Everytime we buy something, we make a decision. We are deciding consciously or unconsciously on supporting a certain company. Ideally our shopping behavior should reflect our values.
Decisions we make everyday are influencing our world. How can we change our habits towards a more conscious living?
Different lifestyles are polluting the world in different kind of ways. One of the biggest aspects in my life is fashion, so I had to ask myself in which way I could contribute to a better planet. This article shows a few ways how we can rethink and I found these few simple changes to be working really well for myself.
Make a list:
Doing groceries on an empty stomach without a list always leads to buying more what you actually need and lot of junk food that actually doesn’t fit your usual diet. A list with all things needed keeps you on track and avoids you from buying (to many) chocolates and chips.
Why not having a list for your fashion shopping too? I started to write down maximum 5 items per month that I would really need in my closet. I stuck to that list and every time I thought I wanted to buy something I remembered my list and realized that I actually did not need this item right now.
So sit down each month and go through your closet. What did you miss the other day when you wanted to go to that meeting but couldn’t find a good outfit? Which piece of clothing you need to replace? Think about the basics of every closet and write down what you need but keep the list short and write only up to 5 items. Carry the list with you and whenever you are out and about to buy something look at your list and see if the item is on it. Be honest to yourself and hunt for the clothes you really need and let all other distractions go.
Fast fashion retailers want to trick you into buying whatever is trendy right now, so they can sell you new trendy products in a few weeks. Keep that in mind.
When you only are allowed to buy maximum 5 pieces of clothing per month you’ll also start to look much more into quality of fabrics, finish of the clothes and compare prices. Also, for me it meant to have a great excuse to buy that above budget item…
Exchange your closet:
I have a few friends who, every time we meet, I want to switch clothes with them immediately. They just always find nice pieces and always look great wearing them.
So I asked if I could borrow this piece for this event and they were kind enough to lend it out to me! Exchanging clothes with your friends can really be a great alternative to buying new ones.
Another way of changing your closet is to throw a clothing party! Invite your friends, each of them should bring at least three pieces of clothing that they are not really wearing and start exchanging yours with theirs.
Make a capsule wardrobe:
Creating a great capsule wardrobe might require a bit of investments in the beginning but it will pay out in the long-term and especially if you have trouble finding matching outfits for your every-day life, this is a great way to get your head off this topic.
Buy eco-friendly:
There are lots of ways to buy eco-friendly, including ways that won’t break your bank.
Besides the many many brands and labels out there who are producing eco-friendly you can simply buy your clothes off second-hand markets etc. because this is a very eco-friendly way to shop!
Another way to be eco-friendly when shopping is to avoid the big fast retailer brands, because those are the ones who are most likely to produce in poor conditions. Especially if the big brand name is selling for cheap, this should make you concerned about their production. Only if the company is using poor materials, bad production habits and cheap labor and mass production the price can get so low. So it’s up to you if you want to support this company with your money.
I’d be curious to know about your tips and tricks on how to create an eco-friendly closet.
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