Detox for Sustainable Wardrobes
Sustainable fashion is a movement and process of fostering change to fashion products and the fashion system towards greater ecological integrity and social justice. Sustainable fashion concerns more than addressing fashion textiles or products. It comprises addressing the whole system of fashion. This means dealing with interdependent social, cultural, ecological and financial systems. [1]
“Fashion passes, style remains.”
Coco Chanel
This saying is one of the most important motives of the fashion industry to shift consciously. Nowadays, while the speed of change in fashion cannot be reached, we are facing a new trend every month.
As a result, an endless production-consumption craze emerges for both companies and people. Is there a day when you open the wardrobe, go to the side, or walk into it and don’t think it’s too much? This is where the philosophy of sustainable wardrobe arises. The main objectives of this special philosophy are to create a process that is compatible with nature, to get rid of unnecessary clothing products and to prevent excess purchases. So, all we need to do this is wardrobe detox!
Baby Steps, Wardrobe Detox 101
First Step: Get Rid of Redundancy
If you want to do wardrobe detox for a sustainable wardrobe, the first thing you need to do is to get rid of the excess. No matter how much you like the clothes that do not match your body type and size, remove them from your closet aside. Also ask yourself the question ‘which clothes have I worn in the last six months, which ones have I not worn? (It may be a good idea to donate to Goodwill or to a place you deem appropriate.) Including all your belongings that you have kept on the edge such as worn, souvenir, torn or stained items.
Second Step: Style Analysis
What kind of work do you have? Are you wearing formal sportswear on the way to work? What are your clothes preferences in your non-business life? Are you serious or are you energetic? How do you define yourself? The answers to these questions will give you answers to all the questions you wonder about your style. When you determine your style according to your personality, wishes, and needs, not according to fashion trends, you will notice that you can easily get rid of the items that create redundancy in your wardrobe.
Step Three: Being faithful to your decision.
Your closet may face the same chaos, it might be happening in a few months, believe me, it does not take much time. To prevent this, you can apply a donation rule for each new item. From now on every time a new bag arrives, an old bag goes!
Final Step: Stick to paper!
Review your wardrobe after detox. Place the remaining clothes in a way that matches your color, with the ones you use the most in front. Determine what is missing in this state according to your needs, not season trends. Keep all your needs on a sheet of paper and stick to this list for the next time you shop.
References:
- Fletcher, Kate (2008). Sustainable fashion and textiles: design journeys (2nd ed.). London; Washington, DC: Earthscan.
Photo by Felipe Galvan on Unsplash.
