How to turn our wardrobe sustainable and Zero Waste? In this new chapter of our guide we’ll find out all the suggestions and solutions to eliminate fast fashion and dress consciously.
Before starting with our various suggestions, we want to underline a very simple fact that explains in one sentence why we are talking about clothes in a Zero Waste guide: the textile industry is the second worldwide for environmental pollution.
Let’s also start from the premise that, especially in this case, consumerism rules as a king: we all own clothes in abundance and they are a lot more than what we really need.
So, before displaying any other ideas on how to live a more Zero Waste kind of lifestyle in this sense, our first suggestion is: quit buying new clothes, unless they are strictly necessary because of technical or highly specific reasons.
As we’ve said often so far in this guide, the best way to eliminate waste from our lives is to not produce them! Therefore, why should we keep on buying new clothes, when we could swap what we already have, possibly with someone who has the same taste? Swap markets, our friends’ wardrobes, clothes dismissed by our relatives, and a few interesting websites (or social network groups) are the perfect answer if we want new clothes that mirror your style without having to buy new ones.
Moreover, for those who happen to be nearby Rome, we invite you to join our Swap Parties with Nei Tuoi Panni.
Moreover, when we find ourselves wanting or needing to wear something peculiar, or a piece of clothing that we won’t wear more than once, we can always rent, or even better, borrow from friends.
If we really don’t find what we’re looking for swapping and exchanging, then choosing reused clothing – aka vintage! – is a much more sustainable kind of purchase, since we’re not buying anything new.
If we really must buy something new, then let’s not buy clothes that come from fast-fashion brands.
What does that mean practically? It means buying clothes that are made with long-lasting materials; are repairable (if the brand has a policy of actual sustainability, then it will be the first to offer to repair your damaged and/or worn-out items); are clothes made legally both in terms of work policies and environmental policies; use fabrics made with sustainable materials and produced as sustainably as possible; and utilize recycled materials. The prices of these kinds of items are much higher than those made by fast-fashion brands but, of course, their durability is considerably higher, and they are created with the intent to be bought once and last forever; not to be changed the following month or even the following week.
Moreover, fast-fashion brands make products that contain an extremely high number of toxic substances such as dyes and fabrics that get absorbed by our bodies through our skin, and in some cases via the air. We’re talking about substances that, in the long run, can lead to toxicity, cancer and degenerative diseases. One more reason to quit once and for all these kinds of clothing.
Repairing is a revolutionary act because it’s the exact opposite of single-use, the concept that nowadays, rules above us all. If an item is broken, or simply worn out and only needs a bit of reinforcement, the Zero Waste approach is to repair it, either alone or by taking it to a tailor that can help us.
To stop shopping online, especially on big e-commerce sites like Amazon or Zalando, is one of the most Zero Waste and socially useful actions that can be done. Indeed, it allows us to eliminate all at once the packaging used for shipping, the pollution involved in transportation, and helps combat mass production and workforce exploitation.
Our clothes can be full of microplastics and toxic and polluting materials, which will end up in the drain when we wash them in the washing machine, or will be absorbed by our skin. So let’s me mindful of the material that make our clothes: let’s opt for natural fibers and dyes.
With the “Who made my clothes?” Campaign, Fashion Revolution has put the attention on how workforce exploiting still is a huge problem in the textile industry. Hence, making sure that our clothes and accessories are made justly not only for the environment, but also for society, is another fundamental step to make sure to have a sustainable wardrobe.
Instead of single-use face masks, why not provide ourselves with 3 or 4 washable and reusable ones? They’re also prettier and better for the environment.
Jewels can be a source of great pollution because of the unsustainable practices with which metals have to be extracted, but also for the exploitation of workforce they imply. So, when we choose to use jewels, let’s make sure that they are made more sustainably, if not with Zero Waste techniques, using discarded materials or upcycling.
Do you have some more Zero Waste suggestions and solutions? Write us! We’ll be happy to add it to our list and inspire always more people.
Keep on exploring our guide to how to live Zero Waste, visit all the sections:
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