Earth Day is here, and is a always a great reminder of how important it is for us to make efforts to become greener shoppers. But despite having good intentions, the idea of building an ethical wardrobe is, without doubt, a daunting one. There's the prospect of not being able to wear the brands you're used to and limiting your choices in terms of trends, not to mention curbing any desire to impulse-buy or resisting the temptation to always purchase something new for a special occasion, HarpersBazaar reported.
All these concerns are of course valid, but it isn't as hard as you might think to get started on a sustainable wardrobe – and it's definitively worth it in the long run. The most important thing to remember is you’re making a change for good, no matter how small it may feel at the time. Every step towards being a greener shopper is a positive one.
To help you along your sustainable fashion journey, we’ve rounded up 10 top tips from the industry’s leading experts, to bring you the smallest changes that make the biggest impact (without very much effort at all).
Educate yourself
The most invaluable first step to becoming a more conscious shopper is to do your research to help your decision-making. Knowing where to start – and, more importantly, where to shop – is key. Thankfully, it’s now much easier than it once was; there are so many brands that operate with a sustainably focused ethos. Do your own investigative work to find a handful of brands you love and start from there. After a while, your portfolio of knowledge will have grown – and you'll have a whole host of labels to choose from. Consult our guide to stylish sustainable brands that are working hard to carve out a greener space in the fashion industry.
Amy Powney, the creative director at sustainable label Mother of Pearl, reminds us how important it is to do your homework. "I always suggest doing a bit of research and asking questions if you’re uncertain,” Powney notes. “Social media is such an easy way to speak quickly and directly to brands. When making such a special purchase, you want to make sure you are buying from a brand that aligns with your values."
A general rule to apply when researching whether a brand is sustainable, is that if it's difficult to find its credentials, chances are they aren't as eco-friendly as they claim to be. Read up on our 'Unstitched' series, where we focus on a brand that knows exactly what it means to be a sustainable force for good in fashion today, spotlighting brands such as Ninety Percent, Brother Vellies, Bite Studios and House of Dagmar.
Go far beyond the 30 wears test
For years, the benchmark for buying something new as a proper investment piece has been to aim for a minimum of 30 wears. The 30 Wears Challenge was coined by Eco-Age co-founder Livia Firth and journalist Lucy Seigle in 2015, encouraging shoppers to ask themselves whether they’d wear a piece a minimum of 30 times before buying. But as sustainability becomes a bigger part of our everyday lives, it brings into question whether 30 wears is enough when shopping for our forever wardrobe.
Today, as we're more aware than ever of fashion's environmental issues, the 30 wears rule feels somewhat dated – really, we should be aiming to buy pieces we'll keep and wear forever, not just 30 times. “It was a very different fashion landscape back then, as there was much less awareness and fewer brands doing sustainable work,” Firth told us. “So many people were coming up to me and asking me, ‘Where do I shop? What do I buy?’”
So, try to veer away from buying that statement piece you know you are only going to wear for one occasion, and instead invest in something with more longevity that you can wear again and again (and again). Pick more versatile pieces that can be styled in different ways, rather than that one item you know is going to fall out of fashion in no time.
Invest in trans-seasonal clothes
Only buy items that you know are going to work for you all year round. Don't shell out on an entire summer wardrobe each year, if you live somewhere that's cold and rainy. Instead, spend the bulk of your money on layerable, versatile pieces that will see you through more than one season. Jeans, T-shirts, classic dresses, timeless coats and jackets will make for a much more sustainable wardrobe.
Look after your clothes so they last longer
It sounds obvious, but it's so important. Of course, if you buy higher-quality clothes, they are likely to last longer, but this goes for everything hanging in your wardrobe: look after them properly and you will have to replace things less often. From caring for your cashmere to washing your denim inside out, go the extra mile to ensure your clothes stay at their best for longer.
"If you want to invest in one essential clothing-care tool we would recommend a steamer - either a handheld or a standing one," advises Frej Lewenhaupt, CEO and co-founder of clothing-care brand Steamery. "A steamer is an efficient and gentle alternative to ironing. It leaves your clothes smooth, fresh and wrinkle-free. The hot steam reduces bad smells, kills bacteria, and removes all signs of a garment being worn. We also recommend a fabric shaver, which is a great tool for de-bobbling and for prolonging the life of your knitted garments."
Donate your unwanted clothes
Donating your unwanted clothes to a good cause, rather than leaving them hanging in your wardrobe, will help others to be more sustainable; someone else will enjoy giving your pieces a second (or possibly even third) life. A great way to do this is to have a one-in, one-out policy – live by the mantra that every time you buy something, you'll donate something.