Staying On Trend Sustainably!

Trends and sustainability are not words that you expect to see next to each other. Some would argue that fashion and trends are part of the problem rather than the solution. However, just because you want to dress sustainability doesn’t mean you have to fill your wardrobe with dowdy items. The truth of the matter is it is possible to be sustainable and on-trend too. Read on to find out how.  

Picture found at Pixabay – Licence CC0

Using ‘wear’ as a deciding factor 

You may well remember asking your parents or a specific item as a teenager that you thought was the coolest thing on the planet. Only to be rebuffed because it was not a practical option, and you would not get enough wear out of it! Indeed, this idea of ‘wear’ is a significant one when it comes to sustainable fashion. Wear being the number of times you can use each item during its lifetime. 

Of course, the more wear you can get from a single piece, the better because it means you won’t have to replace it as fast with a newly bought item. 

It’s super simple to work out the wear/value calculation as well. All you need to do is divide the price by the number of times you are likely to wear the item. For example, if you have a pair of flat canvas shoes that you are likely to wear daily in the summer, you can divide their original price by 90 (3 months). Of course, the lower the result, the better value and more wear you are likely to get from the fashion items you buy.  

Go capsule

A capsule wardrobe is built of a few good quality pieces that work well together and can easily be mixed and matched with others to keep you on-trend. 

There are some fabulous benefits in terms of sustainability in choosing a capsule wardrobe. The first is that you don’t have to buy as many clothes, which can be very freeing from a choice and laundry perspective too. It also means using fewer resources in fashion production. Not to mention that in the longer-term less waste will end up in landfills as well. 

Additionally, when opting for a capsule, you don’t have to have a separate wardrobe for different seasons. Instead, you can choose classic pieces like these beautiful dresses that you can mix up with other items in your closet for warmer or colder days. 

Taking care of your clothing 

Learning how to take care and mend your clothes is essential if you want to stay on trend in the most sustainable way. Of course, most of us can sew up a rip or move a button if the situation calls for it. However, some of the more advanced tasks like hemming an item or even taking clothes in or letting them out can seem a little daunting. 

The good news is that there are plenty of simple and easy to follow tutorials online to help you learn this sort of stuff. Oh, and if all else fails, finding a good tailor or seamstress in your area can get you out of a jam quickly. In fact, by having a good seamstress or tailor on your books, you can extend the life of the clothes in your wardrobe by having them altered to reflect the cut of the season. Something that means you will always be on-trend while being as sustainable as possible. 

Be in the know 

Finally, when it comes to sustainability in fashion, it’s an excellent idea to get as educated as possible. That is to learn about the different types of fabrics, such as viscose and cotton, or bamboo alternatives. Be sure to look into how the various initiatives that many fashion retailers are implementing to offer more sustainable, responsible clothing as well.  

You will find that high street stores such as H&M and M&S have a sustainable range. While super trendy sellers like Monki also have a cotton range called Monki Cares. Also, there is a lot more choice when it comes to more environmentally friendly clothes then there has ever been before. Just make sure that all that choice doesn’t mean you stray away from your goals of buying less of better quality! 

Upcycle or donate unwanted items  

Finally, once a garment has come to the end of its usefulness, you don’t need to throw it away. Instead, one option is to cut it up and upcycle it to make other items from headbands, dusters, or clothing items for the kids. 

Alternatively, consider donating items that you no longer want to charity shops, donation banks or attend a swish. Then your fashion will get an entirely new lease of life rather than ending up in landfills, and there is nothing more sustainable than that! 

*Collaborative Post