Tips to help you make a sustainable switch and fade out fast fashion.

Sustainability is something we’re all trying to incorporate into our everyday lives in 2023. Whether that’s by eating less meat, switching to milk alternatives, or buying less single-use plastic, we’ve all been trying to do our bit to help the planet.

It comes as no surprise that fast fashion is one of the biggest contributors to global carbon emissions and water consumption. Whilst the fashion industry is having a detrimental environmental impact, it also involves several ethical issues such as the use of sweat shops, child labour, and poor pay.

We understand it can be challenging and confusing trying to boycott brands with low sustainability and questionable morals, so here are a few tips to begin fading out fast fashion from your wardrobe. 

Find Vintage and Second-Hand Clothing 

One of the most cost-effective ways to prevent supporting fast fashion brands is by buying pre-loved clothes. There are several apps out there to help you easily buy and sell pre-loved clothes, helping you create a sustainable and unique wardrobe. 

Depop and Vinted are the most popular apps to buy and sell second-hand clothes. The apps make it quick and easy to search exactly what you’re looking for, offer different prices to the seller, and buy your ideal wardrobe. Not only is it helping the planet, but the clothes sold on these apps are typically far cheaper than retail prices. 

It’s also important to sell or donate your old clothes. Although you may think your pre-loved clothes have little interest to somebody else, there’s a high chance it’ll be worn again, whether that’s through selling online or donating to charity. This prevents your clothes ending up in landfill and helps give them a second life!

Try the Good On You app

Good on You is an app that informs consumers about the sustainability of fashion brands. The app has rated over 3,000 different brands, scoring them on areas such as labour rights, environmental impact, and animal protection. This is then used to predict an overall rating consisting of: We Avoid, Not Good Enough, It’s a Start, Good, and Great! 

Before buying something, download the app and see what they’ve rated the brand. If it’s anything less than ‘It’s a Start’, maybe reconsider your purchase or look for the item on second-hand apps. 

Only Buy Clothes You Really Need

One of the main issues with fast fashion clothing is that consumers typically buy items that are low price, bad quality, and have very little wear. This ends up pumping more money into fast fashion brands, with regular purchases taking place and more clothes ending up in landfill. 

It’s understandable that there may be some items you wouldn’t want to buy second hand. Therefore, when buying from large clothing brands, make sure it’s an item you really love and will get a lot of wear out of the product. 

A recent trend that’s supported sustainable fashion and raised awareness of this issue is the #30WearsChallenge. The challenge asks consumers to not buy clothing unless the item will get a minimum of 30 wears out of it, making consumers think before buying.

Cancel Your Annual Delivery Membership

I like to view myself as being relatively sustainable and aware of the issues within the fashion industry. However, something that I’ve found to really influence my purchasing habits and caused me to regularly buy new pieces of clothing was having an ‘annual free next day delivery’ pass. 

Whether it’s called ‘Premier’, ‘VIP’, ‘Membership’, ‘Royalty’… they’re all the same and mean that with a low upfront cost, you’re guaranteed free next day delivery on all your purchases for the following year.

I fell into this trap and found myself making weekly purchases from the same brand, simply because it was convenient and I could easily return any clothes I didn’t like free of charge. 

In January my membership ran out and I decided to make the educated decision to not repurchase it, to help both my bank account and the planet. Since then, I’ve only bought pre-loved clothes and I feel so much better for it! 

Whether you’re a climate activist or just starting to make little changes in your everyday living, supporting sustainable fashion is one of the easiest and most effective ways to make a difference and feel less climate guilt. 

Written by Olivia Clark 
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