Sustainable Fashion Styles You Should Know About

Sustainable Fashion. You have probably heard of it, seen commercials for it on the television or even ads on your phone. But what exactly does Sustainable Fashion stand for? When it comes to being “Earth Friendly” there is a full list of criteria for what this truly signifies to the consumer… A.K.A us, the wanna-be fashion trend setters. Not only will you read about what Sustainable Fashion is here in this article, but you will also explore some of the best brands as well. So, if you’re tired of purchasing luxury clothes and want to help the environment, even if it’s just a tiny bit, read below and share with your friends. Perhaps they will want to make a change in their fashion ways as well. 

Sustainable Fashion by terms: 

Handcrafted

This term is simple. Handcrafted is when at least some part of the item of clothing was made by hand and not by the modern-way of an assembly line. Whether it is an embroidered sleeve, hand-stitched collar, or that one person created the entire item of clothing by hand using a sewing machine or knit it by hand. This is what millenials would call the “old-fashioned” way. 

Organic Materials

These are organic fabrics like cotton, wool, silk and hemp. If you do want a piece of clothing that is created from organic materials, just make sure that there is a label on the item that says it truly is organic. Read more about organic wool at:

https://imdividual.com/blogs/news/organic-wool

You can also check out this Organic Cloud Blouse from united by blue. It’s 100% organic!

 

Vegan

Sure, you have probably heard about people being vegan food, but did you know that clothing can be vegan, too? This means that all of the clothing, shoes and accessories that you purchase were made without using AND harming innocent animals. No animal by-products were used when making the item of clothing. 

Produced locally: Instead of purchasing clothing that are made out of your country, try purchasing them locally.Not only does this boost the economy that you live in, but it helps you explore other clothing options that you may or may have heard of before. 

Eco-Friendly packaging AND production? As packaging goes, this can mean a green cell phone, cornstarch packing (which I absolutely love), recycled packaging or compostable packing. The ideas are endless when it comes to shipping materials. Not only are they safe for the environment, but for us as humans as well. For ec0-friendly production, this is simply making products through “economically-sound processes that minimize negative environmental impacts while conserving energy and natural resources.” (EPA)

We only have one planet and I don’t know about you, but I think it’s best we take care of it the best we can, even when creating products. 

Cornstarch Packaging

Good Quality

What does it mean to be good quality clothing? It simply means that the item you purchased has good “recovery.” Do you know that you’re going to be wearing this sweater a couple times in the next few weeks? If you wash it 2 or 3 times, the color shouldn’t fade or the material shouldn’t get automatically ruined. It should last and look almost brand new. 

Upcycled

According to UpcycleThat.com, this term means: “The act of taking something no longer in use and giving it a second life and new function. In doing so, the finished product often becomes more practical, valuable and beautiful than what it previously was.” Fascinating, right? How we can take an old item of clothing and make it entirely brand new? 

Waste Reduction

A majority of humans on this earth love to clothes shop and I am one of them. We all shop for many reasons, too. Some people don’t like to rewear clothes and prefer new ones, for others it makes them feel good when they splurge a little on something nice for themselves. For some people, it’s a stress reliever, a distraction from reality. Whatever your reason for loving clothes as much as me, you don’t always have to purchase new clothes. Save money and save clothing from going into a landfill and buy second hand. This gives clothes a second chance at life, maybe even a prettier one. What’s even cooler is that many second hand shops and stores sell clothing that look entirely brand new but for cheaper prices. Let’s face it, this world is expensive. With wages being stagnant and rent being over-the-top expensive and now you have gas that is creeping up in gas almost daily, if you want or need new clothes, try your best to spend less money by purchasing second hand items. Your bank account will love you and so will this planet. 

Now that we have covered the criteria for what Sustainable Fashion means, here are some sustainable fashion brands that you can purchase from. If you don’t like these brands, as always, you can do your own research and of course, shop locally.

Cuyana

Check out this Poplin Off The Shoulder Dress for $198.00. It’s 96% organic cotton yarn and is Oeko-Tex and ISO 14001 certified, made with “responsible social and environmental practices without hazardous substances.” 

Outerknown

Outerknown is the first brand founded on a Total Commitment to Sustainability. Check out this Sojourn Ribbed Tank for $48.00. It’s 100% organic Peruvian pima cotton which is some of the finest and softest cotton in the world. 

Cariuma

According to their website, get a pair of sneakers and planet 2 trees. That’s why they’ve created sneakers that are good looking, comfortable, all while being consciously made. Their sneakers are also made with cleaner leather, are handmade for comfort, they use recycled and recyclable packaging and they use carbon neutral shipping. Check out their Grey Canvas sneakers for only $79.00. 

A few other Sustainable Fashion brands are: Reformation, Lacausa, Naked Cashmere, Patagonia, Ozma of California, Mate the Label, Nisolo, Adidas, Girlfriend Collective and you guessed it, Levi’s. 

What are your thoughts on Sustainable Fashion? Has this article changed your thoughts on how you can be more “earth friendly” and purchase clothes?