Clothing

BBC reports that an estimated 92 million tons of textile waste ends up in landfills globally each year. This numbers increases every year and by 2030 they estimate it to reach 134 million tons. That’s insane! Land fills are running out of space, clothing is being wasted, and yet the fashion industry continues to produce billions of garments a year. Fast fashion is the real problem. Clothing is made cheaply, workers are underpaid for their long hours in the factories, and clothing is overproduced. There are very few waste regulations on the fashion industry which is why it’s important to make changes on a personal level. DIY, buy second-hand, or buy new from companies that do good for the environment.

DIY

Upcycle your clothes! Your closet is the easiest way to be sustainable. Your old clothes are just waiting to be given new life. Take the chance and get creative. Upcycling and flipping your clothes means giving your old pieces new life. Not only does this reduce your waste, it revamps your wardrobe. For simple ideas and tips look up videos on youtube. Once you learn simple sewing techniques you can transform your clothes into different outfits you like but don’t want to spend the money or waste on.

Second-hand

You can find just about anything at a thrift shop. Shoes, jeans, dresses, even socks! Buying used socks may not be your thing but you can still find most of your wardrobe. Second-hand is more affordable and reduces the amount of clothing waste you produce. It also decreases the demand for clothes from big name brands. Just remember, when you go to throw away old clothes, think twice. Donate them to your local thrift shop, sometimes you can even get some money for it! You’ll enter the thrift shop with your old clothes in hand, and leave with a “new” outfit. Good for the environment and good for your wardrobe.

Online Thrift

-Poshmark

-Depop

-Goodfair

-Thredup

Thrift Chains

-Buffalo Exchange

-Crossroads Trading

-Savers

-Salvation Army

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Buy New

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Big companies are greenwashing consumers by saying they are committed to reducing carbon emissions and using eco-friendly packaging. In reality, they aren’t brands you can trust. They use fabrics like polyester that put micro plastics into the environment when broken down. Try to avoid fabrics like polyester that contain micro-plastics

azo dyes
rayon
wrinkle-resistant
stain-resistant

When it comes to clothing it’s really important to support brands that have ethical factories and sustainably sourced materials. It is more than likely that these companies have extensive sustainability reports and initiatives on their website to read through. While sustainability is often correlated with higher prices, there are numerous companies that are making their clothing more accessible. If you want to find out if your favorite brands are doing their part for the environment click here .

My Picks

Shoes

Allbirds

Shoes and clothing made completely from plants. They are so comfortable and have a nice range of colors and styles to choose from. Allbirds has regenerative practices and a closed-loop manufacturing process in place making them a very sustainable company.

recycled bottles, castor bean oil, recycled cardboard, bio tpu, merino wool, eucalyptus tree fiber, sugarcane, recycled nylon
Certified B Corp, carbon neutral, ZQ standard Merino wool

Rothys

Rothy’s footwear is made from recycled plastic bottles and algae based foam. Other materials include bio based tpu, natural rubber, castor beans, natural minerals, merino wool, and hemp fiber depending on which shoe you choose. The cool thing about their algae is it harvested from waterways that would otherwise pollute it.

Closed loop process
Certified FSC

Essentials

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Tact and Stone

T&S is working hard to transform working conditions, clothing quality, and the impact made on the environment. They sell classy men’s clothing that definitely proves you don’t have to skimp on style when you choose ethical and sustainable brands.

organic cotton, alpaca wool, hemp, upcycled cotton, recycled polyester

Fair Trade, USDA Organic, OEKO TEX, GOTS

Outerknown

Kelly Slater’s super rad company, Outerknown, is focused around circularity. This means their products won’t end up in the landfill because to them sustainability is everything. They instead repair, replace, and recycle to continue the use of their clothes.

GOTS cotton, non toxic dyes, fair trade

Loungewear

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A-dam

A-dam is a clothing brand from Amsterdam. They have essentials like boxers, bathing suits, and socks that are responsibly made. A-dam prides itself on clean production methods and great working conditions for laborers. While they label themselves as responsible, their processes are truly sustainable ones. They check themselves at every step of the process and partner with others who do the same, to make sure they are doing good for the environment.

GOTS Organic Cotton, regenerated nylon, recycled polyester, yarn dyed fabric

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Softwear

Small batch athleisure made in Brooklyn, NY and Los Angeles! Softwear is exactly what is sounds like, soft! They use modal yarn, which is biodegradable, and hand dye them with non-toxic and low impact dyes. Making high quality, and super comfy, clothing accessible is their main priority.

sustainable material and low impact dyes
high quality, affordable, fabrics come from family-owned mill in California

Denim

Levi’s

Ah, it doesn’t get much more classic than Levi’s. We all seem to have a classic pair of them laying around. Whether they’re old school or a new pair, the look of Levi’s hasn’t changed and neither has their commitment to the environment. They are reducing the amount of water needed for making the jeans and are shifting to non-toxic dye processes.

Boyish

Women’s denim and loungewear made in sustainable factories. They want to have as little impact on the environment as possible through their use of recycled fabrics, low amounts of water, and less harmful chemicals.

natural plant based dyes, Dystar indigo ( 80% less sulphates), recycled water, dead stock fabrics, recycled cotton

OEKO TEX Standard 100, cruelty-free, OCS 100, closed loop Lyocell manufacturing process

Outdoors

Patagonia

It’s likely you’ve heard of Patagonia’s puffer jackets and out wear for adventures out in nature. While Patagonia is placed among the ranks of other popular brands, they have shown they are different than the rest. They are dedicated to reducing their eco footprint and the footprint of their customers.

GOTS, bluesign certified, made from recycled products, 1% for the planet

Repair and reuse program

Let’s Compare

What to look for

A lot of popular brands are dedicating a sector of their business to repair and reuse programs. The popular SF brand, Marine Layer, allows you to donate old t-shirts that they then re-spin into new fabric. In return, you receive money towards your next Marine Layer purchase. Outdoor brand The North Face has what they call The North Face Renewed, where they resell, refurbished pieces at lower prices. These programs are reducing waste and reusing/repurposing weathered clothing. Participating in these programs is better for the environment and your budget. Look for companies that have these programs in place since it shows they are working to make a difference.

Sneakers! Super important aspect of your everyday look and luckily you don’t have to negatively impact the environment to get a cool pair. Here are three styles, at three price points, with different levels of sustainability.