fast fashion is one of the worst things for the environment. from the overuse of water to wasting reusable textiles, it is slowly hurting our planet. however, there are so many ways for you to avoid the industry altogether! here i will discuss the best ways to shop sustainably.
1. shop second-hand
my favorite way to avoid fast fashion is thrifting and shopping on apps like depop and poshmark! many of these options re-sell high-end clothes or basics that you could buy on fast fashion websites. at the same time, you can find clothes that are much more unique and save money while doing it.
2. research the brands you buy from
shops that sell clothes unusually cheap like shein or fashion nova are most likely fast fashion. in addition, the workers making your clothes are in horrible conditions. support small businesses, a.k.a slow fashion, that is ethically sourced.
3. avoid certain materials
some materials are worse for the planet than others, for example, leather and fur. animal fabrics are unethically sourced and also emit tons of pollution into the atmosphere. other products like cotton use a lot of chemicals, as seen in the infographic above. choose to buy organic cotton.
4. repair, redesign, or donate
we all get sick and tired of our clothes, but don’t throw them out, even if they’re falling out. you can repair them. additionally, you can redesign them according to new trends. recently, i just added a patch to one of my old jackets that i loved. you can also try making t-shirt quilts and scarves from items you already have at home. if you can’t find anything to do with them, donate them to be bought second-hand.
5. buy less
this can be hard, especially for shopaholics like me. however, fast fashion products don’t last, which then leads us to buy more. if you buy from somewhere ethical with long-lasting wear, you won’t need to continue buying new stuff every month. additionally, don’t follow micro-trends, as they usually die out after weeks.
