Sustainable fashion has become more popular over the last few years, with more seconds shops popping up, and more of the larger clothing stores including a vintage, or marketplace section on their websites. Offering their customers ways to buy clothes that either aren’t new, or perhaps would have gone to landfill sites instead. Now is the time everyone should be opting for sustainable fashion choices, ditching fast fashion and helping the planet.
Why I Won’t Be Buying New Clothes This Year
This year i’ve challenged myself not to buy any new clothes of, any kind for the entirety of 2021. Why you ask? Well that’s a very good question and it’s one i’ve been thinking about for a while now. It’s something i’ve been meaning to attempt for a good few years but never got round to doing so.
This last year with everything that’s happened has allowed me time to slow down and really think about my impact on the planet more. How my small choices could actually be helping to destroy it. I never really thought much about this before and when i did, it actually made my stomach do that flip feeling when you get nervous or anxious. I hated this feeling and decided i was going to do something about it.
Here are some of the reasons below, along with advice on how you can shop though sustainable fashion resources if you need an additional item of clothing. Do you think you could go the entire year without buying any NEW clothes?
Excess
One reason i want to do this is because i don’t need any new clothes. I have plenty i can rotate through on a weekly basis. I did a clear at the start of the year where i got rid of SEVEN bin bags of old clothes i no longer liked, needed or used. This made me sick to my stomach. I had so many items i hardly ever wore – or sometimes NEVER wore! What a waste of money for one but then it dawned on me that i was contributing to fast fashion. We buy things we really don’t need or want, instead we buy things to give us that rush.
Another reason that I don’t need anymore items of clothing is because all I really wear are lounge wear bits at home and gym clobber if I’m at the gym, or doing any form of exercise.
Fast Fashion – The industry’s textile production has a bigger carbon footprint than all international flights and shipping combined – Greenpeace.
The Environment
You might not realise it but fast fashion is one of the things causing so many issues with the environment. The wear it once mentality is so bad and unhealthy for the planet. The emissions from the factories, the fuel to get the items all over the world. Not to mention the packaging it all comes in. In the last 15 years alone the production of clothing has doubled. All thanks to fast fashion! It’s estimated around £140 million worth of clothing is sent to our landfill sites every year. That’s just here in the UK! Even when you think you’re doing a good thing and donating to charity. More than half of the clothes that are given to charity shops end up in the landfill sites as well.
The industry’s textile production accounts for global emissions equivalent to 1.2 billion tonnes of CO2 every year. That’s a bigger carbon footprint than all international flights and shipping combined – Greenpeace.
Saving Money
Another big reason i don’t want to buy more clothes this year is to save a bit of money. We aren’t hard up for cash, but i also don’t want to fritter away money either. I’d rather spend money on experiences and memories than things. Things that might get worn a few times before being sent to the charity shops – or landfill. I have everything i need when it comes to clothes so why buy for the sake of it?! Plus, who needs more than 3 pairs of gym shorts, or hoodies? Wash one, wear one, dry one – 3 is the magic number!
Minimalism
I’ve also got more and more into minimalism over the last few years. I find “stuff” and “clutter” around the house makes my mind feel cluttered too. Whereas a clean, open space allows my mind to feel free to able to relax in my surroundings. I never realised sustainable fashion could also help my mental health!
Another great reason to live a more minimalistic lifestyle is that you don’t have to spend an hour each morning trying to decide what to wear. I open my wardrobe, pick my outfit and go! It takes me maybe 3 minutes to pick my outfit each day. So it’s saves me time and money AND helps the environment too.
Keeping Old Clothes
It’s been interesting to see that since i started doing this, i take much better care of the clothes i do have and i’m really making the most out of each item. As we’ve been at home so much this year, i haven’t really cared what i look like, especially around the house. Wearing items that really don’t go together but as long as they’re comfy and clean (90% of the time), i couldn’t care less! I have done the gardening in very bizarre outfits at times. Brightly coloured old socks, a pair of my husbands old shorts (they really didn’t fit), and an old chopped off bit of a legging used as a tube top! I looked VERY weird but i was comfy and it got the job done. It’s actually kinda fun to see what you can do with old items of clothing to bring new life to them.
If we all tried to challenge ourselves not to buy wastefully, we could bring that 1.2 billion tonnes of CO2 down massively! I even saw Deborah Meaden on Dragon’s Den say she is also doing the same this year and not buying any new clothes. Instead, opting for sustainable fashion. I love that she is on the same wavelength with environmental issues and is doing her bit. As we all should be!
Other Articles You May Find Of Interest
- Simple Everyday Swaps To Be More Eco-Friendly
- 50 Simple Ways To Be Eco Friendly
- Ways To Be More Environmentally Friendly
- Why Coconut Water Will Benefit Your Health
- 10 Tips About Going Vegan – A Plant Based Diet
- Common Mistakes People Make When It Comes To Recycling
- The Benefits Of Olive Oil
- How To Make A Healthy Homemade Chocolate Ice Cream
- How To Be More Minimalistic
- 4 Easy Switches To Reduce Plastic Waste
I really want to try to do this as well!
Danielle | thereluctantblogger.co.uk