Sustainable Saturdays: Shopping Wisely

Our modern society has become so accustomed to consuming constantly. New content is shoved down our throats every minute and it becomes addicting. It's easy to get caught up in it (I know I have) but is unhealthy. We are continuously consuming and never taking a breath. Climate change is a concrete example of how our consumption has spun out of control, it’s our world screaming “SLOW DOWN!” As much as change is hard, we have to listen. It’s difficult to imagine going from a life of Postmates or Amazon Prime to DIY (as more than just a hobby) but I think we can do it! It takes more time but it’s worth it. Here are some tips on how to try to be a more conscious consumer, think of this as your starter kit:

1. Buy less often! Fashion brands have created mini seasons within seasons and fast fashion is turning out new product practically every week. Think before you buy: How many times will you actually wear something? How long will it last?

2. Buy from sustainable/ethical clothing companies! I will be diving deeper into some of my favorites in the weeks to come but for now you can find complete lists on The True Cost's website or Sustainably Chic's. 

3. Shop at vintage or consignment stores, swap meets, flea markets etc! Start with some thrifting tips from Refinery29 or explore their website for the best vintage/thrift shops in your city.

4. BYOB: Bring Your Own Bag! I recently went consignment shopping on a trip and was kicking myself because I forgot my reusable bags. This is something you have to remind yourself about but will really pay off (it's slightly cheaper too!)

5. If you are going to buy from brands that don't have strict sustainable practices then find out which popular brands are best to consider or avoid on the Detox List by Greenpeace.

 

Again, this is just the tip of the iceberg and I'm so excited to continue to talk about this on my blog! If you have any questions, suggestions or comments feel free to send me an email.

 

Sustainable Saturdays: Keep it Clean

There is a TON of information about sustainable and ethical fashion on the internet and the fact that we all have access to it is fantastic, but also a bit overwhelming! With this series I will try to break it down into manageable parts. Each week of "Sustainable Saturdays" I will touch on different aspects of how you, as a "consumer," can do your part for sustainable fashion. This week is a quick post on how to clean the clothing you already own and love, while keeping your environmental impact small!

 

Washing Your Clothes:

-Limit yourself to washing clothes no more than once a week.

-Wash in cold water and full cycles as much as possible.

-Hand wash and line dry when you can.

-Try an environmentally friendly detergent like The Simply Co.'s or castile soap. I just bought both products (castile soap is an "all-purpose" kind of product) and can't wait to try them out!

-Wash your jeans less frequently. (This will also keep them looking their best for longer!)

 

Dry cleaning clothes:

-Find a sustainable dry cleaner that is willing to recycle your garment bags/hangers and uses non-toxic cleaners. This involves some searching but is worth it!

-Actually read your clothing labels and make sure that you are only dry cleaning the items that NEED to be.

-Take it a step further and re-evaluate if everything that says "dry clean" on the label actually does need to be. A lot of the time brands will say that a garment needs to be dry cleaned in order to keep themselves from being blamed for any damages, but if you're careful, there are probably items that can be hand washed or washed on a delicate cycle instead.

These are ways to begin thinking differently about your clothes and how you maintain them. However, like I said before, there's so much more. If you're hungry for more check out my references:

Bea Johnson has been living a zero-waste lifestyle with her family of four since 2008. Amazing. Check out her website that is chock full of information and great tips. I am working my way through her website (and soon her book) as well. There's so much to learn, and she's from my hometown no less!

Kate Ludwig is a good friend of mine and how I found out about Bea. Kate has an incredible section of her website dedicated to sustainability called Kactus Home. Kate has, and continues to inspire me to adopt sustainable practices into my every day life. I am so grateful for her encouragement and lifelong friendship.

New Saturday Series

I've really enjoyed sharing visual inspiration through my blog this past month or so but recent events have pushed me to start something new. This doesn't mean I will never do "Visual Saturdays" again but a new Saturday series is up: Sustainable Saturdays. This past week I finally watched the documentary "The True Cost". The film came out last May (2015) and it might have taken me so long to see it because I subconsciously knew that it would have a huge affect on me. I grew up in Northern California so I've never been a stranger to environmental issues but have not been exposed to the true horrors of climate change until I let myself be, recently. This documentary is possibly my worst nightmare because as a lover of fashion it's not easy to come to terms with how harmful the industry is. Fashion is the second largest industry polluting this earth, behind the OIL INDUSTRY. That information (from the documentary) was a huge wake-up call to me and it's impossible to forget that fact. All of this is to say that I'm struggling, I still love fashion but I know I need to start living in line with my values as well. Sustainable Saturday's is my invitation to anyone who wants to go on this journey with me, to find a way to keep the passion in creativity alive, while keeping this earth alive as well. In the mean time I urge you to watch the "The True Cost" yourself because ignorance is bliss but knowledge truly is power.