How to Make Your Holiday Wardrobe More Sustainable

It’s here, the holidays! One of the most joyful seasons where many of us come together with close family and friends. We ready ourselves to show our appreciation for each other, go to parties, get-togethers, dinners – a season where a lot of love goes around. And so, with all these things going on, naturally, we want to dress our best for the occasion - but that can come at a cost to our planet.

The holiday season can encourage more wasteful behaviours - for example, generally, households generate about 30% more waste than usual, from gift packaging to food waste. Then there’s fashion! Though it’s a more indirect effect of the season, it can still create a lasting negative impact, and that’s because we are urged by sales and store specials combined with a myriad of social events we may be attending to buy new and buy more.

This can easily lead to attaining pieces that aren’t sustainable within your wardrobe, especially if you’re buying into fashion trends of the moment that you would not regularly gravitate towards.

So, today we wanted to share some tips to help you approach, choose, or buy better fashion this season.

 

The most important thing you need to do if you are buying new is:

Buy with intention

We encourage you to research, plan, and take your time with your buys.

Ask yourself these questions - 

• Am I buying into trends/microtrends of the moment or choosing something that matches my own unique style that I could wear outside of the season’s festivities?

By keeping in mind what silhouettes, colours, patterns and fits you generally prefer in your daily life, you can better choose something that will last past the season.

• Am I buying from fashion brands that are sustainable?

If it’s possible, find out more about the brands you’re buying from and see how transparent they are with their production. Learn more about their practices, including how they treat their teams, so that you know you’re supporting a brand that cares about how they affect our planet and people.

• Am I buying something that will last?

Something made quick and cheap is more likely to fall apart sooner rather than later, so make sure what you’re buying is something that can handle being by your side for years to come - and if you followed the advice of the first point, you won’t get tired of the style anytime soon either!

 

And while you’re considering your options, also remember to:

Invest in better

Whether it’s a Christmas dress, a travel outfit, or a cozy co-ord to lounge in, find out how those pieces are made.

Green fashion brands, if they’re truly green, will also always aim to be as transparent in their process as possible, sharing how they craft, why they craft in the way they do, and so on. Look through their websites and social media to get a proper idea of what their sustainability values are.

Do they work with and value their artisans and tailors? Do they mention how their fabrics are made? Do they showcase any slow craft methods that they create garments with?

All questions to keep in mind as you dive deeper into who they are.

Continuing on, by better, we mean:

Keep it natural

Almost 70% of fast fashion clothing is made from synthetic fabrics - fabrics like polyester, nylon and acrylic. The reason we should be concerned is that these fabrics are created with the involvement of toxic chemicals and also shed microplastics that end up, mostly, affecting marine life and poisoning water ecosystems.

So, to combat that, we urge you to seek out natural fabrics, and natural clothing brands who prioritise this value. And what we mean is, not only are the fibres natural, but they are also grown in more natural ways, without the use of chemical pesticides and insecticides. Cleaner methods like this also ensure safer work environments for farmers and crafters alike.

So, of course, cotton is a great option but look for organic whenever possible. Here in India, Kala cotton is a native strain available to us, one that thrives in harsh environments and only requires to be rain-fed - a very sustainable option to choose.

There’s also hemp, one of the most durable natural plant fibres that has antibacterial properties, is resistant to mould and UV light, and softens with every use.

Lyocell and Tencel are also great options for sustainable fabrics. They are derived from wood cellulose fibres that are processed in sustainably managed plantations that effectively and efficiently manage their resources so no excess waste occurs.

We ourselves only work with natural fabrics to create organic ladies clothing as well as, more recently, organic infant clothes and children’s clothing!

We also encourage to avoid buying in excess so also:

Try not to buy!

Say you need Christmas attire for a party, is there something you already own that you could re-wear but accessorise a bit differently so it’s a bit of a newer look? Choosing pieces already in your wardrobe as much as you can is ultimately the best way to approach the season. There may even be looks you forgot about and haven’t worn in a long time at the back of your closet!

This is such an important starting point to help directly reduce fashion waste. In the US alone, about half the populations of Gen Z and Millennials buy a new outfit to wear for Christmas festivities, meaning mass demand for brands to provide these outfits, which then leads to mass production that creates carbon emissions. Moreover these festive holiday pieces may only be worn for the season then likely thrown out in a few months.

So, take some time to review what you have first.

Next, instead of buying:

Why not tailor?

Now, you've had a look through your closet but you're not too sure about the pieces you’ve found. Perhaps they are not quite your style anymore but with a little bit of tailoring and tweaking, could be the answer to creating your fresh festive holiday look.

Take it to a tailor if possible (or do it yourself!) to adjust a hemline length, shorten sleeves, change the neckline, loosen or tighten the fit, and so on - by doing so, not only are you creating a whole new outfit for yourself, you’ll also be ensuring the outfit is not forgotten in your closet or thrown away to create more landfill waste.

We hope these tips help guide you through a sustainable holiday season. Let us know what you want us to talk about next!