From its title, you may think this blog is about being kind to your clothes, or your clothes being kind to you (making you look and feel good), but actually its about how kind your clothing is to our planet.
Have you ever stopped to think just how that cute little black dress was made? The actual manufacturing process? Who has made it? What it has been made from? Ask yourself these questions next time you go shopping.
I used to work in fashion as a stylist, and have always had a love and passion for clothes. I hate to admit, but when I was in my 20’s, I definitely had an addiction to clothes shopping. I’d have garments in my wardrobe which remained there with tags, never to be worn. This may sound extreme, but I do know a lot of people like this. We get some kind of buzz out of purchasing something new, or wearing something new.
Now in my mid/late 30’s, I can honestly say, I have evolved from this bubble I was once in. Yes I love new things, but I actually get more of a “buzz” now out of wearing garments which have been ethically sourced and created. And if you see my Instagram page, I’m often wearing the same clothes! I’m a bit of a “cost per wear” kind of girl. I still wear clothes I purchased 10-15 years ago! And I get a little buzz out of that too. I love when someone compliments me on an outfit and I reply with “I bought this in London over a decade ago!”
I also find nowadays that shopping isn’t nearly as enjoyable as it once was for me. It is actually more of a chore. There is just such an abundance of repetitive garments. I go into big department stores and think, ‘there are enough garments in this one shop to clothe our entire country!’ Meanwhile more and more of the same garments are being churned out. What is going to happen to all of these clothes? Surely they are not all going to be purchased and worn?
So what does happen to these excess clothes? Most of them end up in landfill.
Some Facts and Figures:
- Australians purchase, on average, 27kgs of new textiles each year.
- Australians discard, on average, 23kgs of textiles each year, which end up in landfill.
- Two thirds of these textiles are man made, synthetic and plastic fibres which aren’t likely to break down.
- 85% of our clothes will end up in landfill.
- 1 billion garments are made each year.
How can you and your clothing be kind?
- Invest in good staple pieces which can be worn a multiple of ways.
- Yes! You can wear something more than once! Think Kate Middleton… not afraid to wear or be seen in the same outfit more than once, twice or three times. Love your clothes so much that you do want to wear them over and over again.
- Support sustainable clothing brands. Do your research. Ask the questions. How and where was this garment made? What is it made from? What is this brand’s ethos?
- Can’t be seen twice in the same thing? Try ‘clothes swapping’ with your bestie. Or use sites like glamcorner.com.au to hire outfits for special occasions instead of buying something for a specific event which you are unlikely to wear often or again.
- Sell your pieces which you aren’t going to wear again. There are so many sites which are easy to sell on. Ebay and Facebook are great.
- Donate your good quality to clothes to charities such as Dress for Success.
- Give your unwanted clothes to someone less fortunate than you. They will really appreciate them, and give them a new life.
My favourite Sustainable Brands…
Nimble
I spend most of my week in activewear (running around being “Mum” and also for my work as a Pilates instructor). Nimble is one of my favourite brands for activewear. Knowing that each pair of my leggings has been made using 6 plastic bottles, and each of my sports bras has been made with 2 plastic bottles, makes me so happy.
The Rocks Push
This brand also uses plastic bottles to make their shorts. Predominantly a range of board shorts, for men and boys, which “clean up our oceans”, The Rocks Push sources their materials from the ocean. Salvaged marine waste and recycled plastic bottles are used to make these gorgeous boardies. My boys and my husband have several pairs. The quality is exceptional, and the prints are beautiful and beachy.
Bon
I only recently discovered this brand. One of my girlfriends had a simple white tee on but there was something about it that was different. The quality and cut was just so ahead of your average white t shirt. She told me it was from Bon, so I checked them out. I just love this label! The perfect range of simple, yet stylish basics, made from good quality linen and cotton. I have purchased a few staple linen dresses and tees which I’m living in at the moment (when I’m not in my activewear.) And guess what? This label is so kind to our planet! Designed to be “worn to death” and totally against fast fashion, Bon garments are made from organic cotton and the entire process of production from spinning to dyeing is ACO certified (Australian Certified Organic. Bon garments are also made in smaller quantities to reduce waste. Bon is also particular about ethical manufacturing. All their garments are made in Australia using proven ethical suppliers.
Please feel free to comment with any sustainable brands you know and love.
And happy Earth Day!
Em xx