Sustainable fashion is not accessible for everyone but that does’t mean you can’t be involved in advocating for a more sustainable industry. So much of discourse around sustainable fashion revolves around how and where you buy clothing, but there is so much more to the movement that has nothing to do with buying! Advocating for a better industry does NOT have to be expensive. Here are some free ways to advocate for sustainable fashion and a more sustainable industry as a whole.
Advocate for Sustainable Fashion In Your Own Closet
Wear what you already have. The most sustainable clothing is what’s in your closet. Love the clothes you already own. Find new ways to style the clothes you don’t wear very often. Shop your own closet before adding anything new to it. And be a proud outfit repeater! Challenge the fashion industry’s constant push for consumption by wearing and rewearing the clothes you own!
Mend your clothes. Clothes wear out over time – buttons fall off, hems come apart, holes form. Those signs of use in your clothes should not be a reason to get rid of them. Sewing a button, using double stick tape or clothing take to keep a hem together, or adding a patch over a hole are all easy fixes you can do (most likely) with what’s already in your home. See how I mended a jumpsuit here with an old tee shirt, a needle, and thread!
Swap your clothes. Swap clothing you no longer wear with your friends, family, co-workers, or a student organization. Swapping is a great alternative to donating old clothing and a free alternative to buying new items! It’s a win-win situation when someone swaps clothing they no longer want for clothing they are excited about (and happen to be pre-loved as well).
Demand Action In The Industry
Ask brands for transparency. Transparency is integral to sustainability in the fashion industry. In order to trust a brand’s claims about their materials, working conditions, and sustainability commitments, that information should be publicly available. Look at the information that is available on their website. If you see vague language or no information, ask for more. Learn more about what transparency is and why it is necessary for sustainable fashion here.
Call out greenwashing when you see it. Greenwashing is when a company pretends to be more sustainable than they actually are. It is incredibly common in product marketing. Sustainability is increasingly important to consumers so greenwashing will become more prevalent. Call it out when you see it. Ask brands to do better. See some examples of greenwashing in fashion here.
Write directly to brands. Tell brands what you would like to see them improve or do less of. Wish a sustainable brand was more size inclusive? Wish a fast fashion brand would produce less or have fewer seasons? Want more education about how to care for their products? Let them know! Learn more about communicating with brands here.
Support legislation. The fashion industry is a notoriously unregulated industry. Such global industries can be difficult to regulate but that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be regulated. Support legislation like the Garment Worker Protection Act that protects garment workers in California. Call for brands to sign onto things like the Bangladesh Accord that improves conditions in garment factories. Advocate for anti-waste laws. France recently passed one that bans returned or unsold designer products from being destroyed.