Where to Begin
I’ve come to realize that shopping sustainably can be quite overwhelming. I mean, here’s the issue, shopping in-and-of-itself isn’t really sustainable; but obviously we all want and need to shop. So, with all there is to know, study and understand about shopping sustainably, where do we even start? Well, I’ve put together my top five tips on how to begin to shop more sustainably.
So, let’s get to it!
One – buy less.
Listen – this is as painful of a tip for you as it is for me. I love to shop, but we simply don’t need as many clothes as we think we need. Granted, this is coming from a girl whose closet is overflowing with sweaters, but I’m trying to practice what I preach. By simply purchasing less, we make more use out of what we have, and we invest in new things that we really truly want or need. Get creative with your clothes! Figure out new ways to style your pieces. A million different outfits can be made out of only a few essential items – trust me!
Two – don’t throw things away!
Getting ready to do a closet clear out? Making room for some new things? Awesome! That is great. It’s always a good idea to live by a one in, one out mentality. But before you start shoving things into garbage bags, allow your old things to have a new life. Rather than throwing things away, donate them! Sell them online! Give them to a good friend! Pass them down to a younger relative! Just because something isn’t necessarily useful to you doesn’t mean that it won’t be useful to someone else. By giving those items a second life, we cut down on the number of new items that need to be produced and more overall items aren’t wasted. It’s a win-win!
Three – purchase secondhand or vintage.
I have droned on and on about how much I love some secondhand/vintage shopping – like here, here and here. So, I won’t dwell on the matter here; but I will say – seek out value and newness in the old rather than simply looking for the new, new, new.
Four – avoid fast fashion when and where you can.
Listen, fast fashion has its appeal… I know. For me, if there’s some particular trend or style that I’m intrigued by but unwilling to fully commit myself to, fast fashion is a great way to test it out. But look, fast fashion is not great. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, what we, as consumers, often fail to realize is that when the price on the garment is lower, it often means that the true costs are hidden in other places – like the social or environmental impact of the garment’s supply and production. Simply put – avoid fast fashion when and where you can.
Five – do your research!
You know that thing that’s always with you? That thing with the apps? It lets you call and text people whenever and wherever you want to? You know that thing? I’m sure you do. Well, guess what, that thing will also let you do some research on the go. When you’re out and about shopping for some goodies, do a little research! Look at the product’s materials and do some research on their environmental impact. Look up a brand’s sustainability practices and promises. It’ll take you two seconds – I swear! Something that is so empowering about the digital age is that we are privy to so much more access and information than ever before. Take advantage of that information! Do your research!
It’s so easy to get bogged down on the details of this material or that carbon footprint or vegan this and organic that but shopping sustainably doesn’t mean that you have to have a PhD in environmental science. Just like everything else, it’s something that you have to consciously teach yourself and remind yourself to do on a daily basis. I hope that these five tips encourage and empower you to shop more sustainably. You can do it! I promise!
Bye for now,
McGee