Guilty shopaholic here. I admit that my fashion choices have not been the most eco-friendly, and I am ashamed. Sometimes the urge of shopping from commercial fashion brands is too tempting with the never-ending release of new collections, designs and sales - and at such affordable prices too!
As convenient as it is to purchase from the same stores at every shopping mall and to shop online at the click of a button, we do this without giving a thought to where these clothes come from or where they will eventually go. That is fast fashion. A habit we ought to change.
Now, you may be thinking: “I do want to save the environment, but I don’t know where to start!”. Here’s a brief guide to help you begin your journey into becoming a green fashionista.
1. Don't buy repeats
We’ve all experienced the need to buy an item of clothing that we already have. “But this one has sequins!”, we might try to justify, but the truth is we don’t need it. In fact, 83% of shopping trips are aimed at repeat purchases.
The same clothes in your wardrobe can be combined to give several different looks, so get creative! This also helps declutter your wardrobe and decreases fabric waste.
2. Think before you purchase
Many of us are guilty of impulse buys - bouts of compulsive shopping usually brought about by peer pressure, flash sales or an urge to splurge. And as tempting as the glamorous looking piece in the store window may be, it may not be practical or worth its price. Here are three things to consider before purchasing an item.
Price
Set a limit on what you would spend on a type of item. Personally, I try not to spend more than $20 on a mid-range top. I also judge the material, design and amount of fabric used in a top to decide its worth in price. This ties in with the following factor.
Quality
A good quality garment may cost a little more, but lasts for years and would be worth the investment. For example, an item with a well-working zipper, good tailoring and durable material is guaranteed a longer lifespan than a poorly constructed apparel.
Practicality
Before buying an item consider its feasibility. If you can’t think of at least 4-5 occasions or outfits to wear it for, my advice is to put it back on the rack. Also, assess the current fashion trends. If a unique item is part of a fad, it will likely be worn once or twice then be discarded to the back of your closet. Instead, go for classic pieces and adjust the styling of the items to fit current trends.
3. Avoid fast fashion brands and opt for eco-friendly alternatives
Conduct a little research to know which brands to skive and which to support.
Unbeknownst to many Singaporeans, there is a good handful of local brands that practice sustainable fashion. Baseable uses fabric made from 100% bio-degradable bamboo in their casual-wear, these are extremely comfortable and practical for everyday wear. Ubu Swimwear utilises 100% regenerated fibre from post-consumer materials in their products and the brand conscientiously practices ethical trading. Baliza Shop makes use of organic cotton in their dazzling designs and, on top of that, works with India NGO Ladli to provide fairly paid jobs to Gudri women.
Swedish fast-fashion chain H&M has also ventured into eco-friendly styles by launching Conscious Exclusive, a sustainable fashion line created using recycled wool, polyester, cashmere and Econyl. These garments look just as fashionable as other clothes from the brand and are at affordable prices too!
4. If you do end up buying something, don't request for a bag!
The Singapore Environment Council (SEC) has found that annually, Singaporeans use about 820 million plastic bags for supermarket shopping, which averages to about 146 per individual. This study pertains solely to supermarket plastic bags. Can you imagine the amount of plastic wasted via retail? So similar to going grocery shopping, bring your own tote bag to carry your items. Shops like Cotton On and Typo sell totes that are significantly more trendy and durable than retail shopping bags. Get yours immediately!
5. Dealing with unwanted clothes
H&M collects old garments from customers to be recycled and turned into new clothes. Other clothing-recycling methods in Singapore include selling old items for less via Carousell or Refash, and renting designer outfits at a reasonable price from companies such as Style Theory. This saves expenses of buying new apparels for a single occasion.
Moreover, Swapaholic, a major clothing and accessories swap event, allows users to exchange clothes for points which they can use to purchase items during the Swap Party. Not to be missed if you are a green fashionista!
To sum up, making environmentally conscious fashion choices does not constrain the expression of our personal style, it only incurs a slight change in our shopping habits and the way we deal with unwanted clothes. This isn’t hard to do at all. So join us in our quest to save the environment, and make sustainable fashion your lifestyle habit!
References:
A. H. Mahmud. (2018). Singapore shoppers take 820 million plastic bags from supermarkets each year: Study. Retrieved from: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/plastic-bags-supermarkets-singapore-tax-sec-10576660
A. Rees. (2014). How to assess the quality of garments: A beginner's guide {part I}. Retrieved from: https://anuschkarees.com/blog/2014/05/01/how-to-assess-the-quality-of-garments-a-beginners-guide-part-i/
J. Sporn. & S. Tuttle. (2018). 5 Surprising findings about how people actually buy clothes and shoes. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2018/06/5-surprising-findings-about-how-people-actually-buy-clothes-and-shoes
L. Han. (2018). 10 Eco-friendly local fashion stores in Singapore to know about. Retrieved from: https://www.mariefranceasia.com/fashion/latest-news/fashion-news/10-local-ethical-fashion-brands-313084.html#item=1
Syazana. (2018). Swap, don’t shop: Swapaholic is *the* event for green fashionistas. Retrieved from: https://www.sassymamasg.com/style-swapaholic-swap-party-flea-market-fashion/