How to Keep Your Closet Sustainable AND Fashionable
~Fashion has been known for trends coming and going, but how do you know if your wardrobe can keep up with the changing fashion trends every season? The answer is slow fashion.
What is slow fashion?
The basic definition of slow fashion is that it is the opposite of fast fashion. Fast fashion encompasses the unfortunate reality that some brands (including the big names!) make their clothes unethically, whether through exploiting labour or bringing damage to the planet. Here's how you can be more aware as a consumer and curate your slow fashion wardrobe.
Thrift, Thrift, Thrift!
Buying second-hand brings one-of-a-kind pieces into your closet and helps reduce the overproduction of clothes from mass-produced brands.
Pro Tip: Make sure you allocate time to sift through all the racks when you go thrifting! Don’t have time to thrift? Campus Thrift has you covered! We offer a great alternative to thrifting in-store by bringing you thrifted finds online.
Check out our recent finds:
How do I know what brands are sustainable and ethically sourced and made?
A great resource to check is Good on You. This website gives a sustainability rating of most fashion brands to see if they are sustainable and what they are doing to continue being that way.
Do you need to keep buying to replace my closet?
One of the best things about slow fashion is that you don't always have to thrift or buy anything. Donating your clothes is another alternative to practicing slow fashion. Your closet space and wallet will thank you.
I have some pieces from not-so-sustainable brands. Do I throw them away?
You don’t have to! If you have clothes that have lasted a long time, it’s best to keep them in your closet for as long as possible. One best practice you can conduct with your current wardrobe is the 30-Day Wear Test. Try to wear your closet pieces for at least one month, and if you still love them, keep them if you don’t donate them. This will help you keep your closet organized and declutter impulse buys (we’ve all had them!)
Recently brands have noticed the consumer shift to shopping sustainably, especially in the fashion industry. As consumers, we should practice slow fashion and slowly integrate that into our closets. Whether you’re keeping clothes, donating them, or thrifting, we can all try our best to build and maintain a sustainable AND fashionable wardrobe.
