Happy Friday! I cannot believe that the month of May has already flown by. Today’s post is really going to cover the basics of why you should buy from sustainable companies. I know last week’s post The Cost of Fashion – It’s Raining Fashion (itsrainingfashion.com) was a bit longer than normal, however it was so important and necessary for us to start this sustainable fashion journey. Now that we’ve discussed all of the negatives, let’s focus on the positives!
A huge component of living sustainably is simply consuming less. In this world we live in today that’s filled with technology, it has become so easy to just order clothing by the click of a button. Especially after a really hard last year with the pandemic, online shopping has increased greatly. I mean, it makes sense. This was a time of major hardship for the world, and what better way to brighten our days than to order and receive packages of pretty clothing, right? Although that is true, overconsumption is continuing to worsen as time goes on. We need to shift this pattern to move in the opposite direction.
In simple terms, shopping sustainably basically means purchasing clothing from companies that are transparent and give all details and conditions in which our clothing is being made. Additionally, sustainable companies use natural or recycled materials to ensure high quality and a longer lasting life for the garment. By using these natural fibers, that clothing will be able to decompose completely when it reaches the end of its lifecycle; this helps to eliminate the build up of clothing waste in landfills discussed in my last post. There’s a myth about sustainable fashion companies and that they aren’t “stylish” or “trendy.” I am here to convince you otherwise.
One of my favorite sustainable companies right now is called Reformation Sustainable Women’s Clothing and Accessories | Reformation (thereformation.com). I love their clothing and appreciate that they offer such a wide range of garments for every occasion. For example, they have beautiful summer dresses like this:
But they also have more casual, night out pieces like these:
And don’t forget their loungewear:
Anyway, if you’ve peaked at their website yet you may be thinking I’m a little crazy… Yes, yes, I see the prices, but please bear with me. Here is a really key part of learning to buy sustainably. The prices are going to be much higher than what we are used to.
To start, these companies are paying their garment workers fair wages, so the prices will be more expensive. We’ve gotten so used to buying cheap clothing from companies who do not treat their workers ethically. In addition, sustainable fashion companies are using all natural fibers and materials to ensure the clothing is top quality. This clothing is made to last years, not weeks (like the normal clothing we buy now). These garments won’t come in with holes, or be see-through (unless we want it to be). Instead, you will have a piece of clothing that will feel good, look good, and last.
You have to look at it as more of an investment. An investment in you, and the future. In all actuality, when you put it into perspective, when you add up all of the money you spent on places like SHEIN, NastyGal, Misguided, etc., you probably could’ve bought 3 or 4 items from sustainable companies like Reformation.
If we were to look back two or three decades, the ways in which they consumed were so different. My parents tell me stories of how when they were younger, they would get one nice dress, or shirt, every once and a while, and that would be it. It was expensive, but it was well made, and because it was so special and not a regular occurrence, they took really good care of the clothing they received. My mom still has clothing from when she was in high school!
Even if you’re not that old (I’m not), and can’t look back that far, I think you might be able to relate to this: Buying something that was really expensive, definitely not an everyday purchase, and then taking really good care of it to ensure it lasts. Perhaps it was a nice pair of sunglasses, or a special bracelet you got for your birthday.
The point I’m trying to make here is this – when you invest your money in something, it tends to hold more value, therefore causing you to take better care of it. In 20 years, wouldn’t it be pretty cool to be able to say that you still have clothing you wore from high school, or college? Because here’s another thing, fashion trends are like a pendulum. If it swings out of style for a bit, it’ll always come back. So, when it does come back you’ll already have “trendy” clothing because you made that worthwhile investment years ago.
We have to start looking at the big picture and stop living in this instantaneous world where we have been groomed to get anything we want, as quickly as we can. It’s not good for us, and it’s not good for the future of our planet.
