Wondering how can I be more sustainable in fashion? How to transform yourself from a fast fashion junkie to a conscious consumer. Here is everything you need to know to get on the sustainable fashion ride and dress for our planet, too.
Like many of us, I used to own a lot of clothes. And when I say a lot of clothes, I mean four to five wardrobes full of clothes, most of which I have barely ever worn. From tank tops in every single color and pattern, to an excessive number of dresses for every unimaginable occasion you can think of. My wardrobes were full of clothes I didn't need and, sometimes, I didn't even want.
Although I owned all different kinds of clothes, they all had something in common: they came from fast fashion brands. I was buying new clothes almost every single week; I would spend countless hours scrolling down on ASOS, finding the best deals; and restlessly spending my leisure time in malls and shops buying new clothes from Zara and H&M. I got to a point where I wasn't buying clothes because I needed or liked them but because the deals and offers were so good, I thought I shouldn't miss the opportunity.
Living in the US 'taught' me that offers were something I shouldn't miss, and I basically became addicted to sales. The lower the price I paid for a piece, the better I felt. I got caught in a loop searching for clothes at extremely low prices, then buying them and feeling some short-term satisfaction, and then after a few days, I was going through the loop again. I became a fast fashion junkie.
And then, one day, everything changed.
Lockdown realizations
It was March 2020; the world stopped. Everyone was stuck at home. We had so much free time and so much alone time just with ourselves that it got to the point that it was uncomfortable. So uncomfortable that we started asking ourselves uncomfortable questions.
Like many of us, I was cleaning and rearranging my wardrobes to kill some time. Then, for the first time in my life, I asked the big yet very simple question, the one that changed everything for me: Who made my clothes?
From that moment on, everything changed. I questioned everything that I took for granted for so long. I started googling for hours and searching for an answer. Deep inside, I was looking for an answer that'd justify my consumption habits all these years in a way that it will give me relief regarding my ethical concerns. But this is not what I came across. Instead, I read endless stories on the unethical practices implemented in the fashion industry and the industry's terrible social and environmental effects.
The first movement I came across was Fashion Revolution. It is an activist movement created after the deadly Rana Plaza -a garment factory in Bangladesh- collapse in 2013. Their vision is to create a global fashion industry that conserves and restores the environment and values people over profit and growth. They push for cultural, policy, and industry change, and their work has been very significant, so it is definitely worth taking a look at it.
After spending many days researching the fashion industry and feeling extremely bad about my consumption habits, I came to a realization: I realized that my relationship with fashion was toxic and problematic. I clearly lost the sense of what I was buying and wearing. As a victim of consumerism, I had no understanding and connection to where my clothes came from; I realized that I didn't buy clothes consciously, so I decided to take action.
The (big) first steps
I decided to start buying clothes more consciously by researching everything beforehand, so I know what I am actually purchasing. Another important step I took was assessing my needs and realizing that I had to buy less in general and only whenever I had an actual need.
But this didn't come easily. I realized that because of 'greenwashing,' it is honestly so hard to research each company's actual practices and find sustainable alternatives. Yet, there are many apps and websites designed to help consumers who want to buy more consciously and sustainably.
Find your App
One of them is the Good on you. It gives each brand an overall score, but it also rates them separately on their actions on their animal, labor, environmental practices, and policies. For instance, Zara has an overall rating of 'not good enough,' and it scores 2 out of 5 on Planet, People and Animals.
The use of the app is very straightforward, and it has information on thousands of brands. So now, whenever I am shopping in an actual store, I just get my phone out and search for each brand in the app! It also features interesting stories and articles for you to read.
Another app that I found super helpful is Renoon. It is basically a tool for conscious fashion shoppers that lets you choose the issues that you value most -including upcycled, ethical labor, women empowerment, black-owned, and save the oceans, among others- and pairs it with your style (i.e., retro, sporty, etc.), to suggest brands and items that will always work for you and that follow the best standards of sustainability.
If you are more into designer brands or have to attend formal events such as weddings, then By Rotation is your go-to app! It is a social fashion rental platform that allows users to rent and lend their designer fashion items.
Another alternative for those of us who were fast fashion junkies and were constantly shopping is Swap Society. The app lets you swap the clothes that don't fit you or don't want anymore, and you get 'new' pre-loved clothes. So you basically consume less without compromising your style!
Lastly, Save your wardrobe is a very innovative app that lets you digitalize your wardrobe. The app helps you reconnect with the content of your wardrobe and, hopefully, to buy less as you will see your wardrobe from another perspective.
