A Beginner's Guide to Sustainable Fashion and Ethical Shopping
In a world where fast fashion is becoming increasingly prevalent, it can be overwhelming to know where to find clothing brands that prioritize sustainability and ethical practices. Understanding how you can make ethical shopping choices is essential if you want to reduce your environmental footprint, support fair labor practices, and make more mindful purchases. Here are a few tips to get started on your sustainable fashion journey.
What makes clothing sustainable?
First, it’s important to understand what to look for when assessing the overall environmental impact of an article of clothing. Sustainable fashion focuses on reducing the negative environmental and social impacts of the fashion industry. This includes prioritizing materials that are organic, renewable, or recycled, as well as opting for production methods that minimize waste and pollution and using less wasteful packaging materials. By choosing sustainable brands, you are supporting their commitment to lower their environmental impact throughout the clothing manufacturing process.
What makes clothing ethically made?
There are many factors that go into ethically made clothing, including ensuring fair labor practices, which means that workers receive fair wages, safe working conditions, and reasonable hours. When you shop ethically, you actively support workers' rights and discourage exploitative practices often found in the fast fashion industry. It’s about choosing companies that value their workers and supply chain, ensuring all stages of production are ethical and transparent to consumers.
How can I identify if a brand is ethical and sustainable?
Identifying sustainable clothing brands can be difficult, but a few indicators can help:
Look for certifications like Fair Trade or Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) which verify brands’ environmental and social practices.
Look for items made with more sustainable materials, including organic cotton, hemp, bamboo, recycled polyester, and Tencel. These are often less resource-intensive than conventional cotton and synthetics.
If you’re stuck, check out EthiCAL Apparel's shop! We are a fair trade certified brand that also prioritizes choosing sustainable materials like organic cotton and secondhand t-shirt blanks for our designs. Additionally, we donate 60% of our profits to a local nonprofit each semester, which means you are supporting a brand that prioritizes sustainability and ethical labor practices, as well as our nonprofit partner for the semester.
Tips for Building a Sustainable Wardrobe
Transitioning to a sustainable wardrobe doesn’t happen overnight, but it’s important to know that small steps can make a big difference.
Instead of impulse buys, look for versatile, timeless pieces you’ll wear often and love for years.
Shop secondhand from thrift stores, consignment shops, and online resale platforms which are great for finding unique, affordable, and sustainable fashion.
Quality pieces tend to last longer, which reduces waste and saves you money in the long run.
Sustainable clothing and ethical shopping are not just trends—they’re powerful ways to make a positive impact on the environment and on workers' lives. Good luck on your sustainable fashion journey!
