Six Steps to Sustainable Fashion Heaven
“How can I make my wardrobe sustainable?”: the million-dollar question posed by many a planet and fashion lover. Except, it’s not as tricky as you might think. Inspired by Sarah Lazarovic’s ‘Buyerarchy of Needs’ — her eco-fashion take on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs — here are six easy and actionable steps towards a more sustainable collection of clothes from yours truly (aka Maddie Pope).
1) USE WHAT YOU HAVE
Guess what? The most sustainable clothes are the ones you already own. Yep - not those recycled plastic flares from PLT, nor the organic cotton t-shirts, nor the bamboo socks you see everywhere. So, you want to be more sustainable? Your first stop should be your own wardrobe.
If those clothes aren’t quite right, consider upcycling or mending (don’t worry - we’ll be offering lots of inspiration, tips and tricks on this soon). Trousers don’t fit nicely? Make it into a skirt. Is that shirt a bit boring? Add some stitching or embroidery to liven it up.
2) BORROW
Your own wardrobe not doing it for you? Perhaps you’re feeling more than lacklustre about your own possessions, so why not raid the wardrobes of your nearest and dearest? Don’t be scared about traditionally gendered styles either - if we have learned one thing, it’s that grandpa’s jumpers look (un)surprisingly good with skinny jeans.
Make sure to ask permission first though - nobody likes to discover that their favourite jumper is now hanging off the body of their younger brother/grandma/cousin/friend’s cat.
3) SWAP
Maybe there are quite a few souls among you and your friends who are wanting the thrill of something new, but who don’t want to/can’t afford to buy. Solution? Get those of you who are interested together, grab a beverage of your choice (I’m partial to a violet gin and lemonade - but OJ will do you just fine), and get swapping!
Swaps don’t just have to be small-scale - you could make it into an event too. See Stories Behind Things and Not So Sloppy for inspiration. That said, keep an eye on us too - we might have a few things up our sleeves.
4) THRIFT
Thrift stores, charity shop shopping, op-stores, Depop or eBay… whichever form it comes in where you’re from, buy second hand. Many of our favourite pieces EVER have come second hand. The perks? Chances are nobody else will have it, you save some cash and you prevent clothes from heading to landfill — a win-win-win situation if you so please.
5) MAKE
Okay, okay. Not all of us are British-Sewing-Bee-Extraordinaires. There are very few of us who know the lingo and can walk the talk when it comes to making clothes. Nevertheless, never underestimate the power of a needle, thread, and a little bit of determination. Things will certainly be easier if you have a sewing machine - the more basic, the better, in my humble opinion - but there are plenty of patterns and DIY tutorials (thank you, YouTube) out there, which will take even the most ignorant sewers to new heights.
6) BUY NEW
Now that you have exhausted all previous options, just BUY IT. Don’t overthink it - just go through the previous 5 steps and if all answers lead to no, hop on here.
That said, if you are able to, think about who or what you are giving your money to.
In this day and age, putting your money where your mouth is as important as ever - it’s worth considering who the products are made by, where they are made, and what they are made of.