The Eco-Conscious Shopper: How to Stay Trendy Without Supporting Fast Fashion

The Eco-Conscious Shopper: How to Stay Trendy Without Supporting Fast Fashion

When was the last time you paid attention to how and where clothes are made? Recently, there has been much discussion and debate about the negative social and environmental impact of fast fashion.

There are many downsides to the ultra-fast and cheap processes employed by the fashion industry, from unsafe working conditions and extremely low wages to the depletion of non-renewable resources and wastewater pollution.

Photo by Aviv Rachmadian on Unsplash

Today, we’re sharing 5 expert tips on how every fashionista can stay stylish without supporting fast fashion. If you’re looking to maximize your personal style while minimizing your social and environmental impact, read on to find out more!

1. Buy used

Someone once told us that buying second-hand is a lot like treasure hunting. You never know what you might come across while browsing at your local thrift store, garage sale, charity store, or even sites like eBay Australia.

If you like to shop frequently to update your wardrobe, but don’t want to support unscrupulous fast fashion brands, now might be the perfect time to embrace your old clothes.

Not only does second-hand shopping divert tons of waste that would otherwise go to landfill, but you can also find affordable, high-quality clothing that’s sure to wow fast-fashion brands.

Plus, thrift stores around the world offer unique vintage styles you won’t find anywhere else, so you can build a wardrobe that’s both eco-friendly and stylish.

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2. Buy Sustainable Brands

Everyone needs to buy new clothes sometimes, so when you do, focus on buying from sustainable brands. Buying sustainable + ethical brands is a great way to buy without causing environmental waste or unfair treatment of workers.

Sustainable brands pay attention to every step of the supply chain when making and selling clothing, from sourcing recycled materials to making sure workers are paid a fair wage and provide decent working conditions.

Determining which brands align with your personal values ​​may take some time and research, but rest assured, there are many great companies out there looking to do the right thing with their environments and people. If you are unsure of the value of your favorite brand, we strongly encourage you to get in touch for more information.

Alternatively, you can seek out resources like Good On You, which offer sustainable and ethical fashion brand ratings at your convenience.

3. Prioritize quality over quantity

We cannot deny that affordable prices are one of the biggest reasons why fast fashion has gained such a huge following over the past few years. Unfortunately, a low price tag isn’t always a good thing.

Fast fashion is so cheap because brands and retailers use cheap production methods that don’t protect the environment or workers. Due to quick production and cheap materials, this results in low-quality garments that consumers only wear a few times.

This doesn’t even take into account water pollution and use of toxic chemicals/dyes that have the greatest impact on resource depletion due to energy intensive processes based on fossil fuel energy.

So how do you stay trendy without supporting fast fashion? The simple solution is to always prioritize quality over quantity when shopping for clothing and/or accessories.

We always encourage conscious shoppers to buy high-quality items that will last a lifetime, rather than buying large quantities of cheap items. While this might come with a higher upfront cost, you’ll definitely save a lot of money in the long run.

Photo by Ike Louie Natividad on Pexels

3. Hold a dress change event

Sometimes sharing is the best form of caring. If you’re looking to expand your wardrobe without increasing your fast fashion profits, there’s nothing better than hosting a fun and exciting dress change.

Before ordering new clothes for a one-time event, be sure to ask your friends and family if they can borrow theirs, or if they’d be interested in swapping a few pieces from your closet.

You could even host an event—gather your closest friends and throw a dinner party, followed by a changing slumber party where you can relax while adding some fun new pieces to your wardrobe.

It’s a great way to add some (for you) new additions to your wardrobe, keep in touch with friends and family, and most importantly, keep clothes out of the waste stream.

Hot Tips: If you can’t find someone to swap clothes with, be sure to check out one of the many online Facebook groups in your area to see if anyone is willing to swap!

Photo by Sam Lion on Pexels

4. Go the DIY route

When was the last time you made something from scratch? If you’re someone who loves all things ingenious, making your own clothes can be an incredibly rewarding experience. Sewing your own clothes allows you to choose from a wide variety of fabrics, shapes, designs and textures to best suit your individual personality and style.

You’ll be able to design garments that fit perfectly and develop new skills and gain confidence while sewing. What’s more, you’ll be able to pick out sustainable or recycled fabrics designed to reduce harm through the production process, fiber properties and/or overall environmental impact.

As an added bonus, when you make your own clothes, you can rest easy knowing you won’t see anyone else wearing the same clothes as you. All kinds of not loving?

That’s it – 5 easy and practical ways to stay stylish without resorting to fast fashion. Is fast fashion a necessity for us to look good and be stylish? The answer to this question is no!

What are some of your favorite ways to stay stylish without supporting the fast fashion industry? We’d love to hear your thoughts, so don’t forget to share them in the comments section below!

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