Eco-conscious consumers find buying clothes to be a very daunting task. Everyone knows that the way it uses leather, animal furs toxic chemicals and how it exploits labor in different parts of the world, the fashion and textile industry constantly wreaks havoc on the environment.
While there are several fashion brands that claim to be ‘sustainable’ and use recycled materials or organic cotton, you can never say that they’re 100% eco-friendly. That’s the reason why even big names like Brioni, Christie’s and Leonardo DiCaprio can be seen teaming for the environmental cause.
So, how you as a regular, concerned consumer can be fashionable yet eco-friendly at the same time? Let’s tell you how.
Shop and wear second-hand clothes
The core idea is to create the least amount of waste, and hence shopping in your brother’s closet isn’t too bad an idea. And if you’re someone who is fond of vintage clothing, how about venturing into your dad’s?!
Shop smart if you wish to buy something new
While such clothes may be more expensive than the second-hand kinds, high-quality basics created from sustainable fabrics and organic dyes are far easier on the planet compared to the trendy and cheap pieces that can come apart after only a few washes.
Carry out some research on the Internet and locate a few good eco-conscious brands you can depend upon. Here’s a list of 10 best sustainable and ethical men’s clothing brands for you.
However, as also emphasized earlier, buying from a green label doesn’t automatically imply that you’re buying from an environmentally responsible brand. Hence, your research needs to be good. It has to be a collaboration like this one for instance.
Apart from shopping smart, you must also buy something only when you need it, rather than on impulse.
Extend your clothes’ life
This also includes taking great care while washing your clothes, and always using cold instead of hot or warm water on them. You must also hang dry your clothes as it’s a much gentler method of drying compared to tumble drying. What more, the former uses lesser energy too. Also, whenever you find any holes or rips in your clothes, don’t head off to buy new ones right away. Instead, try repairing them at home or have them fixed from somewhere else.
Donate or recycle
An average American citizen trashes close to 70 pounds of clothes per year (as also highlighted in this article). Going by the 2012 figures, 14.3 million tonnes of textiles were produced that year, which is equal to 5.7% of solid waste. Therefore, whenever you feel the need of cleaning out your closet, you should donate or recycle your clothes, rather than just throwing them away. Many reputed brands are even open to taking back their items for recycling purposes.
Go local
Even if the artists and designers in your community are not eco-conscious, it’s any better to support them than buying from some chain store. Such retail chains often outsource their production to third-world countries that exploit their labor or care least for the planet.
