, By Rotation, My Wardrobe HQ, COCOON, Girl Meets Dress, Front Row, Baukjen, Blanqo
Upcycling & Repurposing
Upcycling is where crafting meets sustainability. Get creative with your wardrobe by upcycling old clothes or repurposing thrifted clothes. Upcycling is a fun way of reducing waste and adding new life to your wardrobe. Throughout London are different workshops designed to teach you sewing and other upcycling basics.
References Links
https://www.savethestudent.org/shopping/fashion/rent-clothes.html
https://www.savethestudent.org/make-money/best-places-to-sell-your-clothes-online.html
https://www.vogue.co.uk/fashion/article/best-fashion-resale-sites
https://www.projectcece.co.uk/blog/510/guide-to-sustainable-fashion-certifications/
https://fashinza.com/sustainability-initiative/certification/