What Does it Mean to Have a Conscious Wardrobe?
There is a lot of talk about sustainable, eco-friendly, and ethical fashion these days. I recently read a blog that said there is no such thing as sustainable fashion. In another article I read they argued about what is the “true” meaning of ethical fashion. It’s easy to get tripped up on these terms, let them cause confusion, and then we throw our hands up in the air and say “screw it” because it just seems too hard to do the right thing!! I tend to use the term “conscious” when describing the effort to have a more sustainable, ethical, and eco-friendly wardrobe. Because we’ll never get things 100% right. Instead, we can focus on the choices we make. Such as what we buy, where, how often, and how we treat the clothes we already own. All of this is part of creating a conscious wardrobe.
Imagine taking a look inside your closet and knowing that you’ve acquired your wardrobe in ethical, eco-friendly, and sustainable ways. It may sound daunting but it’s totally doable, once you learn a couple of important things about how clothes are made. Let’s take a look at a couple of these factors and where we can make small but easy to implement changes toward the better good.
Sustainable Brands
Many clothing companies have committed to sustainable practices which means that they design, manufacture, distribute and use their clothing in ways that are friendly toward the environment. There are way too many sustainable clothing brands to list. But a few you might be familiar with are Eileen Fisher, Nanette Lepore, Everlane, Patagonia, Stella McCartney, Reformation, and Rag & Bone.
Are these companies perfect when it comes to their environmental track record? Probably not. But what they do is go above and beyond the status quo of the fashion industry and make a conscious effort to be leaders in their eco-friendly practices. For example, they might use reclaimed or recycled materials as well as organic fabrics and dyes.
You might be thinking….that’s nice, but those brands are not within my budget. It is true that most sustainable brands are more expensive. That is because these brands are committed to things like fair labor, safe workplaces, organic and regenerative materials, and sometimes local production (i.e. made domestically in the US vs. a country like Bangladesh). While I firmly believe that it is important to support brands that have made a commitment to sustainability, I know that is just not within everyone’s reach. But, rest assured, creating a conscious wardrobe on a budget is possible!
What Does It Mean for Clothes to be Ethically Made?
Did you know that less than 3% of the clothing we Americans purchase is actually made in the US? That is down from about 50% in 1990. So if our clothes are made outside of the US, where are they made? They are made in places like China, Bangladesh, India, Vietnam, and Cambodia. So, you might be thinking… “So what? People in those countries need jobs too, don’t they?” Yes, of course. But chances are that they are not working under the same conditions as most US workers.
The collapse of the Rana Plaza factory in Bangladesh in 2013 was the world’s largest garment industry disaster ever witnessed. This tragedy that cost over 1000 deaths shed an international spotlight on garment worker conditions around the world. For example, did you know that a garment worker in Bangladesh makes a minimum wage of $95 per month? That’s less than a quarter of the living wage in that country.
(Source: The Conscious Closet)
Our demand for cheap fast fashion drives the demand that leads to these conditions. This was a really hard pill for me to swallow. For a long time, I was perfectly happy to ignore what I intuitively knew, something shady must be going on for me to be able to buy a brand new $10 blouse at my favorite fast-fashion brand. If you are anything like me, you want your wardrobe to match your values.
1. Create new outfits with what you already have
2. Cleanse your closet of what you don’t wear.
3. Cash in and fund your new wardrobe by selling what you don’t want.
4. Curate a collection of garments that you love to wear.
How To Have a Wardrobe That Matches Your Values
The best way to start is to take small steps. This is a process. But, there are several things that can be done to start to build a more conscious wardrobe, full of clothes that you actually love to wear, and that have a lesser carbon footprint. If you’re curious about how your fashion habits impact the environment, head over to my last blog post – How Bad Is It Really To Shop Fast Fashion – and use the calculator linked there to measure your impact.
To build that more conscious wardrobe, without spending a fortune, I’ve developed a 4 step process that will have you looking in your closet and being proud of what you have in there, excited to put on the clothes that you own, and confident that you’ve made a positive impact on the planet. At a high level, the process is as follows:
The 4 Cs
- Create – Start with what you already own and create new outfits with things you already have. If you need help getting started, check out the 6 Ways to Shop Your Closet guide for some tips.
- Cleanse – Do a thorough evaluation of what you own and what you actually wear. Once you’ve decided what to purge, responsibly pass on those gently used garments by either swapping, donating, recycling or selling. This brings us to Step 3!
- Cash In – It is easier than ever to sell your unwanted clothes using nothing more than your smartphone. Apps like Poshmark and Mercari are extremely easy to use. Consignment stores are another great option. You can then use these funds to move on to step 4.
- Curate – This step may take some time but it is the most satisfying, in my opinion. This is where you start to fill in the gaps in your wardrobe with quality clothing that you love. This is done by shopping second-hand, investing in higher quality and/or sustainable garments.
If you are ready to take the next step, check out the Checklist for Creating a Sustainable Wardrobe on a Budget for more specific tips and tools. Please leave a comment and let me know where you are on your journey and how I can help!