How to dress for the planet

Nearly everything we do has an impact on the planet. Every action we take can be either good or bad for the planet. This includes everything from travel and work all the way down to how we dress for the day. Small changes in how we do things can make a big difference over time, and that really matters.

Although clothing may seem like a minor issue, it can actually have a large impact on the environment. Here are a few quick tips you can use to help reduce the impact of  your clothing on the planet.

Buy Second Hand

Right now there is an estimated 107 billion units of clothing in the world. That’s a huge amount of clothing, and more is being made every single day. There’s already such a huge amount of clothing on the market, there really doesn’t need to be anymore.

One of the best solutions for this is to check secondhand stores first before making a purchase. Second hand stores are often packed with name brand clothing in a variety of sizes. If you can’t find anything locally, websites like thredUP cater to these needs.

Choose timeless pieces

Remember bell bottoms? Fashions come and go, and what was once a trendy new clothing item is now old fashioned and dated. Fortunately, some pieces of clothing never seem to go out of style. A white blouse today is just as pretty as it was 10 years ago.

When choosing your wardrobe, stick with timeless pieces that will last a long time rather than chasing what ever trend is out there now.

Think about it first

How many pieces do you have sitting in your closet with the tags still on? We all end up making poor choices every now and again, but if the purchase you’re going to make doesn’t fit right or feel comfortable, will you really wear it?

If you feel the urge to make an impulse buy on clothing, make yourself wait at least 24 hours. If you’re sure that you still want it, it’s probably a good buy. If you’ve already moved on by the time your wait period is over, you’ll have saved your money and reduced your consumption at the same time.

Donate carefully

Donating is better than throwing away many times, but it’s not the full answer. It’s helpful to understand where your donations are going and what is actually happening to them. Clothing donations seldom end up local unless you use avenues such as Buy Nothing groups. Stained or ripped clothing can be donated to rag making facilities.

Clothing given to larger second hand stores often end up getting shipped to third world countries, where clothing that is in too bad of a shape to be sold gets dumped.

When it comes down to helping the planet, all of your choices matter. Take good care of your clothing, avoid buying clothes you’ll never even wear, and donate thoughtfully to help reduce the burden of unwanted clothing on the planet.