Have you realized that many clothing stores in town are offering insane discounts? Well, this is normal with the holiday season. However, these offers can throw your reasoning into disarray, and you might find yourself overspending on clothes. If you’re not careful, you’ll always be rushing from one clothing store to the next in search of the next big offer!
It’s actually pretty likely that you’ll get rid of those “trendy” and stylish clothes as soon as a new fashion trend comes out. After all, the limited storage in your wardrobe will not allow you to accumulate more clothes. So where do you take the extra clothes that have already run out of fashion?
Environmentalists are worried about this. The disposal of these items can negatively impact the environment, after all. According to The True Cost film, people are buying 400% more clothing than they were doing 20 years ago! As a result, unwanted textiles are flooding landfills.
Many clothing companies utilize toxic substances, including dyes and softeners, which eventually find their way into the environment. Here are five ways you can help reduce clothing waste:
- Use eco-friendly fabric pieces
One of the best methods of minimizing waste from clothing is to choose sustainable fabric pieces. There are many clothing options out there that are made of organic materials, such as recycled cotton, organic linen, and organic hemp. Not only are these fabrics durable, but they also don’t harm the planet.
Hence, if you have money, refrain from buying clothing pieces made of synthetic fabrics, like acrylic, nylon, and polyester. Instead, buy from sustainable brands to protect the environment in the long run. For example, if you’re looking for menswear, there are companies like TBô The First Community-led Menswear brand that creates functional, comfortable, and eco-friendly clothing pieces. They contribute to waste reduction by producing only the essentials.
- Purchase Second-Hand Clothes
With the increasing number of thrift shops today, it’s easy to find second-hand clothes that look brand new and are affordably priced. That said, wearing used clothing is a sustainable way to protect the environment. Giving them a second chance helps reduce waste in the clothing industry by preventing more items from going to the landfill.
If you’ve decided to purchase used clothes, it’s best to buy fewer items that you can’t wear every day. Select the ones that are easy to put on and keep in mind not to sacrifice comfort for a lower price. These items ought to serve you well for a long time, or at least until you decide to update your wardrobe.
- Donate your old clothes
Never throw away your unwanted clothes. Instead, give them to someone who will use them. In addition to saving the environment, this is a noble act that will put a smile on the face of another individual. Give your old clothes to a friend in need, or a growing relative.
If you do not know anyone in need of your unwanted clothes, it’s always a great idea to donate them to various charity organizations that are available in your hometown. However, you should be cautious not to donate clothes that cannot be reused. After all, they’ll eventually be dumped into the landfill!
- Recycle and Repurpose
Textiles are highly versatile, and you can use them in different ways. All you need to do is pick up your phone and research clothing recycling tricks.
You’ll be surprised at how creative you can be. For example, you can make a fashionable bag from that shirt you thought belongs in the litter bin! You can also make scarfs and pom poms from t-shirts. If you run out of options, you could consider turning them into rugs.
- Swap your Old Clothes
The clothes you hate could be someone else’s favorite! Maybe your ugly scarf is the winter layering piece another person has been looking all over for. If you can find someone in this sort of situation, you should see if they’d be willing to swap! Even such a simple act can help save our world from the “landfill menace”.
There are plenty of sites that offer such services; as before, just do your research. Also, you can invite your friends to check them out and let them take away the clothes they like. It’s your responsibility to help save our environment. Please, take responsibility for the waste clothing can create if it’s improperly disposed of. Help us keep textiles out of the landfill!
