Fashion and Sustainability: Style and Shopping Tips

10/16/2016

Picture Day. The day that makes or breaks your elementary school career. What you wear on that day says a lot about who you are and visually tells people about your personality, interests, and style. Your outfit reflects who you are.

When I was a child, I always liked clothing a little... too much. Dress up was a PAGEANT, a full-fledged event. I liked sticking out and being unique with my outfits. And, if someone had the same outfit on as me, I would lose my mind.

You can only imagine how appalled I was as a child when, on Picture Day, I had the same outfit on as many other girls

What's wrong with this picture?

So, here I am, a girl since day one that can’t get enough of clothes. Mixing strange pants and printed coats, playing with psychedelic patterns, defining my style each time I run to the mall. Essentially pouring my work tips out on the counter and saying, “Take. My. MONEY.”.

But what’s wrong with this? Can you guess? Some would say it’s my draining of my bank account. But I would say it’s something more.

Read it and weep (seriously... the tears are real)

According to Green Peace,

“One of the major sources of pollution is the fashion industry – with 68% of industrial facilities on the Upper Citarum producing textiles”
“The printing and dyeing processes are particularly chemical intensive, and have contributed to the Citarum developing a reputation as one of the dirtiest rivers on earth.”
“Greenpeace collected samples of wastewater…. and found the presence of a number of hazardous chemicals, including nonylphenol, antimony and tributylphosphate.”
“wastewater discharged from one of the two smaller outfalls was highly alkaline
(pH 14), which is highly caustic, will burn human skin coming into direct contact with the stream”

I had spent my days mindlessly shopping, making brainless decisions, picking purses and pumps, while NEVER taking in consideration on where the products come from and how they are made.

The Three R's Meet My Wardrobe

You heard it through school, you read it on your blue bins, do you take it in consideration? The Three R's: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.

When the reality of what is happening to the planet just so I can buy socks sunk in, I HAD to make a change. How could I make sustainable and eco-friendly decisions while clothes shopping? I can't sew my own clothes. I can't go clean up pollution in outsourced countries. But I can do my part to not pour my money on the counter for a company that will damage Mother Earth.

Problem Solving: Sustainability and Style at Savers and Salvation Army

I found a solution to my problems; shop at the places that recycle and create a style that cannot be duplicated. Some walk by Salvation Army and Saver's with their nose up, while I sprint towards them with several shopping carts.

Shopping at these places is a way for clothing to get a second chance

We reuse and recycle the clothing instead of giving our money to companies that will outsource, mistreat workers, and destroy the environment and ecosystems. Simply not shopping at those places has an impact on our environment. Just like recycling plastic bottles and them being re-purposed into other items, shopping at these stores does a similar thing but for clothes.

Shopping at these places stops me from pouring my change on the table

Have you ever been shopping at a second hand store? $20 gets you far, let alone $50 or $100. You feel like absolute royalty prancing around the stores, with carts full of clothes, and hearing the cashier say "Your total is $45.72".

Pro Tip: Check out the websites of both places for deals like half-off Monday's. Also, donating clothes at Savers gets you a discount off your entire purchase.

Create and Reinvent Yourself, Over and Over Again

If you're like me, you create your own unique look through your clothes. Shopping at Savers and Salvation Army allow you to do so and have clothing that not everyone is going to have. Shopping at traditional retail, you'll see your outfit on everyone and feel like just one of many copies. With the money you'll be saving, you'll be able to reinvent your style over and over again.

It's The Little Things

To wrap it up, making little changes makes a big difference. Yes, I still shop at traditional stores, but I do my best to make other shopping decisions. Whether it's an online yard sale site or a secondhand store, your shopping decisions can make a difference!

Do Good, Feel Good, KEEP IT GREEN.