How to Shop Sustainably Without Breaking the Bank:

In this new wave of information stemming from social media of late, a major focal point is the fast fashion industry, and how their actions affect both their workers and the environment. As a way to help the environment and not patronize fast fashion brands, many activists advocate for buying from sustainable clothing brands. 

But buying firsthand, sustainable clothing is not always cheap! I find myself struggling to purchase sustainably because the low prices of fast fashion is so appealing to my nearly empty bank account in comparison to sustainable clothing items. However, alternatives do exist! I am a bigger sucker for all consignment and thrift shops. If you have a Plato’s Closet near you, I highly recommend checking them out! They have all sorts of name brand clothing, accessories, and shoes for a relatively cheap price! I have gotten all sorts of Nike, Patagonia, American Eagle, and Forever21 from them, without directly supporting any fast fashion. If you don’t have one of these near you, or it’s not your style, check your local Goodwill, Salvation Army, or other locally owned thrift store! If you dedicate enough time, there are almost some hidden jems in these stores. You can also consider buying clothes to DIY. I for one am HUGE on cropped clothing, so I will buy just about any shirt from a thrift store and crop it to my liking. You can also buy pants/jeans to paint/distress/tailor, etc! There are so many options you can look to without breaking the bank whilst being sustainable.

If you aren't able to go out because of COVID-19, I recommend checking online apps such as DEPOP, Mercari, and Poshmark. These apps all have users selling their clothes! It is a great resource if you cant hit the thrift stores in person (and allows me to feed my online shopping addiction more sustainably).

And the most sustainable option: the clothes you already have! If you’re tired of your wardrobe, you can hit up YouTube for some DIYS, like cropping, embroidering, tie-dying, or painting your clothes. I also highly recommend making a Pinterest account to search for some outfit ideas you may not have thought of before! 

Let’s do what we can to support sustainable fashion and amp our style in the process!