In times of global climate crisis, one topic keeps coming up – making our clothing more sustainable. At first, it may sound insignificant compared to the harmful effects of fossil fuels, but the clothing industry is among the biggest polluters today.

Once you start thinking about where clothing comes from, how it's made and where it will end up after use, it's clear that the clothing life cycle has an enormous impact on our environment. Luckily, things are beginning to change and many major brands are starting to take notice and change their production process by opting for more sustainable techniques.

There's still room for each of us to pitch in and here are refreshingly simple tips on how to make your clothing choices more sustainable.

Make do with what you have and buy less

The first step to take is to find satisfaction in the wardrobe you already have and buy fewer new pieces. It may not give you the same thrill you get when you go shopping, but you will feel happy and satisfied when you reorganise your closet and find the forgotten stuff.

The next step is to take all your stuff out and organise it into piles – things you will wear right away, things you can donate and things that need some TLC to be worn again. This is where you can get quite creative and repurpose certain garments and even retailor them to suit the latest trends and your body. This will make a huge impact in extending the life of your clothes as well as cutting down on unnecessary waste.

As a current bachelor's degree in fashion design teaches, in the vastness of the fashion system, it’s important to bring together the sense for the classics with the extremes of experimentation. Now you may not feel like the extreme is your thing, but some creative thinking and retailoring can breathe new life into your old garments!

Go for second-hand clothes and hand-me-downs

Just like going through your closet and reusing some of your old items, you can do the same in second-hand shops – what someone else discarded might just be a hidden gem waiting for you to wear! It can be a very enjoyable and exciting experience to go thrifting, second-hand shopping and visiting garage sales. You can also organise clothing swap get-togethers with your friends and local neighbours or mom groups. Chances are you’ll find some perfect items for yourself and your kids.

Consider the 30 wears test

The company of Eco Age, which certifies fashion brands for their sustainability effort, initiated the #30Wears campaign to encourage people to only buy items if they really know that they'll wear them. The essential message here is that every time you are about to buy a piece of garment, you first ask yourself:  'I’m I going to put this on at least 30 times?' Naturally, if the answer is affirmative, then you should buy it.

You should try to steer away from purchasing a statement piece you know you are probably going to put on for one special occasion, and rather get something with more longevity, an item that you can imagine yourself wearing again and again. To this end, you should focus on more versatile pieces that you can style in different ways, instead of investing in a particular item that can fall out of fashion before you know it.

Choose brands that work toward sustainability

Despite the challenges, there’s still good news in the clothing industry. More and more brands are taking the sustainable road and buyers are noticing it. However, it’s important how brands differ in their sustainable practices, and as responsible consumers, we should all do some research on our own to understand this better.

Brands have a wide choice of steps to take toward sustainability, from the working conditions in their factories and the fabrics they use to their package and shipment methods. Even though a brand may support local charities, avoid plastic packaging and use recycled cardboard instead. What is more important is to consider the following aspects of clothing production: if the factories are LEED-certified and use renewable energy, if the production process uses chemicals, how water waste is regulated, how the workers are treated and if the production process involves the use of greener and upcycled materials.

Choose sustainable fabrics

Another way to make your more sustainable wardrobe choices is to choose fabrics carefully. First, avoid synthetic fabrics – these are produced with large amounts of chemicals, aren’t biodegradable and even if they were made of recycled plastics, they will contribute to the microplastic problem.

Whenever you can, choose environmentally-friendly, organic options. These too, have an environmental impact and aren't ideal, but you can make an educated choice and go for better options such as alpaca, linen, viscose, grade A cashmere and hemp.

Wash your clothes sensibly

In addition to choosing more sustainable fabrics, you can also wash your clothes more sustainably - wash them less frequently by spot washing and using natural deodorizing products. This will reduce the amount of energy and water you use and it will also prolong your clothing life span!

Also, try using colder water for washing and the shortest cycle possible. Air dry them whenever possible and try not to use your machines during peak energy usage hours. Instead of dry cleaning, choose a “green” dry cleaner.

Choose classic, well-made items

In times of fast fashion, it’s easy to get swept by the latest trends and buy cute outfits that won’t hold up in the long run. In just a few months’ time, it might lose its shape and colour, and even start fraying, so you’ll toss it away and look for something new to replace it. Instead, with only a bit more effort, you can choose garments that were produced with more care, in neutral colours and with timeless, classic cuts. This is the wardrobe that will last for years.

As the world around us rapidly changes and fast fashion keeps growing exponentially with unsustainable brands leading the way, everyone needs to step up and contribute to the global fight of protecting our planet. Hopefully, with the ideas listed here, that endeavour should not seem difficult, even for busy working people and families.

About the Author:

Jennifer Hahn Masterson is the Lead Content Strategist at Spread the Word Solutions, holding an MA degree in business communication. She is always doing her best to help her clients find their place in the ever so competitive business arena, insisting on long-term sustainability rather than on some questionable get-rich-fast scheme. You can check her out on LinkedIn.

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