How eco-conscious shoppers can build an ethical wardrobe
In 2022, Hot or Cool published a report claiming that a planet-friendly wardrobe should contain no more than 74 items.
This equates to around five new clothing items per year - which, for many people, is a tough rule to follow.
However, the fast fashion industry is responsible for 92 million tons of clothes-related waste each year, with 57% of all discarded clothes ending up in landfills.
Adopting an ethical wardrobe is both a fantastic and challenging choice. Some people may find it surprisingly easy to adapt, whereas others who enjoy shopping as a hobby might struggle early on.
The key to building an ethical wardrobe is knowing how to spot sustainable brands and saying goodbye to clothes that have long outstayed their welcome.
In this guide, we’ll look at the key steps to building your ethical wardrobe to help you become more eco-friendly (and even save some money)!
Do your research
Becoming a conscious shopper begins with thorough research to inform your decisions. Knowing how to identify sustainable brands and where to find them are the first steps.
Genuinely eco-friendly brands shouldn’t be hard to find, as most sustainable brand’s credentials should be easy to find, like Patagonia, House of Dagmar and Pact Apparel.
When choosing your brands, choose ones that resonate with something close to your heart. For example, Patagonia partners with grassroots organisations to restore lands, air and waters to a state of health.
Don’t be afraid to engage directly with brands on social media, too. Message them to ensure their brand aligns with your values.
Define your style identity
Before you start buying and recycling clothing, it’s important to think about your style and how your new ethical wardrobe will fit into this.
The more versatile your style is, the easier it is to make a new wardrobe. Look for pieces that work across all seasons and merge well with different outfits. Ideally, you want to create a ‘capsule wardrobe’, which means buying items that mix and match well together but create different looks. For example, you could buy three pairs of jeans and six different tops that all work together.
Capsule wardrobes have up to 30 clothing items - but they aren’t necessary for an ethical wardrobe! The key is to find pieces that align with your style that allow you to be versatile, stylish and eco-friendly.
Assess and recycle your current wardrobe
Regardless of how you feel about your current wardrobe, there will be items you want to keep. Like a good pair of jeans, a neutral-coloured jumpsuit and white trainers are some examples of adaptable clothing.
The key is assessing what needs to stay and what needs to go. Be ruthless about this because the whole point is to create a wardrobe that you enjoy and will stand the test of time.
When assessing, separate your clothes into piles for keeping, reselling and donating. You can also do this for vintage jewellery and shoes too. This way, none of your items go to waste. Try to keep clothes made from quality materials, like silk, linen, and organic cotton.
By the end, your wardrobe should be looking cleaner and more versatile.
Invest in quality over quantity
Building an ethical wardrobe isn’t about never buying any clothes again; it’s about buying sustainably made clothes that will last longer.
The words ‘want’ and ‘need’ are important at this stage. Before building your wardrobe back up, think about what clothes you need. Bulk ordering clothes for those ‘just in case’ moments will waste time, money and space in your wardrobe.
A good test to see if clothing is made to last is by gentle pulling at the seams. If it’s easy to pull out threads, it’s likely lacking in quality.
Tip: Generally, look for organic cotton, leather, linen, wool, silk and hemp.
Embrace secondhand fashion
When you buy secondhand clothing, not only will you find yourself a bargain, but you will keep items in circulation instead of ending up in landfills. Saving money has the added benefit, but you may also find some hidden gems.
Thousands of vintage pieces make their way into charity shops every year, and some are made from quality materials and can be bought for extremely reasonable prices. Plus, keeping clothes in circulation for just nine months can reduce their carbon, water and waste footprint by 20-30%.
Next time you’re on the high street, pop into your local charity shop. You might be surprised at the quality of clothing on offer.
Borrow expensive items
Just because there’s a wedding or a big event on the horizon doesn’t mean you need to go out and buy a new outfit. Doing this can become expensive and wasteful, considering you may only wear these items once or on very special occasions.
So, instead of spending much on a wedding outfit or vintage jewellery, consider asking your friends and family if you can borrow theirs.
Borrowing items makes your life easier, more cost-effective, and reduces environmental impact.
Take care of your clothes
Taking care of your clothes properly will help them last longer. Yes, clothes made well from natural materials will last longer, but if you mistreat them by washing them at high heat, using ill-suited detergents and over-ironing, their quality will begin to fade.
To ensure you don’t need to keep restocking your ethical wardrobe, be sure to tick off the following points:
- Only wash when necessary - overwashing can lead to colour fading.
- Check your labels before purchasing - understanding the fabrics of your clothing can help you care for them better.
- Avoid clothes that require dry cleaning - dry cleaning can be expensive and inconvenient.
- Use friendly detergents when washing - find an eco-friendly detergent that doesn’t contain harmful chemicals and ideally, comes in sustainable packaging.
- Avoid ironing when you can - over time, ironing can alter the shape and feel of clothes, so try to occasionally hang them up in the bathroom while having a hot shower.
- Hang your clothes properly - buy solid wooden hangers to help retain the shoulder shape of your clothes.
- Store your clothing properly - folding and storing your clothes in a cool and dry environment will help keep them in good condition.
Cherish your ethical wardrobe
Building an ethical wardrobe might seem hard initially, but sustainably redesigning your wardrobe can be an incredibly cathartic experience. Even small adjustments can go a long way to helping protect our environment.
So, get out there and begin building your ethical wardrobe!
