How to get that eco-chic wardrobe you’ve been lusting after

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Just admit it. You like fashion as much as me and would not want to be seen in last season’s pants. But perhaps you have been thinking of making an improvement in your wardrobe, though you’re not sure how. Perhaps you are wondering whether you can be an eco-friendly fashionista. And I’m sure you have wondered what to do with those shoes, which are a size too big, that you bought for a song at the local barnyard sale. Would you miss the daily compliments on your quirky look? I know I would. And I don’t even consider myself to be worthy of the label ‘fashionista’.

Stop buying that much. Let quality be your focus, not quantity. Some of the best wardrobes are also the smallest. Try to keep your wardrobe under 100 pieces and, whenever you buy a new item, weed your closet for anything that no longer fits, is dated or gives you bad memories. This helps you to keep it manageable, and more eco-friendly. It will also force you to mix and match your pieces, which means you’ll be able to create far more outfits with fewer pieces.

Do not wash clothing items too much. And ditch the fabric softener. They’ll last longer and you’ll save on your water bill, detergents and time. Fabric softener is not needed; it is not good for the environment and does not benefit our clothing, unless you are wearing polyester. Instead, add half a cup of white vinegar or baking soda to the rinse water as a fabric softener substitute. I have found great lists on gathering, storing, and sorting laundry, on eco-laundry and an excellent one on how to get a longer lasting wardrobe.  These article explain how often one should launder clothing and give great tips on how to launder the ecologically friendly way.

Buy organic clothing where possible. Failing that, buy natural fabrics. Most organic clothing do not have a massive carbon footprint. However, this may not be true of Bamboo, which is chemically processed.

Visit thrift stores. You can sometimes find great quality clothing at low prices; however, limit the amount of clothing you buy. Blowing your monthly budget on clothing won’t help you in any way. This type of buying does not add to the ever-growing network of clothes. Instead, you are buying what has already been made. And it’s fashionable, too. It allows you to re-invent yourself as often as you like, for much cheaper.

Re-use, re-cycle and re-invent. Sort through your wardrobe every couple of months for items to alter. Get creative and turn too tight dresses into skirts or tube tops. Add sequins to drab tops or raise an old skirt’s hemline. Or, find someone to do it for you.

Grab a couple of girlfriends who are about the same size as you, some organic vino and have a stylish clothing party. You may think that suede blazer is boring and old-fashioned, but some of your friends may have been coveting it for months. Anything that is left over can be given away to a charity, your local church, or posted on Freecycle.

Try to stay away from dry cleaning. There are many other ways to clean clothing that does not involve complicated chemicals. One of these chemicals involved in normal dry cleaning, according to TreeHugger, is perchloroethylene, which may cause one or more of the following symptoms: depression of the central nervous system; damage to the liver and kidneys; impaired memory; confusion; dizziness; headache; drowsiness; and eye, nose, and throat irritation. Makes you think twice, hey? If you absolutely must, look for dry cleaners that use a carcinogen-free process.

Hand washing garments is absolutely fine, though you could also wash it on the softest setting in your washing machine.

Buy locally produced goods. This may be a challenge at first; however, once you find local stores that sell sustainable clothing, you may not want to support those who do not care about the environment. You’ll help to keep your money in your community, which will boost your economy and give young local designers an opportunity to gain a following.

Do not chuck out the old wardrobe. You do not need to start from scratch. Do this only if you can afford to and if you know what to do with the old wardrobe. You do not offset any carbon footprint by dumping your old wardrobe.

 

Monday, June 9th, 2008 at 1:17 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.