We come across this term ‘sustainability’ a lot these days especially in the field of fashion. There are also a lot of new fashion brands, homegrown and otherwise that are trying to design and develop sustainable clothing and fashion. So what is sustainability? The definition of sustainability as given by Wikipedia is “the ability to exist constantly”. Then what does that mean for Fashion? It means for a trend to be timeless. As all of us already know that every fashion season, there are new & exciting launches happening and obviously we would like to stay up to date in terms of fashion and this leads to a lot of spending. These trends aren’t here to stay forever and the cycle repeats itself. This never ending fashion cycle creates a lot of distress to our natural resources.

So fashion that’s been made keeping in mind both the environmental and socio-economic factors and also has been put to mindful usage once bought can be termed as sustainable fashion. While the term ‘sustainability’ might be new, the concept isn’t. The previous generation, the one to which our parents belong, practiced sustainability without even realising it. They repeated their clothes, younger siblings often wore hand-me-downs and old torn clothes were cut and sewn together to be used as hand clothes or throw blankets. We can draw a lot of ideas from there to begin with!

Now there are a lot of ways in which we can incorporate sustainable fashion into our day-to-day lives. It will take some time and many mindful choices, as it is a major lifestyle change. We have been incorporating sustainable fashion in certain areas that did change the way we look at clothing. Let’s start slow with a few basics.

Invest in Classics

Stop running after new trends and look for clothing that has been relevant several times. They are known as classics for a reason. They have nothing to do with the ever changing fashion trends. To name some, invest in handloom sarees like Tussar, Kanchipuram, Banarasi and the list goes on. These are a one-time investment and will also support home-grown labels, artisans and weavers. There are so many wardrobe staples that we rarely replace, like Blazers, jackets, overcoats and scarves, buy these and use them efficiently.

Repurpose your Wardrobe

Repurposing is the term that’s been used to define reusing and repeating the same pieces of clothing in different ways. When you have a certain number of bottoms, tops, scarves, jackets, there are a lot of ways in which you can style them. If you are out of ideas there is no need to feel discouraged, you’ll find endless styling videos that are being put up by professional stylists, style enthusiasts and fashion stylists on a daily basis. All this styling information is free and accessible on the internet, so the next time you think of buying a new piece of clothing, pause and think if you really need to buy it. If there is a way to achieve that style by repurposing what you already own, then that’s a great step towards practicing sustainable fashion.

Also Read: FASHION DESIGNING: TYPES OF BOTTOM WEAR YOU MUST TRY THIS YEAR

Make Better Fashion Choices

When you go out for shopping, it’s natural to get overwhelmed, with so many interesting pieces of clothing on display. It is a regular reaction to overspend and buy things that you know for a fact that you won’t even wear! So the next time you go shopping don’t be a compulsive shopper. Instead, list out the reasons why you need to buy new things. Is it because you’ve outgrown your clothes or just planning on expanding your wardrobe? Whatever might be your reason when you step into that store remember your shopping needs and look for clothes that can be repeated, repurposed or styled in different ways! This way you will have a multifunctional clothing item and also will save some bucks.

Be open to Recycling

All of us have a bunch of old clothes that either don’t fit us, are worn-out or just haven’t caught our attention & are lying around in our closets. If there is a way that you can recycle them into something useful, that would make a huge difference. These days we even have certain shopping sites and brands that accept old, worn-out clothes and give you store credit in return, you can try that out too. You could even make patchwork blankets, tea coasters, cushion covers or even stitch a new style out of them if you know how!

Shop from Thrift stores

Thrift stores are places that sell used/worn clothes that are still in a good condition, rejected clothing from garment factories & so on. A lot of thrift stores also donate a part of their earnings to local charities. So buying from thrift stores is like repurposing clothes but from other people’s wardrobes and it’s a great way to own different pieces of clothing while also not giving in to fast fashion. Isn’t that great! What’s nice is that we see a lot of style bloggers and fashion influencers buying and supporting shopping from thrift stores these days, which will bring in a lot more people to shop from here!

If you are someone who wants to create and design sustainable clothing, professional Fashion Design courses from Hamstech will help you by providing the right educational training. Sustainable living is a lifestyle that needs to be adapted by the upcoming generations, set an example for your peers by making sustainable- fashionable!