How To Upgrade Your Wardrobe In The Most Sustainable Way?
Upgrade your wardrobe a sustainable way with I on Image’s guest blogger and sustainability expert Sarah Cole of PURC Organics. Sustainable styling tips for a better way of living.
Upgrading our wardrobe or our sense of fashion and styling is just another way of growing up and growing out. Growing up may either refer to the necessary changes with respect to professionalism or simply on your part as you transition from teenage to adulthood. And growing out simply means that your current wardrobe no longer excites you and the clothes you carry do not satisfy your urge of aesthetics.
While upgrading a wardrobe is simply your choice, you should be more practical about it. Because when fashion meets sustainability, it not only bothers you less, but also does your bit towards the environment, in the most efficient way. Here are a few tips you can consider to upgrade your wardrobe in the most sustainable way.
1. Check Your Essentials
Scan your entire wardrobe and make a list of all the clothing pieces you cannot do without. Maybe a pair of athleisure leggings, a solid colored T-shirt, your favorite lounge pants, simple anything that you love to carry.
In terms of Marie Kondo, “keep the one which sparks joy”. Then move on to the clothing that you no longer wish to wear. Once you’re done with this step, you’d know your current sense of fashion and what you’d want to carry while traveling as well.
2. Invest In Local Fashion
If you’re up for upgrading your wardrobe in the most sustainable way, you’re a part of a revolution that saves the planet through various ways. Invest in local fashion businesses that are not only a sustainable option but also cut down the extra money the big brands extract in their name.
It not only aids the local economy but also helps you get the best in comparatively less money. With the uprising of ‘Support Small Businesses’, this could be the most appropriate way of upgrading your wardrobe in a budget.
3. Thrift Shopping
Thrift shopping is yet another way of getting your hands on your favorite brands in a much lesser investment. But while you’re buying second hand clothes, remember you’re getting it all for a good amount of money, even if it might seem a lot less than the cost of newer ones. Check the quality and durability of clothes, and buy the correct sizes.
4. Buy From Sustainable Brands
We understand that the urge of getting your hands on new pieces of clothing satisfies you to the fullest. Buying clothes once in a while is totally fine, but remember that you practice sustainability. So buy from brands that offer sustainable clothing, and make sure to check in the fabric. See if you’d want to keep it in your closet for quite a time and the fact that it would cause minimal micro pollution.
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5. Fix & Upcycle Clothes
Get used to fixing clothes instead of cutting them off your closet. When you see a small hole, learn to fix it. If the condition of the clothes seems to be repairable but not on your part, get it done by a tailor. When you no longer wish to wear a pair of denims or oversized hoodies, get creative and upcycle them. Convert those into casual crop tops and shorts. It will not only make the clothes last longer, but also help you follow sustainability in the most efficient way.
6. Donate The Clothes You No Longer Need
Donation is not only a good cause, but also a sustainable way of reusing clothes in a great way. While we look out options for upgrading our wardrobe, there are many who don’t even have enough clothes to carry. There are many organisations that either sell these donated clothes to raise funds or provide the donated clothes to low-income families, elderly or the abuse-survivors. The possibilities are truly endless.
7. Wash Your Clothes Less Often
Washing your clothes every now and then not only wears them out but always wastes a lot of resources. The amount of water that goes in machine washing consumes a lot of water and energy. So instead of washing clothes for the tiniest of stains, opt for spot washing. You can repeat an outfit for a few times before putting it in the laundry. To keep an outfit fresh, hang them instead of folding.
8. Air Dry Clothes
Since you swear by sustaining, make sure to focus over smaller ends too. Instead of always replying over a dryer, opt for air drying. Drying your clothes through air not only saves resources but helps you do your bit too. Save the dryer for the times when you either need to be quick or for clothes or items that cannot do without the use of a dryer.
9. Quality Over Quantity
Instead of getting a pile of clothes, invest in clothes that are of good quality and would last longer. See if the quality of clothes actually speaks of the price tag that comes along. Because buying clothes that would wear out in a month or two would definitely not come under the ‘sustainable way of fashion’. So next time you go out shopping, check the quality of the clothing before buying.
10. One Step At A Time
Upgrading your wardrobe doesn’t only have to do with clothing. Upgrading comes along with footwear and accessories too. So access your style of fashion and take gradual steps. Divide your upgrade into parts. While you’re done with the addition of some aesthetic pieces of clothing, take time until your next upgrade.
If you’d want to get some casual sneakers or classy stilettos, wait for some time and get your hands on those. Taking some steps would fit your budget and give you time to analyse the things you actually need.
Keeping in mind these basic steps will help you in the long run. Getting tempted by various new looks and trends is perfectly fine, but giving in your temptations might not always sound good. Switching to sustainable brands for all your personal needs is a wise decision. This habit will not only bring positive changes to your everyday lifestyle but also reduce the carbon footprint of you and your family.
Follow sustainability and be reasonable, and you’re good to go. Happy Upgrading!
About The Author
Hi there! I am Sarah Cole, a nature and all things natural lover and the content specialist at PURC Organics. Besides being a full-time conservationist, I am equally passionate about travel, writing, cooking, yoga and nature-inspired arts. You can usually find me on Quora.
We at PURC, inform, share, and educate people about all-natural solid hair care ranges, which are excellent for all types of hair and for the environment. Our goal is to encourage people to switch to zero waste Shampoo and Conditioner Bars, thereby reducing ecological footprints.
Thank you very much for the educative and helpful post Sarah! This article is certainly inspiring me to upgrade my wardrobe in a sustainable manner.
Share this post with a sustainable friend and tell me in comments your best practices to maintain a sustainable wardrobe.
One in, one out sounds like a very practical way to manage your wardrobe and your style. That way you avoid excess clothing and have a clear overview onn what your actually have. I need to try that too!
These are great tips, Jenni. I adore thrift shopping, I’ve found some really lovely pieces that way. And yes to donating clothes – one in one out is my mantra. Thank you for sharing such an insightful and helpful guest post 🙂
Sounds lovely Caroline! I didn’t know Lucy & Yak before and checked their website. Loads of really cute things in amazing happy colours. Hope you get yours soon xx
Thank you for sharing Emily! Your way of doing sustainable style is great. Keep it up xx
I love this post 🙂 I try to do all of these, I’m currently saving for a Lucy & Yak fleece x
An excellent post for anyone wanting to make their wardrobe more sustainable and ethical. I live by the mantra ‘quality over quantity’, and focus on classic pieces that won’t go out of style. Learning how to repair clothing is key to making it last!
Agree with you! We definitely own too much clothes and buy too much on impulse. The lockdown was a valuable lesson in learning to appreciate delayed gratification and I try to keep that in mind in the future too. Thanks for chiming in!
An interesting post. It seems to me the best way to have a sustainable wardrobe is to stop buying new clothes and following fashion trends which last about amabiut a couple of years. You likely have more clothes than you actually need right now in your wardrobe and chest of drawers, so unless something needs replacing, you don’t actually need to add to your wardrobe, and that’s the best way to lie sustainably. Don’t buy clothes just for the sake of it and throw out stuff to make room and to justify your purchase. Fast fashion is just pointlessly wasteful