People constantly ask me how often I shop for clothes! They assume I have an extensive wardrobe with endless rows of shoes, clothes, and bags. The reality is, I do have a vast wardrobe but it is because it took over two decades to build it. I use the word “build” since it’s not the type of wardrobe which I revamp from scratch every season. In fact, 80% of it is vintage and sustainable clothing items, some of which date back to the mid-90s.
Like many, I have a habit of hanging on to the old, specifically to items with sentimental value or a high price tag. Many of which are timeless classics that never go out of style. However, I still go through the routine of cleaning up the closets every season. Surprisingly, in most cases, the newer items are purged more frequently than classics and sustainable clothing. As you can imagine, what ends up in a donation box are things that don’t fit well or look good.
What’s happening inside the garment industry?
If you are over 40, you probably have noticed a significant decline in quality apparel in the past 15 years. This is due to the rise of Fast Fashion where brands manufacture low-end garments and sell at a cheap price point. As well, population growth and an increased income rate lead to an elevated focus on Fast Fashion. This business strategy has created tremendous production pressure on mills where fabrics are made. The problem is that over 75% of the carbon footprint produced by the industry takes place at these mills! According to Ellen Macarthur’s publication, by 2050, over 25% of the entire global carbon budget will go there.
Worldwide, clothing utilisation – the average number of times a garment is worn before it ceases to be used – has decreased by 36% compared to 15 years ago.
A New Textiles Economy: Redesigning fashion’s future – Ellen Macarthur foundation
Why does sustainable clothing matter?
Here’s an alarming fact: people over 45 years old are less inclined to shop for sustainable clothing. Searches for sustainable clothes have significantly increased in the past 2 years. However, they are driven primarily by “the green generations”: the Millennials and Gen Z. People over 45 have not embraced sustainability for valid reasons. It’s because sustainability wasn’t a subject we studied in school, nor was it part of our social upbringing.
But this doesn’t mean we can’t associate with the issue since the direction of this industry is leading to a catastrophe! We should shift attitude towards sustainable alternatives to help reduce the amount of waste and carbon generated by inherited shopping habits. If we continue with such habits, we could accumulate over 22M tons of plastic microfibres entering the ocean by 2050. Do we want to be blamed by future generations, or do we want to be acknowledged as forward-thinking grandparents? I, for one, definitely want to be remembered as the cool, smart and up-to-date grandma.
How can we wear sustainable clothing?
There are four simple ways to start focussing on sustainable clothing. Before diving into these methods, let’s agree that cheap fast fashion is not such a great bargain after all. As identified by Ellen Macarthur’s report, clothing utilization has decreased by 36%. It means we are disposing of clothes more than we did before. We are in fact spending more on garments through the process of replacing them more frequently. What we should focus on is finding quality items, even if it means, spending more upfront.
Vintage Clothing
One of the best and most affordable ways to wear sustainable clothes is to look in your own closet. Do you have “old” high-quality apparel that is collecting dust? If yes, that’s a great start! These are the vintage piece you should start mixing with new clothes or take them to a seamstress for alteration if necessary.
You may have heard the term “fashion repeats itself” which is true and we see this every season. Who would’ve thought the 80s look would become “lit” in 2019? it’s a joke come to think about it but it’s true. Take a look at Zara’s Winter 2019 collection and I guarantee you’ll start to reminisce about teenage years. Therefore, consider keeping high-quality fashion pieces and start wearing them.
Invest in Classics
A well-made classical piece is timeless and is sustainable. This includes standard-cut shirts, tie shirts, pencil skirts, pleated skirts, straight-cut pants, and blazers. These apparels never go out of style regardless of the type of fabric or color.
Sustainable brands
When shopping for clothes, consider buying from sustainable brands like Reformation, Veja, Eileen Fisher, Levi’s, and Tome. Such well-known brands have adopted sustainable and ethical policies in the design and production of their collections.
Pre-owned luxury
Luxury is synonymous with high-quality and durability. We always feel confident investing in a luxury item because we know it will last. Hence many stylists believe it’s worth investing in luxury fashion. For example, a Chanel suit will never fall out of style or fall apart. And even if a button is lost, the house will take care of replacing and fixing the piece. Luxury brands offer alternation services and support for their buyers. And this isn’t only because you invested in the article. Rather it’s because luxury brands realize the value of sustainable clothing.
A final thought
We are at a turning point in human history and a period that will shape the health of Earth and living creatures. It’s imperative for us mature women to take an active part in sustainability by assessing the current shopping approach. That $10 dress seems like a smart financial spend but it has negative implications on the environment. Needless to say that it’s made by underprivileged women who are placed in poor working conditions. I often wonder how much they earn working on a $10 priced dress! PENNIES.
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