Fast food, fast fashion, fast deliveries, fast… anything really. We’re learning it’s not great for us (or the planet), but finding budget-friendly alternatives can be a serious challenge. This week, we dive into sustainable style, and whilst overhauling your wardrobe into an eco-friendly capsule of planet-friendly joy can feel like a supremely daunting task - it doesn’t have to be!
We have a few tips and tricks to help you whittle down your wardrobe and make it easier to select more sustainable fashion choices in the future. Remember, the most sustainable t-shirt is often the one you already own ;)
Try the 30 Wears Challenge
A challenge that will help you determine what clothes you really need to buy. The concept comes from Eco Age founder Livia Firth and is based on a simple question: “Will I wear this a minimum of 30 times?” If not, then don’t buy it. This can also be a helpful challenge for clothes that you already own. If you feel like your wardrobe is becoming overwhelming then go through your clothes and ask the same question: “will I wear this another 30 times?”
Think of a wardrobe that is meant to be as versatile as possible rather than buying pieces for a specific single-use. It will be more satisfying in the long run, too. This can be a great way to build your own Capsule Wardrobe, too!
A Capsule Wardrobe has just 37 pieces designed to be worn for a variety of occasions and seasons. There’s also a lot of great tricks online to make sure you are getting the most out of your wardrobe without sacrificing creativity or personal expression.
Do your homework
It’s easy to get bogged down and feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of brands and companies, let alone brands who are making meaningless promises. They may be planting a tree for every purchase but that doesn’t mean much if it won’t offset a single T-shirt or pair of jeans. The Fashion Transparency Index is a great resource to check if brands aren’t just bragging about their sustainability goals, but actually meeting them and taking action.
Social media can also be a great tool for checking out brands and seeing product reviews. While it can take some time to make sure the reviews are honest, investigating brands yourself will help you figure out the brands you love for long term clothing and the ones that have truly planet friendly practices.
Donate your unwanted clothes
It’s easy to keep buying and let clothes pile up. A good rule is to go through your wardrobe every 6 months and if there’s something you haven’t worn- for reasons unrelated to the current weather season- then it's time to put it in your giveaway pile. Chances are you won’t even notice once it’s gone. We all have clothes that we think we love until it comes time to actually wear them. This will make sure that your wardrobe is something you will wear time and time again throughout the year.
Set a Resolution for buying clothes
A 30% off code hits your email or you see something new drop that you just have to have immediately. I know! We’ve all been there. If it feels like something that you absolutely need, we recommend just giving it 48 hours. Put it in your cart and then check with yourself in 2 days. If you still really want it, you can get it but if you’ve noticed your interest has faded then don’t buy it. Better yet, you may have forgotten about it entirely!
Rentals are back!
Another great resolution is to rent clothes or buy pre-owned clothes instead of buying new clothes. Options like Swap, ThredUP, CLOTHESfriends, Nuw, have great clothing choices from current trends to decades past and for budget friendly prices (and are all trustworthy sellers!)
What are your tricks to keep your wardrobe sustainable? Do you have any favourite planet-friendly brands? We’d love to hear more! Join the conversations via our Instagram channel, or say hi to the team at hello@thecapture.club