Sustainable Fashion: Part 2 – Upcycle your clothes

After we introduced you to sustainable fashion last week and told you all about its benefits, we will give you some ideas on how you can make a difference in today’s blog post.

What can you do?

So knowing the negative impact of fast fashion this, how can you make an impact? This is where sustainable fashion comes into play.

Buy Eco Fashion Brands

Here are some of our favorite brands promoting sustainability, waste reduction and innovation:

·       Everlane – they share factory and production stories while making modern aesthetic clothing

·       G Star Raw – these trendy jeans use Bionic Yarn; their RAW sustainable program uses organic cotton with reduced levels of fertilizers and pesticides

·       Purple Impression – hand embroidered clothing mixed with modern elements

·       Sonas Denim - All their designs are cruelty-free and 10% of net profits are used to build an animal sanctuary

·       Stormy Dreams - Creating comfortable confident clothing with cut to order and zero waste production

·       The Root Collective – ethical, small batch production – know the name of the people who make your shoes

Our Marketing Director Katie sporting her shoes by The Root Collective made by Otto

Support artisans, buy handmade

Think about your local farmers market or other local stores. They offer a variety of unique, handmade products you can feel good about buying. Another great online resource is Etsy – a world of vintage and handmade goods from all around the globe. By buying handmade you don’t just support local producers, you’ll also get a product that will last you much longer than a cheaply made, mass produced article of clothing.   

Stay up to date on fashion innovation

·       Garments adjust as you grow - SproutFit is challenging traditional sizing for infants and toddlers by making garments that adjust as the baby grows

·       Alternatives to leather – did you know there is a type of pineapple-based and even mushroom “leather”? 

Pineapple leather hand bag – Image Courtesy of ananas-anam.com

Secondhand Clothing – Reused and Recycled Fashion

·       La Vie En Orange recycles your t-shirts into cute cotton undies

·       Even brands who have been known for their cheap, fast fashion are starting to innovate. Retail giant H&M has upped the ante on its Conscious Exclusive collection using BIONIC, a recycled polyester derived from plastic shoreline waste.  

·       Repreve transforms recycled plastic bottles into amazing products you use and wear everyday

·       Vintage and second hand companies have been growing all over the country – take your pick!

H&M’s Conscious Exclusive Collection - Image Courtesy of HM.com

Outlook

Sustainable Fashion is here to stay. It seems that sustainable fashion has become as much about the product itself as the shopper’s attitude toward it. Consumers care more about sustainability and change is happening. Jump on the band wagon and make sustainable fashion a priority next time you feel like your closet needs an upgrade.