With all the space in our apartments and houses, one place we always happen to find clutter is within our closets. Whether your closet is full of donation bags or current clothing obsessions, we all want our closets to be as organized as possible. I’ve previously shared how to actually complete the task of decluttering your closet, but another factor to keep in mind is the environment. With the clothing industry being a large factor in climate change, it’s important that we all try to take the necessary steps in having a green wardrobe. It can be a bit intimidating to try and balance a love of fashion with helping the environment, so go easy on yourself! It may not be realistic to ditch your favorite stores entirely, but there are small changes you can make that will still contribute to the collective goal. Keep reading to find out how to keep your closet both organized and eco-friendly.
Outfit Details: Topshop jeans, tee, and coat | Sam Edelman boots
Evaluate Your Current Clothes
Now that spring has arrived, you may get the itch to do a little spring cleaning. While going through your closet this year, evaluate your current selection of clothes. Consider which of your clothes are your must-keeps, the ones you’re willing to donate, and the ones you’re unsure about. When deciding about the clothes you’re unsure of, determine first if they fit you properly, if they match your current style, and if you could see yourself wearing them in the future. The undecided pile is usually the most difficult one, so complete a second review once they’re all sorted. This should be enough to help you decide which clothes you want to keep versus the ones you’re willing to donate. While you can go to your local thrift store to donate your clothes, an alternative is to sell your unwanted clothes online. That way, you can quickly get rid of all your unwanted clothes within one single drop-off and there’s an added bonus of getting paid for your previously loved items!
Consider Thrifting For Your Next Outfit
There will always come a time when we’re in need of a few new items. The next time you feel like you could use a clothing refresh, go the thrifting route instead of buying brand new clothes. Not only will you be able to find clothing for any style you may have and for almost half the price, but you’ll likely be buying items that have only been worn a couple of times, making them practically new. No matter where you live, there are likely a couple of thrift stores or Salvation Army’s within your area. I scored big a few years ago at a Buffalo Exchange in Austin and walked away with $18 Giuseppi Zanotti heels! If you live in a smaller town and options are limited, you can also browse online thrift stores for your next search!
Shop the Right Brands
Since thrifting can be a bit of a hunt at times, another way to be eco-friendly is by shopping for clothes from eco-friendly brands. Finding brands with an eco-friendly and sustainable mission is the best way to find new clothes completely guilt-free. These kinds of clothes are often fair trade and use eco-friendly, sustainable and/or recycled materials for their clothing production. When looking for these kinds of brands, they’ll usually have some sort of mission statement available, making it clear what their methods are and if they’re an eco-friendly company. Sustainable fashion brands are often a bit on the pricier side, but there are resources out there, like Conscious Fashion Collective, that sort by price point so you can find a brand that fits your budget. Re/Done is a personal favorite for basic t-shirts at a great price.
Take Good Care of Your Clothes
Whether you have more quality over quantity or quantity over quality, we all want to keep our clothes in as good of shape as possible. Things like stains or excess laundry running can do harm to our once beautiful clothes. In order to preserve clothing, try to wear your quality items on an as-needed basis. When you get those inevitable stains, don’t give up on the piece of clothing, always have a tide-to-go stick with you or use a handy guide for removing common stains. Imagine all the water and laundry detergent you can save by only washing clothes that actually need to be washed. Many times, we get in the habit of throwing clothes in the washer that have only been worn once. If you only throw clothes in the washer that are actually dirty, you’ll be able to save not only energy, but your clothes will remain in better shape and not look worse for wear.
This is my favorite tip to practice because it’s easy on the environment and your wallet! If your clothes remain in good condition for a longer period of time, you have a decreased need to go out and buy more clothing. For example, the clothing featured in today’s post are all pieces I’ve been able to keep for well over a year simply by handling them with care!
What practical tips do you have to being more eco-friendly in fashion?
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