At least sustainable

Fast Fashion has a significant impact on our planet. Chemicals affect cotton plants. Resources, such as water and sand, are limited. Insects and bees are becoming extinct because of pesticides. Natural water cycles are getting interrupted and our ecosystem is getting destroyed. Thus, launching fashion quickly and easily on the market is a difficult challenge for our planet.

But what can we do? How can we achieve a more sustainable fashion industry and keep wearing clothes we like?

How can I wash my clothes in a correct and sustainable way?

Washing your clothes the proper way is already a huge contribution to the protection of our environment. A high temperature of a washing cycle increases the energy consumption and the damage we put on our garment. A quick example: you can wash a pair of cotton jeans at 60°C, but you don’t need to. Detergents nowadays are so advanced that extreme chemicals are no longer required. Therefore, eco detergent is a very effective and environment-friendly alternative, which is nowadays available in every supermarket or drugstore. In addition, you should not wash your clothes too often. With each wash, materials are damaged again, so that infrequent washing increases the longevity of the garment. If individual stains appear, it is worth trying to wash them manually and not to throw them directly into the laundry machine. Something which is already known to many people, is to always turn the garment inside out. This protects the material and the color of the garment and looks more beautiful for a longer time.

Last but not least, it is recommended to always air dry your laundry. This saves a lot of energy that a dryer would use up otherwise. (1)

We all have to wash and we all do it, so why not sustainably?

I like shopping, but how can I do this sustainable and fair?

Meanwhile, there are many brands that produce sustainably and fairly. A brand worth mentioning is “Armedangles.” This German brand only produces products from fair trade chains. These are made from organic as well as from recycled materials. For example, they use organic cotton for the production of jeans. Chemicals are not necessary, as it is common in fast fashion. This is how “Armedangles” wants to preserve soil fertility. (1)

There are currently many brands that simplify sustainable shopping.

However, it must always keep in mind that every online order requires additional packaging materials. This is why it is also always important to make sure to shop at online stores that value sustainable packaging materials. In addition, you can also achieve a lot by shopping secondhand.

Go to flea markets, find second hand stores in your city or buy fair trade. 

Often it is even more fun for many people and they are happy over a special piece of clothing, because it is unique and not every second person on the street wears it. Through this the will to keep the garment longer and to handle it with care increases. Anyone who buys second hand is already doing a lot for a more sustainable fashion world. Here, there is no need to produce new items – you extend the life of a piece of clothing.

Meanwhile, there are a few so-called “charity stores”. The concept behind it: Bring your old clothes to the store, after this they are getting resold as secondhand goods. At the same time, a part of the money is donated to a charity organization or a project that supports environmental protection or human rights. However, many charity stores also donate directly to victims of natural disasters, for example.

Otherwise, secondhand goods are also available online. Websites like “Vinted” make it easy to buy secondhand online and to find unique pieces. So you’re interested in fashion and like to dress well? Then you now have many great sustainable alternatives to fast fashion!

How do I find out what is really sustainable and fair?

Many are willing to, but can’t buy sustainable and fair. Why? Because they don’t know what to look for. To mark sustainable fashion, various labels are used, which you can look out for when shopping. Nevertheless, the blinders should be taken off. Conscious questioning is very important if you really want to pay attention to sustainability. Examples of verified eco-seals are “Fairtrade Textile Production”, “Global Organic Textile Standard” or the “Oeko-Tex” label. However, there are plenty of other sustainability seals that you can look out for when shopping. (2)

(1) https://bellevue.nzz.ch/mode-beauty/nachhaltige-jeans-denim-tragen-muss-nicht-zwingend-eine-suende-se-ld.1613252

(2) https://nachhaltige-deals.de/nachhaltige-mode/fairtrade-kleidung/#Die_Modebranche_zaehlt_zu_den_5_Umwelt-schaedlichsten_Industrien