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August 01, 2021 4 min read

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Ethical Fashion: 5 Eco-friendly and Sustainable Ways to Stay Fashionable

Living environmentally conscious and adapting a zero waste lifestyle is not only about taking your own container to restaurants for takeaway, or eliminating household plastic from your home. It also goes into everything else like fashion choices.

The fashion industry ranks second after the oil industry, in the amount of pollution it produces yearly. It’s not just that we throw out clothes— the sourcing of some materials and production systems are not eco-friendly.

Does this mean that zero wasters should numb their fashion sense or live naked for the sake of the environment? No. All you have to do is to give more thought to your clothing and fashion choices.

Here’s how to get a handle on it.

Ethical Fashion: 5 Eco-friendly and Sustainable Ways to Stay Fashionable

1. Pay Attention to the Brands You Wear

All fabrics are not bad for the environment. However, apart from the fact that landfills are full of clothes that people throw out with every shift in fashion trend and change in season, some brands have not adopted ethical and sustainable production practices.

Your wardrobe might be full of fabrics from big and popular, yet unethical brands. They cut down so many trees, kill animals, use too much energy and too much water in their processes. Most of the fabrics they make cannot even be recycled. Hence, supporting and patronizing such brands would mean contributing to environmental degradation.

This does not mean that you should start buying from inferior brands that you do not trust. You should check out your favorite brands and find out their stand on ethical fashion and sustainability.

If they are yet to make the necessary shift. Search for other quality brands that have cued into eco-friendly and sustainable fashion. There are so many of them—you’d be surprised at how much you were missing out on.

2. Need to Buy Materials? Shop Informed

If you need to shop for fabrics, you must realize that all fabrics are not made the same way. And as long as ethical and sustainable fashion is your focus, you have to factor in what and how fabrics are made before buying.

Some good sustainable materials include: organic cotton, bamboo, linen, wax, wool, hemp and recycled nylon.

3. Try Vintage from Your Wardrobe and Swapping

‘REUSE what you can’ works here too. In fact, it is one of the best ways to promote sustainable fashion.

Buying second hand clothing might not sound appealing at first but you get unique, cheaper and vintage options. Think of how much you’ll be saving and how much less new clothes that will be produced if a few of us made this choice. Plus, vintage is classy.

Another really cool way is to swap with other people. This way it will not look like you’re wearing the same pieces of clothing over and over again. It will even give you the opportunity to wear all the brands you’ve always loved at no extra cost.

4. Really Need New Clothes? Think Functionality and Quality

Before you buy new stuff, think about its quality and functionality. Every true fashionista knows that it’s not about how full your wardrobe is— it’s always about dressing the part.

Be mindful enough to buy eco-friendly and sustainable high-quality clothing that won’t easily go out of fashion. Go for pieces that you can rock regardless of the season and occasion. If not, you’ll be a victim of wasteful shopping.

5. Fabric Care

If you take good care of those high-quality materials you’ll be purchasing, they’ll last longer, and you won't need to replace them. Even if you’re tired of wearing them, you can donate them to people while they’re still in good condition.

Find out the best way to take care of each type of fabric. What’s good for cotton might not be good for denim.

Also, instead of throwing them out because you lost a button, try repairing or sewing them up.

Don’t forget that your zero-waste journey is not a guilt ride. You’re driven by your desire to do good and make the best choices for the environment and yourself. You’re an ECO friend and a friend to TEYGA!

We love to hear from our friends. Tell us about your journey as an eco-friendly fashionista. Share your tips and experiences in the comment section.

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