OFM Style: Sustaining Sustainable Fashion

When it comes to fashion, it can be hard keeping up with trends and giving yourself enough closet space to accommodate. Even more so, there’s the countless waste that comes from used and bruised garments. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the clothing and textile industry created 13 million tons of waste in 2018, with only a small percentage (about 13 percent) of it being recycled.

Mind you, things are not all bad, as the fashion industry is looking at ways to make sure clothing can last longer but also be sustainable. When I say sustainable, I am talking about recycled garments: vegan leather, up-cycling, and even biodegradable rubber and plastic. Keeping that in mind, what small steps can we take to make sure we can also play a part in keeping our fashion and footprint as green as possible?

One thing that can be easy (but tedious to do) is taking the time to actually sort through the clothes that you have and deciding what can be kept, what needs to go, and what needs to be reborn. This will give you a solid idea of the kind of things you like to wear if you hadn’t already had an idea. The two piles for going and reviving can either, A. be sold at a secondary retailer/donated or B. taken to a recycling plant or to a retailer who recycles clothes.

H&M accepts most textiles and will offer you discounts based on how much you bring in. The “keep pile’’ can obviously stay, but don’t be afraid to give up a few pieces that may have seen more than a lifetime of wear. It is easier to shop for yourself when you don’t have a mound of laundry pestering you to be washed.

Now, it is foolish to assume most people can afford to replace clothes seasonally or annually. This is where local thrift stores and social media come in handy. Depending on the quality of your clothing, it may be worth your while to get on Facebook Marketplace, or even reach out to someone on Craigslist looking to swap clothing. In this case, one person’s faux pas is another’s avant garde. Keep in mind, this is a hugely social situation, so if you are not too keen on speaking with too many people, it is a good idea to start with online resellers or local thrift spots.

Now, can we really talk about sustainability without up-cycling pieces? Up-cycling in simple terms is just making something new out of the old which can hold a better use or be of better value than its original. Not every person can be great with clothing sheers and a sewing machine; that’s why up-cycling is left up to the user. Think using old t-shirts to help lesson breakage on hair or acid washing old denim to keep it on trend. The best part about up-cycling is that you can even add extra things to create something new or something interesting. Fabric paint and bedazzling are amazing and user-friendly ways to breathe life into a piece while also being a creative outlet.

Some of these things may seem simple but in reality can create an even bigger impact on the way fashion is worn and its impact on our environment. Realistically, it is most certainly not the sole purpose of the consumer to prevent textile waste or climate change. However, as a citizen of this Earth, it is important that we all lay a helping hand to ensure there is a place for us to wear our fashion. As important as it is to use to express ourselves, it’s also of utmost importance that we can continue wearing our garments.