I have to admit that I play a big role in consumerism. I’m a big shop-aholic and I love to buy new things. For years it’s been pretty much all I’ve been spending my spare time on. However, lately I’ve grown up a little and started to become more aware of the environment and the effect of my shopping habits on it. I’m not trying to say that I’m very green and completely green or anything like that, but I have made small steps into become more eco-friendly when it comes to buying clothes. Therefore I wanted to share my tips and trick on how to be a little more eco-friendly while shopping if you’re not that much of a green-girl. If you’re interested in reading my tips, make sure you continue reading
Buy less!
The first tip is very simple and obvious, but it’s that you have to buy less stuff. Everything you buy has to be produced one way or another and therefore it ain’t good for the environment. If you buy less you consume less this is already a big step into becoming more eco-friendly. Of course this doesn’t mean you have to become a die-hard minimalist all of a sudden, but start off with trying to buy 25% less or maybe even more if you can!
Buy to last
Another great tip is to buy quality pieces. If you buy your clothes at stores like Primark where the quality of the pieces can be quite poor, it means that you have to buy new items much sooner. If you decide to invest a little more into a more quality item that is a bit more well-made, it might last a lot longer and therefore you won’t need to buy as much new pieces of clothing. By the way, I’m not trying to say that you can only buy expensive clothes, not at all, just look at the materials something is made of and the stitching and stuff. Primark definitely has some pieces that do last long and more high-end stores can have pieces that fall apart after a week, but just know what you’re buying!
Ethical brands vs. fast fashion
Recently I’ve read a lot about the concept of ‘fast fashion’. The two tips I’ve mentioned above do have something to do with the fast fashion industry. I find it really hard to explain the definition of fast fashion, so I decided to get some help from the internet:
Definition of ‘fast fashion – Merriam Webster (2018)
In other words, fast fashion are pieces of clothing that are very trendy and aren’t made to last. Trends change quicker than the weather here in the Netherlands, which means that these pieces won’t be worn that many seasons. Of course it’s nice to wear things that are trendy and I definitely think that you should buy these pieces if that’s what makes you happy, but think about it one more time now that you know what it actually is that you’re buying. These pieces probably aren’t going to be pieces you buy to last and more often than not the quality isn’t that impressive either. So keep that in mind and maybe try to mix timeless pieces in with your trendy style in order to be a bit more eco-friendly.
Second-hand clothing
I know that second-hand clothing is a topic not everyone agrees on, but I think it’s great. I think apps like Depop and United Wardrobe are amazing. Thanks to these apps pieces of clothing someone might not like or wear anymore don’t have to go to waste. Instead someone else can have fun with them, without having to influence the environment badly by producing another piece of clothing. Aside from that second-hand clothing is more affordable and you can make some more off of selling your own clothes. Therefore I think second-hand clothing is a win-win-win situation: better for the environment (win) – less expensive for the buyer (win) – money for the seller (win).
And well, that’s pretty much it for my tips on how to consume a bit more eco-friendly. Again I want to stress that I’m not an expert and I’m really new to this so I’m open to receive more tips and learn more about it, but this is what I learned recently and I hope that might help some of you in one way or another. Anyway, thank you guys so much for reading and let me know how you consume in an eco-friendly way!
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