Do you want to stop consuming fast fashion, but don’t know where to start? Well, start by deconstructing bad habits to start healthier! Do not learn to distinguish the greenwashing real efforts of transparency, traceability, responsibility and environmental commitments… and therefore being able to recognize quality garments to make last, without falling into the panel of fine speeches of the textile industry.
Here’s a 7-step instruction manual, because it’s a gradual evolution, not a magical transformation!
1. Order our clothes with clarity
According to the Pareto principle (an Italian economist), 20% of things would be responsible for about 80% of the effects. Put like this, it’s quite abstract, it’s true in many wardrobes: the vast majority of people tend to do this they always use the same 20% of their clothes to compose 80% of their looks Daily.
Which means 80% of our wardrobe almost never sees color from the outside. We always have a good excuse: we don’t dare, we don’t assume anymore, we wait for the perfect occasion… and we keep a piece of it for years “just in case”.
At that time rather than wanting to buy new clothes, it’s better to look at the dormant bottoms of our closets. Or to give them a chance by wearing them differently, finally making the necessary hem or sewing on the missing button. Or resell them so that they become money in our bank account again. Or to give to loved ones or to be recycled through the Relais terminals!
2. Learn from your buying mistakes so you never do it again
This large sorting of the dressing room must also serve as an examination of conscience: It’s time to learn from our buying mistakes. Maybe you like to buy skirts, but never dare to wear them, for example. Or that your six marinières really bleed (which only you know how to distinguish one from the other), of course… but that it wouldn’t be so useful to buy new ones, unless you want to open a museum of stripes.
This is also the time to take a good look at the raw material labels of the clothes that you have failed, but also those of the pieces that really last you a long time: if you find yourself buying new suede boots every year because you don’t know how to maintain them to make them last longer long, maybe it’s time to switch to smooth skin, for example!
3. Establish a wish list and a budget that you will (really) stick to.
Now that you have in mind what really makes up your dressing room, that you have removed the superfluous to keep only the essentials, it’s time to identify your flaws.
OK, we rarely need new clothes, sure, but you can still list what you (really) (a lot) want! That doesn’t mean you’ll buy everything right away, but it will prevent you from making impulse purchases during an unexpected window-shopping trip, hounded by friends, or a depressed evening out.
The day you come across the rare pearl on a second-hand site or a small ethical and sustainable brand, then you will make a thoughtful purchase.
You even can set yourself a budget that you can’t exceed. This can be set aside to be piled up to give you a nice piece that deserves it after several months, or even years of patience for that matter!
4. Take your measurements to avoid a wrong size
Once you’ve established your wish list and budget, Now is the time to take your measurements. This will allow you to better understand the size guides on online clothing sales sites – to choose the right one, of course. The same goes for second hand clothes which are sometimes from old collections of which sizing (the way of cutting) may have changed over the years: a size S from 5 years ago may differ from a today’s S within the same brand.
In fact, it’s better see dimensions as indicators, points of reference, rather than something definitive. Especially since it can change from one model to another, as our body also evolves, and that’s good! Size guides also don’t take into account all the subtleties of the cut, hence the importance of knowing your measurements to avoid being misled. It truly is the ultimate in clothes shopping!
5. Distinguish fast fashion and greenwashing from transparent and responsible brands
No brand will show total disregard for the environment and the health of its employees. On the other hand, gargle the slightest effort to be greener, it’s in the interests of companies… As a result, many of them use vague expressions, such as “eco-friendly”, or “eco-responsible” and other “green” which do not refer to any independent quality control or certification body.
Anyone can claim to produce “ecological”, “ethical” or “sustainable” clothing, hence the importance of external intermediaries capable of verifying and confirming or not this type of claim. It’s up to us to look further, to find certain certifications, such as “GOTS” (Global Organic Textile Standard), more reliable than a vague “organic” next to the name of a material, for example.
Since it is almost impossible to remember all the certifications by heart, it is better, when faced with a product that tempts us, to take the time to read as much information about it or about the brand, which can tell a little more in the “about” section, “our commitments”, “about” or others. Sounds like a chore, but this is also the price of a thoughtful purchase!
If the Web page dedicated to a particular item (therefore its product sheet) mentions neither the origin of the materials nor the place of production, for example, it is already a bad sign, but you can ask questions about the brand. It’s part of the service you pay for when you buy a product.
Either she can provide you with this valuable information, or you can run away if she gets in touch. By dint of being questioned about her practices, the fashion industry will have no choice but to be more transparent and accountable.
6. Extend the life of the quality clothes you own
Logically, a responsible and transparent brand that produces in good conditions and beautiful materials often gives rise to quality clothing. It’s up to you to check the regularity of the points to ensure this at the time of purchase, for example.
AND common sense continues throughout the life of the acquired garments, of course. Apart from the household linen (sheets and towels), washing your clothes cold allows you to preserve them as best as possible (leveling by the sensitive). Especially thatwe tend to wash our clothes more often than necessary. For example, since wool is naturally antibacterial, you can simply air out a 100% wool sweater between uses!
In the same logic, also consider alternation: a pair of shoes worn every day will wear out more quickly than if you rotate between several pairs. This kind of Rotating through our clothes and accessories is also more hygienic.
7. Continue to use common sense without replicating fast-fashion dynamics elsewhere
Ultimately, it’s not because we decide to hold brands and ourselves accountable that we should no longer enjoy fashion. On the contrary, a love of clothes can just serve as an engine for maintaining good habits. And avoid falling back into the wrong ones, believing, for example, that buying only used items is the door open for frenetic purchases without consequences…
It’s all very well to avoid fast fashion brands that mass-produce new collections every two weeks, but if it’s a question of treating carefully crafted, multi-certified or second-hand clothes as disposable fashion, that would be a shame!
In short, nothing really sci-fi: it’s just a matter of dressing consciously and using common sense. It’s not necessarily easy, but it’s possible, I promise!
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Source: Madmoizelle
Mary Crossley is an author at “The Fashion Vibes”. She is a seasoned journalist who is dedicated to delivering the latest news to her readers. With a keen sense of what’s important, Mary covers a wide range of topics, from politics to lifestyle and everything in between.
