You can change the world by choosing how you shop – let’s delve into a bit of fact-checking before we explain this line to you. In 1960, the average American would buy just 25 new garments a year. By 2013, that number rose to 70. These figures focus on the concept of fast fashion, the trend of bringing new styles into stores at a quicker pace and lower prices than ever before.
However, there is a serious impact of fast fashion on our earth. There is a humongous amount of textile waste, as much as 82 pounds, in America alone every year. 60% of that is made from synthetic fabrics which can not break down in landfills. Even cotton fabric isn’t much better, as it may require vast amounts of water and pesticides to grow.
However, the path to sustainable shopping is strewn with several misconceptions and hurdles. For example, whenever people think of ethical fashion, the question of affordability comes up. Most ethically sourced products are pricey. However, it may not be such a hurdle if you follow certain strategies and make shopping sustainable!
Sales to Your Rescue
The word ‘sale’ can make anyone happy in a jiffy, especially if you get your ethically sourced products there too. If you want to know when can you buy those products on sale, simply sign up for the newsletters of the ethical brands that are on your wish list. This will help you get to know about sales and special offers. Most brands also offer a one-time discount for their first-time customers.
Choose With Care
Sustainable products are very much equivalent to less. Since you go for cheap, poorly-made clothes, you may clinch a great deal, but they would have a shorter shelf-life. They either get a place in the back of your wardrobe or may end up in a landfill eventually.
When you buy new clothes, you may pay attention to the cost-per-wear of the garment. For example, you buy $95 Etiko sneakers three times a week over the course of a year bringing the cost-per-wear down to 60 cents. When you compare them to sparkly stilettos that you buy for $30, they would seem expensive in comparison! Instead, you can invest in high-quality, ethically made pieces that are not only good for the environment, but also the garment workers, animals, and your wallet.
Visit Local Thrift Stores
If you are considering a little retail therapy, then consider going for a local thrift store, charity shop, or vintage market that can give you a great bargain, that too at a fraction of the actual prices.
The other websites to visit are eBay, Gumtree, and the Facebook Marketplace. You can even consider clothes swapping, another sustainable way to get pre-loved fashion. Just remember that you may not be able to buy everything you like, so swapping is the next best option for you! This way you can get clothes you have been eyeing for a while at a much lesser price and also be able to get a lot of clothes without emptying your pockets.
Sort Out Your Wardrobe
Most women only use 40% of the clothes they have in their wardrobe. So, the next time you stare at your wardrobe and think about what will you wear, sort it out as well. Who knows you may unearth some veritable gems – ones you had completely forgotten about.
Pile up your clothes in neat rows. Sort them out into categories where you separate the row for the ones you may keep, a row for ones you may like to donate, and one row for those you may want to sell. Save money for the next ethical purchase and slowly but surely you’ll be able to boast of a true-blue ethical wardrobe.
So, there you go! These are some of the best tips to go easy on your bank account and your environment simultaneously. Yes, you can achieve both by going for ethical shopping. You can also rent your clothes from some great renting stores where you can choose a product, pay for it, and then return it after having worn it. Isn’t that great?
Are you someone who is an ethical shopper? Well, if you are, then let us know how you shop for ethical products? Do you shop via apps or do you swap products? Share with us in the comments section below!