November 17th, 2021 | Updated on April 13th, 2023
If you’re interested in joining the slow fashion movement, you’re probably aware of the significant damage that clothing production causes the environment.
By taking gradual steps away from this way of producing clothing, sustainable clothes can be introduced with as much pizzazz and style as standard clothing. Here are five ways to support slow fashion and the movement toward environmental sustainability.
1. Know Your Brands
By making the decision to only shop from brands with sustainable clothing, you reduce your footprint and encourage ethical clothing production. Without the need for new production of materials and the waste they generate, the environment benefits from a reduced carbon footprint.
You can find sustainable items at thrift stores like shoes made from recycled plastic or vegan dyed fabrics, as well as eco-friendly wardrobe staples. You can support the movement by buying from ethically-conscious brands that put effort into protecting the planet and its future.
If you’re unsure of which clothing brands sell primarily sustainable goods, look at the tags of the clothing items you’re considering and look for labels that say ‘cruelty-free’, ‘sustainable’, etc. You can also shop around for a brand you like and review their production process on their website.
2. Wear Your Clothes For Longer
Every small step that you take to help the environment leads to a bigger impact. By making the decision to wear your clothes for longer, you reduce the amount of waste that is disposed of in landfills.
With less waste, the environment stays healthier, you save money, and everyone benefits. A good rule is to try wearing your clothes for another nine months before replacing them. In doing so, each person can reduce their carbon footprint by at least 20%.
3. Buy Green Fashion
As part of the sustainable clothing movement, green fashion is recycled fashion that is upcycled and resold for consumers. You can support green fashion by donating your gently used items and buying those that are for sale in the stores. Upcycled fashion is a creative process where old clothing is restored using sustainable materials.
4. Buy Only The Essentials
By limiting the items you purchase to only clothing essentials, you reduce the overall demand for clothing production. You can make sure that the sustainable items you buy are durable enough to hold out all year long.
You can find many trans-seasonal fabrics and the biggest fashion trends utilized in recycled fashion, making the shopping easy for you and easy on the environment. You’ll want to stick with items you can count on all year, like jackets, jeans, t-shirts, sweaters, and walkable shoes.
5. Stop Shopping Retail
As more and more people make the switch to sustainable clothing, retail stores will have less reason to stay in business. This can significantly reduce the environmental toxicity load.
Replace your retail stores with sustainable alternatives. Look for local thrift stores, consignment shops, and yard sales that sell secondhand goods.
To reduce the demand for traditionally sourced clothing, you can make the decision to stop shopping at retail stores altogether. By neglecting to purchase from stores that partake in clothing production that has negative consequences for the environment, you reduce the consumer demand, and therefore the overall global footprint.
The Bottom Line
Supporting slow fashion means accepting that you’ll buy less clothing and wear your wardrobe staples for longer before making new purchases.
Additionally, the costs associated with upcycled fashion could or could not be more expensive than brand-name goods. But by making these changes, you are doing your part as a global citizen to improve the future of the planet.
