How to create an ethical wardrobe?
My previous post was a brief introduction to what an ethical wardrobe is?
and to get an idea of how our fashion choices affect the environment?
I'll be using Ethical and Sustainable interchangeably for this series of posts, though they are two very different concepts.
(A post specifically to talk more about this difference will be coming soon! )
So once we have understood what an Ethical wardrobe is,
creating it should not be very difficult. I have listed below few pointers to get you started!
1. Take a nice look at your existing wardrobe.
Just because you are creating a new wardrobe, does not mean you have to get rid of the old and go on a mad shopping spree!!! Exactly the opposite in fact.
Open your closets, and check out all the clothes that you already own. There might be few gems lost and hidden away somewhere inside! Do you wear them all? Are there certain pieces kept for ages and ignored?
well, it is time to clean it all up, give away the clothes that you no longer wear and are in wearable condition.
Some may be in good condition and just need a little touch from your local tailor, get it altered, a little fitting here or maybe a little loosing up there and it is as good as new.
2. Repair and Reuse.
Repair the small tears or loose stitches cause of which you have not been able to wear your fav pieces and get them back in your daily wear.
Clothes that are beyond the wearable condition, give it a go at DIYing it,
you can find some really amazing tutorials online!
3. Buy less, Choose well.
Go shopping only if you have to and need to, I know the 70% sale sign or the Buy 1 get 1 free deals all seem so irresistible.
But what we don't pay attention to is the quality of the clothes that we buy, is it stitched well, if the fabric of good quality or are these just going to get torn after few wears.
Such impulse shopping only encourages the garment manufacturers to produce more low-quality garments, in subpar conditions of workers, they also put to use practices which create more waste and care less about how it is treated or disposed off.
( I know sad state of affairs. )
4. Try out Thrift shops or Vintage Shops.
Can't control that itch to shop, try out second-hand shops or vintage shops. As the saying goes, one man's food is another man's poison or the other way round, basically don't be quick to judge those pretty pre-owned pieces. Sometimes we get tired of wearing clothes which might be in a perfect condition and these clothes go up for sale. There is no shame in buying second hand. Yes, they are Cheaper, that is a plus!!!
Buying a second-hand cloth means saving that piece of clothing from going to landfill and polluting the environment.
5. Shop Local.
When we buy local, we help in reducing the pollution caused by transportation, empowering someone in our community and give back to the society and doing our little bit.
When I say Shop local, I don't mean, shops which get cheap stuff from a different city and sell it in ours. Shop Local products by local people or designers who use their traditional skill of weaving or embroidering or use fabrics that are locally made and manufacture clothing locally. This saves on transport pollution and creates a livelihood for the local community and also keep a tradition alive which otherwise seems to be vanishing in this fast fashion world.
Creating and maintaining an Ethical closet is all about thoughtfulness, towards out clothes, toward our surrounding, towards the people who make them. It is not something we buy but something that we feel.
how responsible do we feel about our fashion purchase choices?
about our discarded clothes.
Being ethical and sustainably ffashionably is a process which takes time, it isnt something we one fine day decide and get it from a shop.
The first step is being aware of the problem
Second, understand how our actions are contributing to the problem
third, evaluate how can we stop, find substitutes and solutions.
fourth, start taking those action, take those baby steps.
And in this entire process be easy on ourselves, I understand old habits die hard,
but keep trying. Dont be harsh on yourself when you can't resist
Focue on need than on want.
Putting an end to this dark side of fashion is in our hands. leaving behind a better earth for our next generations is in our hands.
(Note- I am not an expert, just a novice like probably anyone else reading this post right now, trying to get a better understanding about sustainable fashion and sharing the little knowledge I have! )
You can find the part 1 & 3 of this post
Here for Part 1
&
Here for Part 3
My previous post was a brief introduction to what an ethical wardrobe is?
and to get an idea of how our fashion choices affect the environment?
I'll be using Ethical and Sustainable interchangeably for this series of posts, though they are two very different concepts.
(A post specifically to talk more about this difference will be coming soon! )
So once we have understood what an Ethical wardrobe is,
creating it should not be very difficult. I have listed below few pointers to get you started!
1. Take a nice look at your existing wardrobe.
Just because you are creating a new wardrobe, does not mean you have to get rid of the old and go on a mad shopping spree!!! Exactly the opposite in fact.
Open your closets, and check out all the clothes that you already own. There might be few gems lost and hidden away somewhere inside! Do you wear them all? Are there certain pieces kept for ages and ignored?
well, it is time to clean it all up, give away the clothes that you no longer wear and are in wearable condition.
Some may be in good condition and just need a little touch from your local tailor, get it altered, a little fitting here or maybe a little loosing up there and it is as good as new.
2. Repair and Reuse.
Repair the small tears or loose stitches cause of which you have not been able to wear your fav pieces and get them back in your daily wear.
Clothes that are beyond the wearable condition, give it a go at DIYing it,
you can find some really amazing tutorials online!
3. Buy less, Choose well.
Go shopping only if you have to and need to, I know the 70% sale sign or the Buy 1 get 1 free deals all seem so irresistible.
But what we don't pay attention to is the quality of the clothes that we buy, is it stitched well, if the fabric of good quality or are these just going to get torn after few wears.
Such impulse shopping only encourages the garment manufacturers to produce more low-quality garments, in subpar conditions of workers, they also put to use practices which create more waste and care less about how it is treated or disposed off.
( I know sad state of affairs. )
4. Try out Thrift shops or Vintage Shops.
Can't control that itch to shop, try out second-hand shops or vintage shops. As the saying goes, one man's food is another man's poison or the other way round, basically don't be quick to judge those pretty pre-owned pieces. Sometimes we get tired of wearing clothes which might be in a perfect condition and these clothes go up for sale. There is no shame in buying second hand. Yes, they are Cheaper, that is a plus!!!
Buying a second-hand cloth means saving that piece of clothing from going to landfill and polluting the environment.
5. Shop Local.
When we buy local, we help in reducing the pollution caused by transportation, empowering someone in our community and give back to the society and doing our little bit.
When I say Shop local, I don't mean, shops which get cheap stuff from a different city and sell it in ours. Shop Local products by local people or designers who use their traditional skill of weaving or embroidering or use fabrics that are locally made and manufacture clothing locally. This saves on transport pollution and creates a livelihood for the local community and also keep a tradition alive which otherwise seems to be vanishing in this fast fashion world.
Creating and maintaining an Ethical closet is all about thoughtfulness, towards out clothes, toward our surrounding, towards the people who make them. It is not something we buy but something that we feel.
how responsible do we feel about our fashion purchase choices?
about our discarded clothes.
Being ethical and sustainably ffashionably is a process which takes time, it isnt something we one fine day decide and get it from a shop.
The first step is being aware of the problem
Second, understand how our actions are contributing to the problem
third, evaluate how can we stop, find substitutes and solutions.
fourth, start taking those action, take those baby steps.
And in this entire process be easy on ourselves, I understand old habits die hard,
but keep trying. Dont be harsh on yourself when you can't resist
Focue on need than on want.
Putting an end to this dark side of fashion is in our hands. leaving behind a better earth for our next generations is in our hands.
 |
| Beginners Guide to a Ethical Wardrobe. |
(Note- I am not an expert, just a novice like probably anyone else reading this post right now, trying to get a better understanding about sustainable fashion and sharing the little knowledge I have! )
You can find the part 1 & 3 of this post
Here for Part 1
&
Here for Part 3
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