For many, hearing the words “sustainable fashion” paints an outdated stereotype of frumpy-looking outfits worn by someone who might quite literally hug trees on the weekends. This “granola girl” stigma makes it less appealing for the modern fashion-forward woman to curate a wardrobe that reflects her ecological consciousness. I’m on a mission to shatter the glass ceiling surrounding sustainability in fashion. After conducting a small survey of about 50 of my peers, it was clear that a large percentage of that circle cared about their consumer choices. Results showed that 89% of people between the ages of 20 to 25 care about the devastating influences that fast-fashion has on fair wages and environmental health. However, 52% of those people find it hard to shop ethically due to lack of trends in this category of clothing, and 73% think that a sustainable shopping habit is too expensive to maintain. So the question is: how do you push for social change without giving up your unique style identity and breaking the bank in the process? This is my advice for the modern trendsetter who is looking to make a profound difference through her wardrobe:
Tip No. 1: Swap Looks
Chances are, your best-dressed girlfriend has a cute piece of clothing that you are dying to get your hands on. If I had to guess, the feeling is mutual. Before your next big event, don’t run to the mall to get a new look, instead, ask your friend if she is willing to give you a cute number from her collection in exchange for something of yours. This is a great tip for two reasons: first, you don’t have to worry about dropping big bucks on new items and second, it’s a shortcut to keep wearing the brands you love while simultaneously recycling clothing.
Tip No. 2: Know Your Consumer Power
If you need a sobering reminder of why your choices as a consumer matter, tune into the leading literature about the issue. BBC has reported that over 100 billion garments are made each year: making the fashion industry the second, under-regulated, production system in the world after oil and gas. As ethical consumers we know that natural resources are not bottomless. The desire or excess consumption is not worth sacrificing the needs of a future generation. The International Labor Rights Forum (ILRF) is a world-leading advocate for all things fair-trade and a great resource to keep an eye on. Staying informed, asking the right questions and doing extensive research on how your favourite retailer runs their supply chain will help you make the best choices for yourself, your family and your planet.
Tip No. 3: Support Canadian
Have you ever asked a coworker where they purchased a beautiful piece of clothing you haven’t seen in stores before, and they tell you that they got it abroad? Be the girl who got it locally. Many local and national retailers try to subscribe to ethical business models such as fair wages and safe manufacturing environments, reducing packaging waste and sourcing out natural fibers such as linen and organic cotton. Some make each piece to order, which avoids mass-production altogether. I also noticed Canadian companies making the effort to source out deadstock fabrics – the leftover material that big brand names sent to landfills. This sourcing method enables smaller players to have the same high-quality garment standard as the bigger fashion houses, without the devastating effects. This is great news for us. There is no need to compromise quality and style for ethics. My go to sustainable fashion brands in Canada are:
- The Sleep Shirt — lounge
- Frank and Oak — ready to wear
- Matt and Nat — accessories
- Bravado Designs — intimates
Tip No. 4: Love pre-loved
One of the best ways to reduce your environmental high-heel shaped footprint is to learn the art of new-age thrift shopping. Don’t waste time going to traditional thrift stores only to sort through hundreds of underwhelming items. The rapid growth of second-hand clothing apps and websites makes it much easier to skip the throwaway clothing and help you find exactly what you need. Digitalizing the pre-loved clothing hunt lets you narrow down your search to a specific size, style, category and, in some cases, even year (think capsule collections that were sold out and never restocked). An abundant variety of authentic designer options are available to you from the comfort of your home. My favorite online consignors are The Real Real, Depop and Peacock Boutique. Also, keep an eye on your local pre-owned buy and sell Facebook groups.
Tip No. 5: Stop Ghosting Your Tailor
Remember those wide-leg trousers you bought? The ones that hugged your butt like a glove but were a touch too big on the waistline. Aha those. They are probably stored away waiting for you to make good on your promise to alter them. Buying clothing that doesn’t quite fit can contribute to overbuying, which in turn fuels the overconsumption epidemic. It might be worth it to scan your closet for items that you want to wear but can’t because of sizing issues. Making a trip to your local tailor is a great way to avoid buying duplicate pieces. If you’re in Calgary, visit Ingenuity Couture — a shameless plug for my mom’s alternation shop.
Tip No. 6: Donate Seasonally
As each season comes to an end and you feel the sudden urge to purge old items, consider donating or gifting instead of storing. Through research I found that on average, each person puts away eight items in a bin. Those items eventually find their way to a landfill composed of 13.3 million tons of clothing. When you leave stagnant clothing in storage you’ll eventually forget and most likely throw away that clothing, not mention that this is a massive waste of home space. Get into the habit of salvaging garments by passing them on to a new loving owner. There are a number of options to keep the chain going: make some extra cash by posting your items on a Facebook auction group; donate your perfectly wearable garments to a local charity; pass the pieces on to a family member or friend.
The true cost of clothing is not found on the price tags attached to them. It is found in the deep-rooted issues of water contamination, harmful gas emission and under payment of factory workers. Sometimes knowing exactly how to help can be the hardest part. I hope that these tips nudge you in the right direction and reassure you that changing your consumer habits to be more compassionate and gentler towards our collective home isn’t such a daunting task.
