Sustainable Practices
Look for brands that go beyond just using eco-friendly materials and have sustainable practices within their business. This could include using renewable energy in factories, offsetting carbon emissions, have clothing recycling programs, or any other business practices that keep mother earth in mind.
Third Party Certifications
Look for third party certifications such as climate neutral certified, certified B corp, and Fair Trade Certified. These certifications ensure different ethical and environmental standards.
Clothing Repair Programs
Look for brands that offer repairs. Brands like Patagonia offer repair services. This is great because it means that your clothing can be fixed instead of ending up in the ladnfill or having to be replaced.
Timeless Style
Invest in timeless pieces that can be worn for years to come and can be worn through a variety of different seasons.
Look Out for Sales
Sign up for e-mails to be notified of sales. Sustainable brands have sales just like fast fashion brands do (not as frequently), but it’s a great opportunity to stock up and save money if there are certain clothing items you need for your closet.
Take Back Programs
Some brands like For Days have clothing take back programs. Once you have worn your clothing, you can send it back in exchange for a store credit. This is a great way to keep clothing out of landfills and make sure it has a second life.
Plus, it’s a good way for the consumer to save money on a future purchase! Just be careful and watch out for fast fashion brands trying to use take back programs as greenwashing.
College Discounts
If you’re a college student be sure to see if the brand offers any college student discount!
Read the Care Instructions
Take care of your clothes! One of the most sustainable things you can do is to love the clothing in your closet. Whenever you get a new piece be sure to read the care instructions.
You want to make sure you follow the washing and drying instructions to ensure the garment lasts as long as it possibly can. This helps save you money because you won’t wear down the fabric as easily and have to replace the garment.
Hopefully this guide helped you discover some more affordable sustainable clothing brands to start your conscious closet and given you a bit of perspective when looking at a higher price tag.
