Alternate Fashion
Although avoiding buying from fast fashion brands may not be plausible due to financial status or living situations, this does not mean there is no way to help! There are others ways do be eco-conscious whether that be by changing your own actions or simply educating those around you about this prevalent issue.
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Not being able to buy from alternate brands is nothing to be shamed for. However, if you are in the position to make an impact in your own life, here are some alternate brands and solutions!
Make Your Own Clothing
Making your own clothing does not always include a sewing machine or needle. There are many different ways to reuse cloth and clothing items without the need to create your own pieces.
A couple different options are:
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- Learning to style different pieces together
- Customizing or creating art with clothing pieces. For example, rather than throwing away an old shirt, drawing on the piece or using different fabrics and fabric glue
- Hand-me-downs. Although the the idea of reusing clothing from a guardian or sibling may not be appealing, many times this may act as your personal thrift store. A clothing piece may not be appealing on its own, but, learning to style it with your own clothing can indeed change any prior opinions
- Clothing swaps. Much like the hand-me-down idea, this idea entails swapping clothing around from person to person. Whether doing this a friend group or smaller community, this idea will allow individuals to explore different clothing styles and pieces without the need to be wasteful. Swapping clothing with a group will give you the opportunity to explore with different items, trade when they no longer suit your type and bond more as a community without having to buy large amounts of clothing that will not be worn regularly.
Thrifting
Thrifting is a wonderful way to not only 'recycle' old clothing but discover different styles as well. Thrifting provides for a cheap alternative to buy clothing you wouldn't typically find within a store at the mall. Additionally, if you are someone that would like an interesting take to clothing, thrifting always you to carry history and stories of all the individuals that have worn the clothes before you, building a more connected society.
Selling + Trading Clothing Online
The answer to be more sustainable within your own life may be in an arms reach, physically. As society has developed to an age of technology many individual used this resource to help build a environmentally conscious future. There are many sites that will allow you to present your own clothing whilst also browsing others' clothing and choosing what interests you. This increases the life-span of clothing whilst providing you a multitude of options to pick from, expanding your wardrobe without negatively impacting your surroundings.
Sustainable Brands
Another notable way to buy clothes consciously is to buy from brands that make it a priority to care for both the environment and human ethics.
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A few brands that act on this initiative are:
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- Pact: A brand determined to not only make clothing for all age ranges sustainably but also offering carbon-offset shipping for a more sustainable purchase
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- Quince: A brand best for affordable silks and cashmere. This brand makes sure to have clothing available for all size ranges while working by the motto that sustainability should be seen "as the standard, not a luxury"
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- Patagonia: Although this brand is more on the expensive side, Patagonia has always made it their mission to provide comfortable, long-lasting clothing for all that are interested. This brand uses recycled materials as well as working towards expanding labor ethics
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