How To Build A Sustainable Wardrobe
Make 2024 the year for sustainable fashion
Let’s remind ourselves that sustainable fashion is producing and consuming clothes that respect the planet by causing little to no damage, and therefore sustaining the environment. It also refers to the practice of recycling and reusing the product to extend its life.
Here’s how to create your sustainable wardrobe.
Buy less
Consider a fashion fast for a year, it’s a speedy way to realign your compulsive shopping habits. If you have to buy then make buying less and better a priority. It’s a false economy to buy several cheap, badly made garments, and fast fashion is not designed to last. When buying an item work out the cost per wear (and remember it needs to be at least 30 wears), Your investment will start to look like a bargain, especially when it’s not costing the earth anything either.
Be purposeful
Invest some time into considering every purchase in terms of:
Do I need it?
Does it go with 4 other items?
Will it stand the test of time style-wise and quality-wise?
Will I wear it 30 times?
If it’s a yes, then your well-chosen garment (and there’ll be a lot less of them which means less waste) will go with almost everything, have timeless appeal style-wise, and be a quality garment that will stand the test of time. You’ll feel good every time you wear it. The planet will say thank you and so will your purse.
Get the knowledge
It's much easier than you think to find sustainable brands because they are on the rise and they want to tell you all about their sustainable focus. And the brands that aren’t showing off their sustainable credentials need whipping into shape by us consumers. Start by being very nosey and asking your favourite brands questions about where your garment is made, who made it, and what it's made of. Be a sustainable fashion busybody and it will reaffirm your commitment to a green fashion future.
Sustainable fashion can mean a variety of things about both planetary and human impact. Here are some buzzwords to look out for: ethically produced, organic, recyclable, fair trade, living wage, cruelty-free, circular fashion, bespoke, eco-friendly. As well as offering clothing, some brands offer a lifetime repair service if you really want your garment to stand the test of time. Get familiar with the jargon and arm yourself to become a sustainable fashion warrior.
Be yourself
Clothes are your second skin - you know what you feel good in and why. There’s no need to be trendy if it doesn’t suit you, and it’s impossible to keep up with changing fashions (the average woman wears a garment only 7 times!) Go for a trans-seasonal selection of clothes that work for you all year round. Slow fashion is the buzzword here, timeless classics that suit you just the way you are.
Show off
Wear it again! And again! A piece of clothing worn for 2 years instead of 1 reduces the impact on the planet by 24%. Poorly made clothes are more likely to shrink in the wash and fall apart. Basically, save up, invest, and be a repeat offender wearing the same thing. Show off how you can shamelessly wear the same thing over and over again by getting creative with your mixing and matching. Own it!
Be curious
Become more mindful of the clothes you buy and wear, and think about why we’re compelled to shop. Consider the hands that created your clothes. The impact of your buying on the planet. Shift your sense of value from wanting more to caring more about the clothes you already have. This in turn lets you value them more and creates an emotional connection, which makes you less likely to throw them away.
Quality over quantity
We, as consumers, need to demand better quality clothing that allows the people who make it to have a better quality of life. The best way to tell if a garment is well made is to turn it inside out and look at the seams. The stitching needs to be smooth and close together for a garment to last a long time and even better if, and excuse the technical terms here, it’s a French seam or a bound seam (look them up if you’re not familiar with them - it’ll do you good to know just what goes into making up a garment just like knowing what goes into your food… become a connaisseur).
Thift shopping
With your wishlist in your pocket give yourself an afternoon of mooching around vintage shops or charity shops. It takes more of a time investment than high street shopping but the pay-off is huge. It’s one-of-a-kind clothing. You’ll find something original and unique, it's exciting, you never know what you’re going to find. Shop with your friends and make it a day out. It’s a fraction of the price and you’re keeping clothes out of landfill. Another win win.
Make friends with a good seamstress (still here!)
And when you’ve passed entry-level thrift shopping you can graduate to thrifting for altering and adjustment if the garment you love isn’t quite right. For an extra £15-20 yours truly can make almost anything fit you perfectly and will feel right at home in your new sustainable wardrobe.
About DOLLY Clothing
Diana Uprichard is the founder of DOLLY Clothing. An experienced designer, seamstress and teacher, Diana believes there’s a wealth of power in a tiny needle and thread.
From the DOLLY studio in central Lewes, Diana designs and sells her zero-waste cut-out and ready-to-sew Sewing Kits. She also provides a thriving bespoke alteration and mending service and runs sewing classes.
