It's easy to expect clothing at a cheap price made from affordable materials when fast fashion production is so prevalent.Fashion and clothing production makes up 10% of the world's annual carbon emissions.It can be difficult to break the cycle of fast fashion, and looking for sustainable clothing can seem like a huge challenge.You can break the cycle of fast fashion and buy clothing that is made with the health of the environment in mind by researching brands and checking out their certifications.
Step 1: Make sure you know sustainable brands.
It will be easier to find clothes from a sustainable source if you have a few brands in the back of your mind.The right brands for you will depend on your personal style and budget, and there are a variety of sustainable fashion brands that you can shop at.There are a few popular ones.
Step 2: To find out how sustainable brands are, check their websites.
If you don't know what a sustainable process is, go to their "About" section to see if they talk about it.They are probably not sustainable if they don't have any information about sustainable living.There's a chance they're not sustainable even if they have a vague statement about it.Some brands will use misleading words or phrases to seem sustainable when they actually aren't, so you should also do outside research and check for third-party certifications in addition to checking a brand's website.This process uses a lot of water, so take a look at part of the "About" section on Levi's website.It used to.Levi's® WaterLess® innovations were introduced in 2011.We have saved more than 3.5 billion liters of water from the finishing process.It is clear, direct, and gives you numerical figures to back up their statement.Levi's WaterLess line is probably pretty sustainable.If a brand only has a few sentences aboutsustainability without any concrete facts or figures, you should be more skeptical.Buying from a brand you're unfamiliar with is always a good idea.
Step 3: There are major fashion companies that have sustainable lines.
Some large companies are rolling out sustainable clothing lines that use different materials and are more ethical than their normal lines do.If you're going to shop at a major fashion company, it may be better to buy from their sustainable clothing lines since they are still made by fast-fashion companies.H&M and Levi's have sustainable clothing lines.These sustainable lines may not be enough to off-set the carbon emissions put out by these large corporations.If you buy a sustainable line from a big company, you can feel better about buying non-sustainably made clothing.
Step 4: You can download the Good on You app to learn more about brands.
If you do a lot of online shopping on your phone, it might be helpful to check on brands in an app.You can find a rating of 1 to 5 on how sustainable and eco-friendly a company is by using the Good on You app.Go to the app store or the play store to find Good on You, it is completely free, so you don't have to worry about any hidden costs.
Step 5: There is a browser extension for sustainable clothing brand recommendations.
If you want to find out if a brand is sustainable, you can download the Done Good browser extension.It will help you find what you are looking for, recommend better, more sustainable brands to look at, and even give you coupon codes and deals to save you money.Done Good is completely free.The Done Good extension is available for download.
Step 6: OEKO-TEX certified clothes help reduce the use of hazardous chemicals.
OEKO-TEX checks the status of hazardous chemicals in clothing manufacturing.They have different standards for leather and woven textiles, and you can find specific brands on their website.To avoid supporting companies that use hazardous chemicals, shop for clothing with this label.The goal of this certification is to discourage the use of harmful chemicals in clothing manufacturing.Any clothing that has been certified by OEKO-TEX will have a label on it.To find the OEKO-TEX website, go to https://www.oeko-Tex.com/en/label-check.
Step 7: It is advisable to look for clothing that is GOTS certified.
The Global Organic Textile Standard, or the GOTS, is a certification that checks on the chemicals used in the production of clothing.The ethical and social responsibilities of the company are taken into account as well as the clothing packaging.You can search their website for brands and producers to see how they rank on the scale, then purchase items from companies who rank highly.To find a brand, you can use the public database at https://www.global-standard.org/public-database.
Step 8: Top brands are ranked by fashion transparency index.
Top brands are ranked by their environmental and social impact according to the fashion transparency index.In their document, you can find brands rated on a scale from 0 to 100 that are focused on transparency and telling their customers where the clothing is coming from.You can look at those brands to see if they have any clothing that you like, and you can be sure you are getting all the information about their sustainable practices.You can download the fashion transparency index for 2020 at www.fashionrevolution.org.
Step 9: Buy clothes that are Fair Trade certified to support ethical businesses.
The health and safety of the workers who make the clothing as well as the environmental impact are taken into account.Look for the "Fair Trade Certified" label on any clothing that you're purchasing online or in-person to make sure it's made with both human rights and the environment in mind.The minimum wage is ensured by the Fair Trade certification.
Step 10: The BCI logo can be seen on cotton goods.
The Better Cotton Initiative makes sure that any textile company that uses cotton is trying to become more sustainable.When buying cotton clothing, you can always check for this logo in stores or online.It encourages cotton farmers to become organic, meaning they won't use pesticides or herbicides on their crops anymore.
Step 11: There is a LWG label on the leather products.
Leather tanneries and traders are certified by the Leather Working Group.The companies are given bronze, silver, or gold based on their standards each year.It is important to look for sustainable sources because traditional leather uses a lot of chemicals and water.
Step 12: Go for fabrics that are made from recycled material.
It takes a lot of time and energy to make fabrics out of new materials.It's better to use recycled materials like fishing nets or plastic bottles instead of making new items out of them.Check out the materials on the brand's website to see if they are recycled material.Most of Summersalt's clothing is made out of recycled materials.
Step 13: Caution should be used when buying leather substitute.
It's a nice alternative for people who don't agree with leather being harmful to animals.The chemical process for turning plastic into a leather substitute is harmful to the environment and uses fossil fuels in the production.If you want to wear leather that is sustainable, consider buying second-hand.Real leather lasts longer than vegan leather, making it less sustainable in the long run.
Step 14: Make a capsule wardrobe.
If you're a woman, your wardrobe might include 10 tops, 10 bottoms, 5 trousers,10 outerwear pieces, and 5 dresses.The focus should be on neutral colors with accents.It will be easy to choose items that fit in with the rest of your wardrobe if you mix and match your pieces.You'll be less likely to grab impulse buys if you shop with intent and choose pieces with value.
Step 15: Avoid fabrics made from synthetic materials.
Plastic particles are shed into the waterways by almost all synthetic fibers.They take a lot of oil and energy to produce.Cotton, silk, and wool are natural fibers that can be used in sustainable clothing.If you need stretchy clothing, look for it made out of recycled plastic.
Step 16: Quality clothing will last.
Classic styles are well-constructed and durable when you're shopping.Fast fashion is only made to be worn a few times and these will last a long time.If you want your clothes to last longer, wash them less often and hang them to dry.If you store them in a sealed container, you don't have to worry about things like mold or moths.
Step 17: Buy second-hand clothes for sustainable fashion.
The most sustainable piece of clothing is the one already in your wardrobe, and buying something second-hand is always better than purchasing it brand new.It's a good idea to check out your local thrift store to pick up some clothing on the cheap and feel good about buying at a lower price point.You can check out online thrift stores like ThredUp and Tradesy.As sustainable clothing lines can come with a steep price tag, this is a great way to get into sustainable fashion.