Making Your Wardrobe Eco Friendly: Five Strategies You Can Combine To Save The Environment

If you're thinking about making your wardrobe more eco friendly to spare the Earth's environment, congratulations! You are joining the ranks of millions of people worldwide who are looking for ways to make better use of resources and leave less damage on the planet. Here are five strategies you can start using now to create an environmentally friendly closet.

Reduce the size of your wardrobe.

Paring down your clothes to just a little capsule wardrobe is in vogue today. A capsule wardrobe makes getting dressed every day easier, and packing for travel is a breeze. You'll have space in your closet for other items as well.

When you shop less for clothing, the demand for those items is reduced, which in turn, reduces the demand for things like pesticides (often used to produce cotton). Also, your carbon footprint is reduced when you use fewer things in your life; you have less to throw away, and there is less demand for ozone-damaging transportation of goods.

Buy locally made clothing.

Speaking of reducing your carbon footprint, one of the best ways to do that is to buy locally produced goods, and clothing is no exception. Take some time to look at small neighborhood boutiques instead of big department stores next time you go shopping.

Recycle your wardrobe and purchase recycled items.

There's no rule that says you have to buy new clothing when you shop. When was the last time you checked out a thrift or vintage shop for clothing? You'll find items that no one else is likely to have, and your wallet will be happy too.

When you're getting rid of pieces to create that capsule wardrobe, don't throw them away. Instead, donate them, sell them on consignment, or repurpose them for something else. There are tons of things you can make with old clothing, from artwork to braided rugs.

Support brands offering eco-friendly choices.

Today there are many clothing manufacturers selling eco-friendly options for your wardrobe. Look for fabrics made from sustainable materials, like bamboo or even recycled plastic. These brands, like Recover Brands, also feature organic cotton fabric, grown without pesticides, natural dyes, and often, fair-trade labor.

Repair your worn clothing.

You may not be ready to compete on "Project Runway" yet, but you can still do basic repairs on your clothing to keep them from winding up in the trash. It's easy to toss something rather than fixing it, but the eco-friendly choice is to replace the buttons yourself or sew on a set of elbow patches. You'll be happy you can get some additional mileage out of your old favorites, and the planet will appreciate your reduce, reuse, and recycle policy too.

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