Know yourselves by asking:

• How many clothes do I buy every year?

• How many of them do I actively wear?

• How do I usually dispose of them?

Know your brands:

The brands we wear are a visual representation of our identity to the world. Successful brands will produce what consumers demand. Therefore it is important to ask:

• Who do I want to support?

• What are the values of these brands?

• Are they consistent with mine?

• Is there information online about sustainability and corporate responsibility?

Know the certification labels:

Certifications are an easy and measurable way to check if the clothing you are buying is sustainably made. It is a good way of sending a message to brands about our preferences, motivating them to do better. Examples include certifications such as:

• B-Corp

• Bluesign

• Fair Trade

• GOTS/USDA Organic

• Responsible Down Standard (RDS)

Decide before you shop by asking yourselves:

• Does it spark joy? - Think before buying, not 5 years later

• Does it fit me well? - In order to spark joy, your clothes must fit

• Does it feel good? - Say no to clothes that are not comfortable

• When & where will I wear it? - It is formal or casual? Is it seasonal? Is it a trend?

Reasons to buy quality over quantity:

• Saves more in the long-run while consuming less

• High-quality items typically last longer

• Minimize clutter in your wardrobe and you will love and appreciate your clothes even more

• Reduces likelihood of impulse buying and retail therapy

• Reduces environmental and social impact of textile production

When you buy secondhand:

• Find more quality within your budget

• Discover unique and limited items

• Preserve natural resources

• Extend the life of a garment

• Reduce demand for fast fashion

Care by washing sustainably:

• Use a front-loading washing machine

• Wash with cool water

• Avoid washing with heavy objects

• Air dry

• Skip the spin cycle

• Wash for shorter amount of time

Care by wearing for longer

• The easiest way to extend your clothes’ life-cycle is to simply wear them longer.

• According to research, 1 in 3 young women consider clothing ‘old’ after only wearing it for once or twice

• We can slowly start breaking the trend of disposable clothing simply by wearing our clothes longer.

• Also, loving them and wearing your clothes longer saves money too!

Care by giving them a second life:

• Did you know that nearly 100% of all used clothing can be re-used or recycled?

• Earth911 has a great locator tool for finding your nearest recycle point for a whole host of items, not just clothes

• Donating is another viable end-of-life option. Many local charities will be glad to take your items and use the profits for a good cause. There are even specific outlets where you can donate more niche items such as eyewear and specialty gear.

• Try a web search for ‘X donation near me’ and you will be amazed at your options.

Share the knowledge with others! People can be solutions only if they are aware.

Learn more about how your clothes are made

Here are some resources on the topic you can use and share:

• Unraveled: The Life and Death of a Garment (Book by Maxine Bedat)

• The life cycle of a t-shirt (TED-Ed Video)

• Why do your jeans wear out so quickly? (TED-Ed Video)

• 5 ways to make your clothes last longer (Looptworks blog)

• 2° Climate Warming Risks (Infographic)