Dress Wisely
Dress Wisely
Why?
Did you know that the clothing and footwear industries combined account for about 8 percent of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions? Add to that the dangerous working conditions and polluting impact of low-quality, short-lived fast fashion, and we have a tragic problem on our hands.
Dress for success? How about we start to dress for the planet’s and other people’s success, as well as our own?
Let’s begin to build a circular economy.
Reduce & share clothes & shoes
How many clothes do you really need? American shoppers buy five times more clothes now than they did in 1980. And fast fashion has encouraged us to toss those clothes out after an average of just 7 wears! Think quality over quantity and then trade with friends, organize a clothing swap, or buy secondhand clothing at local or online thrift stores. You might also borrow or rent clothes for special occasions – you know, the kinds of events where you’re likely to wear that piece of clothing once or maybe twice.
The Good Trade: 7 Best Sites to Rent a Dress in 2024
Repair & repurpose clothes & shoes
It’s clear we’re a throwaway society, but it is possible to do so much better. Got a little tear? Consider repair. Zipper’s broken? Replace it. Or find ways to repurpose (upcycle) the piece of clothing so it has a new life. If you didn’t take home economics in school or never learned the basics at home, there’s still hope. Sew Guide provides online advice and tutorials to get you started. Still not convinced? Look for local repair services. For example, cobblers do still exist – and everything old is new again!
Sew Guide: Clothing repairs to fix clothes to new again
Vox: Instead of hiding rips and tears, the visible mending movement turns them into art
Brightly: 11 Creative Ways to Upcycle Jeans You No Longer Want to Wear
Brightly: 7 Easy Ways to Upcycle Clothes and Better the Planet in the Process
Turn T-shirts into bags - Believe it or not, here’s a 5-step, no-sew, 10-minute way to turn an old T-shirt into a handy tote bag!
Choose natural fibers
How often do you check the tag on a piece of clothing to see what it’s made of before you buy it? Try to make this a habit. You may not realize that many clothes are actually made of plastic – in other words, petroleum – but dressed up in names such as rayon, nylon, spandex, or polyester.
The other bad news about this is washing clothes with these fibers releases microplastics into our water and air and ultimately our bodies – and those of other animals. Scientists estimate about 35 percent of the microplastics that enter the ocean come via the synthetic textiles. In addition, dyeing and finishing make textiles the number-one polluter of fresh water.
Do what you can to minimize these effects. Instead, choose quality over quantity and 100 percent natural fibers such as flax, cotton, linen, silk, wool, or hemp – without chemical additives. Although clothes made from these fibers may cost more upfront, they last longer, so will likely be more affordable in the long run.
Fibershed: 4 Simple Guidelines from the Fibershed Clothing Guide
Vox: More than ever, our clothes are made of plastic. Just washing them can pollute the oceans.
Wash responsibly
If you wash your clothes less often, not only will they last longer, but you’ll reduce energy consumption and plastic pollution in our waterways (assuming your clothes contain synthetic fibers). Laundering of synthetic clothes is the source of more than a third of primary microplastics. Try a washing bag that reduces fiber breakage and keeps much of the microfibers from seeping into the water. Also use natural detergents (packaged in as little plastic as possible!)
The Guardian: Less laundry, less often: how to lighten the washday load on the environment
Wirecutter: Your Laundry Sheds Harmful Microfibers. Here’s What You Can Do About It.
Organize a clothing swap
Clothing swaps are a great alternative to traditional shopping. They are an effective way to de-clutter your closet, save money, and get a whole new-to-you wardrobe, while minimizing waste and pollution. Plus, they can be a lot of fun!
It's pretty simple. Invite your friends over and ask them to bring their unloved clothes. If you want to be fancy, have a few garment racks and a bunch of old hangers to organize the "shop." And just have fun swapping away.
Don't worry about trying to make sure people give and recieve the same amount - some people are clothes horses, some are not. Everyone will just be happy to see their old things find new life!
