The fashion industry is one of the most polluting industries in the world and it is helping to accelerate climate change. Part of the problem is overconsumption:we buy far more clothes than we need (often the wrong, poor quality items too) and then wear them once or twice before throwing them away. The solution is obvious:we need to stop buying too much and start shopping sustainably. Sustainable shopping isn't as difficult (or expensive) as you might think. Even small changes can make a difference. We share our tips here, so that you too can make a difference.
Think about your shopping habits
Most bad decisions are made when you don't think enough about what you're doing – and if you're a woman with items in your wardrobe that you never wear, most of them will be bought on impulse. The next time you see something you want, a good rule of thumb is to spend a few days thinking about whether you really want and need something. Those days give you time to really consider what it will bring to your wardrobe. Try to have items in your wardrobe that you know you will wear over and over again, anything that you enjoy wearing and that you feel confident in.
Shop online
Shopping online is more environmentally friendly than shopping at physical stores. After all, you don't have to drive to different stores before taking your purchases home. Plus, when you buy directly from brands, you reduce emissions because you get deliveries from the brand's distribution center, skipping the process from delivery to the store and then to you. And many of the parcel deliverers also work in a sustainable way these days.
Note what the clothes are made of
From leading brands to emerging names, innovative and groundbreaking labels are developing new fabrics that give you the look you want, but with minimal environmental impact. Thanks to hi-tech advancements, you can find materials such as animal-friendly vegan 'leather' and faux fur, as well as fabrics made from recycled materials. These products support the recycling industry and help keep plastic waste out of landfills and the ocean.
Create a capsule wardrobe
The best thing you can do is just buy less stuff. And you can buy less stuff if you buy things that are timeless and of good quality so that they last. A popular concept in the fashion conscious world is a capsule wardrobe:a small, high-quality clothing collection where all the pieces work together and can be seamlessly mixed and matched to create an endless number of classic and stylish outfits. If you like the contents of your closet and can easily put together a good outfit, you will never say, “I have nothing to wear!” Nor will you be tempted to buy a nice cheap item, because you already have everything you need!
Recycle your clothes
Recycling clothes is a good way to reduce waste. Donate your clothing to charity such as the Salvation Army or put it in a clothing container. Organize or visit a clothes swap party to score 'new' clothes and get rid of your old clothes. At such an exchange event, everyone takes clothes that they themselves are tired of. Then you can see what you like and easily exchange clothes. Moreover, there are now also shops that take old clothes and recycle them. And then you get a discount on new purchases.
Use the free Chrome &Firefox browser extension TreeClicks to shop online
We all shop anyway, but if you do, you can now also shop sustainably with TreeClicks. TreeClicks is a free Chrome and Firefox browser extension that plants trees when you make your purchases online. TreeClicks is installed within two clicks. After that, internet browsers can be used in the same way. TreeClicks receives an advertising fee when online purchases are made at the most well-known webshops via the extension. The majority of this advertising revenue is invested in planting trees. The greater the purchase amount, the more trees will be planted. When many people install TreeClicks, millions (maybe billions) of trees can be planted. If you create a TreeClicks account, you can see how many trees have been planted thanks to your purchases.
