Shopping Sustainable Fashion

By: Valerie Reyes Editor-in-Chief

We’ve all heard about sustainable fashion and how we should start becoming more aware of the impact our clothing has on the environment, but what exactly is sustainable fashion? Sustainable fashion is clothing that is produced and consumed in ways that protect the environment. So, if you want to have a sustainable wardrobe, here are some purchasing habits you can start making.

Stop buying from fast fashion brands. Fast fashion is the rapid design, production and marketing of clothing to get large quantities of the current clothing trends for consumers at low affordable prices. According to the UN Environment Program (UNEP), the fast fashion industry is the second-biggest consumer of water and is responsible for about 2-8 percent of global carbon emissions. Some fast fashion brands that you should keep in mind or want to avoid are Forever 21, Uniqlo, Primark, H&M, Zara and so many more.

University of St. Francis Senior, Corrin Posteluk says, “I think fast fashion is really bad, especially with clothing brands like SHEIN because of how their clothes is cheaply made with low quality and low prices that won’t last long. People should start thrifting more because it allows you to get good quality and environmentally friendly clothing.”

If you want to start shopping sustainable brands here are some that are against the use of fast fashion or working towards more sustainable production: Reformation, Patagonia, Levi’s and Girlfriend Collective. I will warn you that shopping sustainable brands will cost more because they are produced ethically with better quality materials and not in huge quantity as fast fashion does.

Instead of buying clothing that won’t last you long and having to replace constantly, start investing in high quality clothing that will last much longer. Not only will investing in good quality clothing save the environment but it can also save you some money in the long run. Rather than buying clothing that is only trendy for a year and thrown out later, buy clothing that can build your wardrobe and create more than one outfit.

When you need to buy new clothes, you want to avoid clothing made with synthetic fibers such as polyester, nylon, spandex and acrylic. These fibers impact the environment because they create microfibers and plastic pollution that aren’t biodegradable. Next time you’re out shopping for clothes, take a look at the tag and buy clothing that is made with natural fibers such as cotton, linen, bamboo, flax, jute, silk, wool and alpaca.

If you’re someone who doesn’t want to read every tag and label while looking for clothes, you can shop at thrift stores or buy secondhand fashion from resellers on Poshmark, Depop and Mercari. Thrifting can save you some money and you can turn it into a project by upcycling your new finds. According to Cincinnati Goodwill, “In the United States, individuals throw out 60 to 80 pounds of textile waste each year.” Not only can you help the environment by thrifting your clothes and buying from resellers but you can also help by donating your unwanted clothes to a local thrift store or make money by reselling your clothing.

As someone who wants to start making more sustainable choices and stop shopping fast fashion brands, I hope to start thrifting more and buying more from sustainable brands. It’s understandable to want to buy from clothing stores that have affordable clothing but as the climate crisis worsens, we should all begin to think about eco-friendly ways we can buy our clothes.