Shop from Home
Today, I thought I’d do something a little bit different than my typical blog post. If you’re anything like me, I’m sure you’re spending a lot of time browsing the Internet during long, quarantine days. I am genuinely afraid to know how much my daily screen-time has risen over the past two months. Since this blog is centered on sustainability and the fashion industry, I thought we could talk about three things to consider when shopping sustainably. If you don’t really know what to look for, it can feel unbelievably overwhelming to shop sustainably. So, the focus of this blog post is to provide you three things to keep in the back of your mind during your daily browsing! I know that I definitely have the itch to shop, so I might as well try and transform some of my shopping habits while I’m at it!
Do your research. Before diving into new releases, take a minute to look into the background of the brand from which you’re shopping. Many brands that have a focus on sustainability will broadcast that and maintain a high level of transparency. For example, E.L.V. Denim, a zero-waste denim brand that I have raved about before, has an entire section of their site dedicated to their sustainability practices. Before you just start adding things to your shopping cart, learn about the brand, its values and its goals.
Look out for materials. I know it sounds tedious, but if you really want to start factoring sustainability into your shopping behaviors, you must check out the materials used. Brands, and even larger sites like NET-A-PORTER or ShopBop, will outline the materials used in the details or description of the individual clothing item. Some materials to avoid include: cotton, polyester, conventional leather, plastic vegan leather and even cashmere. Some materials to embrace include: organic cotton, recycled polyester, recycled nylon, piñatex and alpaca wool. Check out this article written by Geraldine Carton (2020) for an in-depth look into the fabrics and materials to avoid and embrace when shopping sustainably.
Choose second-hand. If you have an insatiable desire to shop and you just want to dive right in, start by looking at second-hand locations. By shopping second-hand, you are giving another life to an item that would have probably just gone to waste in environmentally-damaging landfills. Sites like The Real Real and thredUP offer a multitude of second-hand items. If you’re worried about quality, most second-hand sites provide a detailed description of the condition of the items. Plus, if you have a bit of time to spare, you can seriously find some hidden treasures on second-hand sites – lots of things that have been discontinued or are from previous collections.
Now, don’t get too excited, this is definitely just scratching the surface of sustainable shopping! Other habits to consider are a one-in-one-out policy – if you want to purchase a new item, sell one that hasn’t been getting as much of your attention; or consider crafting your own “capsule wardrobe,” a finely curated collection of clothing that is actually worn. I’m sure I sound a bit righteous and I know this is all overwhelming, trust me I am in no way an expert at shopping sustainably; but I want to get better – so let’s get started.
Bye for now,
McGee