Sustainable fashion doesn’t have to break the bank. If you’re looking to be more environmentally conscious without spending a fortune, look no further.
Check out your local thrift store
Visiting a local thrift store is one of the most popular ways to shop sustainably. Thrift stores provide access to large selections of second-hand clothing at low prices and give old clothes a new home, keeping them from ending up in landfills.
“I really like (saving) because not only is it very affordable, but it’s also very good for the environment,” said second-year environmental engineering student Serena Westcott. “There are always good options that you can find if you look hard enough.”
Shopping at a thrift store can be a longer time commitment and requires a bit of research. However, the satisfaction of discovering the perfect outfit among the clothing racks can be an incredibly rewarding experience.
Thrift stores also end up with a wide range of items from decades past, which have stood the test of time. Nikki Vawter, a sophomore psychology student, said her favorite thrift find is a pair of vintage Levi jeans.
There are several thrift stores in the East Lansing area, including Goodwill, Kellie’s Consignments, and St. Vincent De Paul, just to name a few.
Use a clothing resale app
Nowadays, it is easy to buy second-hand items from the comfort of your home. Apps like Depop, Mercari, and Poshmark let you buy new clothes and sell items you want to give up.
However, be careful when using reselling apps. Some vendors sell secondhand clothes and sell them on apps for a higher price, Vawter said, which can make it hard to find cheap items.
Pay attention to how your clothes are made
When shopping sustainably, it’s important not only to pay attention to where you shop, but also what you’re buying. Not all garments are created equal.
Another way to practice sustainability is to choose clothes made with sustainable and ethically sourced materials that last longer.
“Synthetic fibers are not going to last as long as non-synthetic ones,” said Borjana Alia, a journalism and apparel and textiles student. “I like to look for cotton stuff instead of…spandex, nylon, stuff that’s not going to last as long. So definitely what you should look for are more natural fibers.”
Non-synthetic fibers, also known as natural fibers, are made from materials of animal or plant origin. Natural fibers to consider when shopping include cotton, bamboo, silk, and wool.
Natural fibers generally pass the sustainability test because they generally don’t require the addition of chemicals to produce and break down faster than synthetic materials.
Natural fibers are also often more biodegradable than synthetic fibers. For example, a 100% cotton t-shirt will take about five months to break down, compared to a pair of nylon socks, which could sit in a landfill for 30 to 40 years before breaking down.
Beware of ‘greenwashing’
Remember to do your research before trusting a brand to be environmentally friendly. And be on the lookout for ‘greenwashing’, a term used to describe the act of companies falsely advertising their products as environmentally conscious, despite having harmful effects.
‘Greenwashing’ is especially prevalent in the fashion industry, with brands like H&M facing legal trouble for participating in the phenomenon.
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Fast fashion can be extremely tempting and if you’re trying to save money, it’s easy to fall victim to it. However, if you’re careful about what you buy, purchasing sustainability can be just as affordable.
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