Everyone wants to look good! We all want clothes that look striking and fit nicely. But have you
ever considered the environmental cost of buying a t-shirt in every color?
Or what you are going to do with said t-shirt when the color is “so last
season”?
According
to the US EPA, that average American tosses about 70 pounds of clothing each
year. Have you thought about the
impact on the environment before we ever
purchase that t-shirt or pair of jeans? This eye opening video on t-shirts and our environment,
is worth the 2 minutes it takes to watch it.
The use of water is
excessive, but worse, think about what happens to the water, pesticides, dyes
and other pollutants that end up in our air and waterways.
But, we all
need to look good, right? We are trying hard to balance our desire to
look good with the impact of the garment industry on the environment.
Here are
some ways to still look fabulous, and tread a little lighter on Mother
Earth.
- Remember that outfit hanging in your closet with the tags still on? Return it! If you realized you got something home and it just isn't working out the way you thought, take it back.
- Attend or host a clothing swap. Never been to one? You are officially invited to join us for our upcoming clothing and costume swap on October 12th. Details to follow soon at recreate.org
- Shop consignment stores. If you don’t like the idea of searching through racks and racks of clothing, there are even upscale consignment clothes for both adults and kids.
- Donate your clothes and your kids clothes. But what if little Johnny has a hole in his jeans, should you toss them? The answer is no. Here is a great article on how Goodwill handles damaged clothing. If they can’t use it, it is sold to a textile recycler. Yes, it ends up getting recycled!
- If you buy new, shop for clothing that will have a place in your closet for a few years, before you swap it for something you’ve been eyeing in your friend’s wardrobe.
- Got a stain on your favorite shirt? Maybe you can add something to hide the spot and re-fashion your shirt! There are several ideas on Pinterest to do this.
What
has been your best eco-friendly fashion find?
Attending clothes swaps has changed my entire closet AND bank account. Once I understood the environmental impact of clothing manufacturing, I started purchasing more natural fibers. I quickly learned that was not cost effective. Luckily, I heard about a clothes swap, the idea appealed to me. So, I gathered up a pile of gently used pants, skirts, handbags and shirts and headed to my first swap where I traded my clothes for whatever my heart desired among the piles of clothes brought by other swappers. IT WAS AMAZING! I easily bring home $500 worth of clothes every time I swap. Daily, I wear something I picked up FOR FREE at a swap. Why do I need new clothes when I can wash and wear someone elses piece of clothing? Can't wait for the reCREATE swap!!!!!!!! :) Annette
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