Dress: Mara Hoffman via. ThredUp | Bralette: Everlane | Shoes: TOMS | Bag: Vintage via. Estate Sale | Sunglasses: TOMS | Jewelry: c/o Mejuri

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: shopping sustainably can be expensive (especially when it comes to clothing from sustainable and ethical brands), but it also doesn’t have to be. In today’s post I’m breaking down all of the ways I, a college student, have grown my sustainable wardrobe without breaking the bank over the past four years.

And before we jump in, check out this page with all of my favorite sustainable and ethical brands. I updated it monthly!

The most sustainable clothing is the clothing you already have. Before you consider buying anything new, take a serious look at what’s already in your closet. Mend what’s worn out, upcycle what no longer inspires you, swap clothes with your friends, and be a proud outfit repeater.

By now, the environmental and financial benefits of shopping secondhand should be no surprise to you. I rarely go to a thrift store looking for a specific brand label, but I have found a Reformation skirt and Everlane top at my local Goodwill. Shopping secondhand doesn’t just mean thrifting, though. There are consignment shops and online secondhand stores that are great places to find cheaper, secondhand brand-name items (and make the shopping process a bit more user-friendly than a typical thrift store).

I’ve talked all about ThredUp before (lots of times, actually), but recently I’ve started searching specifically for sustainable brands that I know I can’t quite invest in at full-price. This dress is Mara Hoffman, one of my favorite sustainable brands. The only Mara Hoffman item I own is a dress I bought at my first ever sample sale in high school. I love Mara Hoffman’s brand and how she’s successfully been able to transition her brand into a sustainable and ethical business, but her clothing isn’t necessarily in my price point. Needless to say, I was thrilled to find this dress for $39.99 on ThredUp (compared to the estimated retail price of $275). ThredUp takes some digging, but there are definitely some gems on there. Another online “thrift” store I’ve come to love is Swap Society. Read my post about this female-founded company here.

My favorite secondhand apps to look for sustainable brands at a discount are Poshmark and Depop. These apps are full of (more) reasonably priced brands, but do your research before you buy! A lot of people go straight from sample sales or online stores to these apps to make a quick profit. See what they’re selling, do a quick google search to find the original retail value, and make smart offers.

TheRealReal, ReBag and Tradesy are online consignment shops that cater toward nicer brand-name items. These are great sites if you’re looking for high-end items from brands like Stella McCartney and RE/DONE.

I now shop Reformation almost exclusively at their sample sales. Though the prices for some things like dresses and tops aren’t quite a good deal, their denim is always incredibly reasonably priced ($50 per pair instead of $150+). Not all sample sales are created equal, though! Some brands will have better deals at their sample sales than others, so just like I recommended with shopping on Poshmark & Depop, do your research. Read my post “Everything You Need To Know About Shopping At Sample Sales” for my best shopping tips, where to find sample sales in your area, and how to prepare before you get there.

I’m normally not a huge fan of sales because they promote unnecessary consumerism and impulse buys, but I do regularly take advantage of sales – especially when I am trying out a new sustainable brand. Here’s how to make sure you don’t miss a sale from one of your favorite brands (or a brand you’re dying to try):

• Subscribe to their email newsletters. I learned about the Boyish jeans sale through their newsletter and was thrilled to get jeans for $70 instead of $150, especially because they were a new brand to me!
• Follow them on social media. Brands often promote their sales on Instagram stories or on their Facebook pages. If you scroll through social media as much as the research says our generation does, it will be nearly impossible to miss a sale.
• Learn their sale schedule. Reformation has two sales per year- once at the end of Summer and once around the New Year. Thinx has a sale every memorial day weekend. Everlane has Choose What You Pay sales every few months. Brands like Boody will have bundle deals more often than they will have actual sales. Not all brands will have a regular schedule (and some brands will never have sales), but for the more established brands that have been around a while, pay attention to their promotional calendar.

I just wrote an entire post about textile recycling where I talked all about brands that will responsibly recycle your clothing and give you a discount on your purchase of a future item. This is a great way to participate in a more circular economy, capture the value of your clothes that have lived past their useful life, and save a little money on a future purchase.

Here are some other companies that have textile buy-back/recycling programs or sell mended clothing for a discount:

• TheRealReal x Stella McCartney – If you consign a Stella McCartney piece on TheRealReal, you will get a $100 gift card to purchase something new at Stella McCartney. This is by far one of the best deals I’ve found (though keep in mind Stella McCartney clothing ain’t cheap to begin with).
• Eileen Fisher Waste No More – Eileen Fisher’s Waste No More program will give you $5 in Eileen Fisher credit for every Eileen Fisher item you bring in to be mended or upcycled. You also can shop Waste No More online without bringing anything in to be donated. Eileen Fisher’s price point is a little high for me, so shopping their Waste No More clothing is a great, lower-cost alternative.
• Patagonia Worn Wear – Depending on the item, Patagonia will give anywhere between $10 and $100 of store credit when you donate your worn Patagonia gear. Like Eileen Fisher, you can also shop Worn Wear without donating anything!
• Reformation x ThredUp – By clearing out your closet through the Reformation x ThredUp collab, you can get paid in Reformation credit instead of ThredUp credit. Take this as a warning, though, ThredUp does not pay that much for your items, so if you’re looking to rack up some big bucks in Ref credit, this may not be the way to do it.

With all of this said, if you have the financial means to pay full price for an item of clothing from a sustainable and ethical brand, try your best to do so. Purchasing items at full price supports these brands that are making real change. When I AM able to pay full price for an item, I do. As a student this most often manifests in buying sustainable basics at full price – like tee shirts from Reformation or underwear from Everlane. Brands don’t stay in business by having sales, especially not sustainable and ethical brands, so do what you can to show these industry-changing brands that you support what they are doing.