How to be sustainable in fashion?

We know that for now it is very difficult for someone or some brand to be completely sustainable, but around this we can try to be as sustainable as possible. 

Knowing which attitudes, products, and materials are most harmful to the environment is a good first step to identify where we can change. Being aware of this part, the next step is to seek better alternatives to incorporate into our behaviors and daily lives.

So to help with this, we’ve separated some of these attitudes that help us have an increasingly less negative environmental impact.

Reduce consumption

Right away, the main change we need is to reduce our consumption. As we talked about in the last article, we need to consume to exist, but we’ve reached a point where we must consume only what is necessary!

It’s obvious that we will always want a new pair of sneakers, grab a drop from our favorite brand, update the model of our phone, but does it really need to be at such a frantic pace?

Because one of the most polluting processes is precisely the production of new items, and the more we consume the launches, the more they will produce, and we remain on this giant wheel that harms all of us!

So let’s rethink if we really need to buy something next time and try to acquire only what is truly necessary.
(Besides, reducing consumption will still help you save some money to spend on something perhaps more important than material goods).

Thrift fair in Butantã, São Paulo.

Reuse

But okay, the items have already been produced, what can we do? Seek to prolong their useful life as much as possible.

In recent years, thrift stores have gained a lot of space and strengthened their importance because besides using pieces that have already used resources to be produced, Virgil Abloh himself said that vintage is the new vibe…

Another idea similar to thrift stores is to swap clothes. So know that stylish buddy, that friend with lots of cool clothes, have a chat and exchange some more idle pieces.

Are you attached and don’t want to lend or swap? No problem, you can take the pieces you wear the least and try to give them a new life! Fix, cut, embroider, paint, bleach, whatever personalization you think will look cool, go for it!

Another very valid option is donation. We, the privileged ones, don’t need as many new clothes, but unfortunately, there are still a lot of people who need them and who will give the due value and use to the piece. But just to remind that buying intensely and then using donation as a way to relieve one’s conscience is also not very healthy. 

Laboratory Re Roupa.

Recycling

Well, there’s no way, this piece here is not usable. No worries, but at this stage we also need to pay attention because disposal is another very polluting stage. So, for that, try to separate the pieces for recycling, see if there’s a studio or a seamstress who wants the fabric, but take care to not let this clothing go to regular trash and pollute even more.

Conscious Consumption

“But, I really need to buy this new piece of clothing.” Okay, so here’s the tip: try to find out more about this product, what materials it uses, how it was produced, and by whom it was made. We know that this information may not be so easy to find due to the lack of transparency from brands, but here is a great opportunity to support those who really care about these factors. 

Our money is a vote of confidence, of support, and if we want to practice change, we need to support brands that are making real changes. 

Awareness of our impact on Nature is something extremely necessary, as the consequences directly affect the sustainability of life on our Planet, and these consequences are and will become increasingly intense if we do not change our lifestyle. 

We are not sustainability gurus; personally, I have a lot to change too, but  that’s why the title of this article is a question, so that each one can contribute and collaborate in their own way, and thus we extend our invitation for you to join us in changing our behaviors to something we consider better for all of us.