Circular Fashion is a lifestyle concept that stands against excessive consumption. It promotes the idea of "less is more" by prioritising durability and bringing clothing back into the loop after using it.
Although embracing the circular fashion movement in a world dominated by fast fashion can be challenging, you can follow ten simple steps to adopt this lifestyle.
Read on to discover what you can do and how to join the circular fashion movement.
- No more impulsive shopping; shift your mindset:
Almost all of us have fallen for the temporary excitement of impulse buying. The fast fashion industry can be very tempting, and thanks to marketing strategies, it pushes us to buy a new item weekly instead of investing in versatile pieces.
When buying clothes, be selective and thoughtful. Choose sustainable fabrics and invest in durable pieces that fit your style and body type. Avoid trendy items that won't last.
- Don’t buy anything for one month and set new goals:
- Ask yourself if you will wear it more than 30 times:
The fashion industry releases nearly 52 micro-collections per year. That means one weekly collection, making us constantly feel outdated. Even so, you don’t need to buy new clothes every week. To resist the temptation, you can take up the 30-wear challenge.
With this challenge, you can buy a new garment only if you wear it at least 30 times. So, before buying, ask yourself if you really need it. If not, don't buy it. If the challenge is too difficult, wait one week before buying any new garment. By following these rules, you're forcing yourself to think before a purchase.
- Take care of your clothes and watch your washing:
Circular fashion promotes investing in high-quality garments that last long, while fast fashion prioritises cheap and quickly goes out of style clothing. To make your clothes last longer, adopt sustainable practices.
Here are three basic ones:
- Wash clothes inside out to prevent distressing.
- Hang your clothes dry instead of using the tumble dryer.
- Avoid over-washing
- Fix what’s broken and learn a new skill:
Circular fashion encourages us to think before discarding clothes, so don't throw away worn-out clothes too quickly. You can either ask an expert to help or fix them yourself. All you need is a sewing kit and a little bit of patience to start with.
Remember, clothes can be tailored or repaired, and shoes can be fixed. And, if you don’t like the fit of a garment, ask a tailor to alter it.
- Shop second-hand:
Choosing second-hand items and shopping at thrift stores is a simple way to change the fast fashion trends. It helps reduce your carbon footprint by extending the life cycle of clothing items, reducing the demand for new production, and decreasing resource consumption, energy usage, and textile waste.
In addition, second-hand shopping offers unique fashion pieces, including vintage treasures, designer labels, and statement accessories, to elevate your style because the garment has already been.
- Unfollow toxic influencers:
Starting a circular fashion journey involves decluttering your closet and social media. Despite our belief that influencers don’t influence us, studies reveal that 55.2% of Gen Z and 50.6% of Millennials found inspiration for their latest fashion purchase on social media.
Let’s see how you can break up with social media content that doesn’t align with your circular fashion values:
- Unsubscribe from newsletters promoting fast fashion.
- Unfollow influencers who promote trends and fast fashion.
- Identify and eliminate impulse shopping triggers (stop watching clothing hauls on YouTube and unfollow celebrities who wear a clothing item just once).
- Find new sustainable fashion influencers and click here to receive our newsletters with more tips and information.
- Create your list of sustainable fashion brands:
We know it sounds difficult to suddenly say goodbye to your favourite fast fashion brands, but plenty of options exist. You can shop from sustainable fashion brands, choose your favourite brand's sustainable collections, or opt for big brands' collections made with natural or recycled materials.
The important things to remember are:
- Look for labels and certifications from recognised bodies, like GOTS or OEKO-TEX.
- Check the brand rating on Good On You.
- Research the company outside of its website.
- Keep an eye on product traceability on QR codes on labels.
- Resell your clothes when you don’t want them anymore:
Do you have a classic piece of clothing that's been sitting in your closet for years, or maybe a purchase you never wore? Don't let your clothes go to waste! You can make some of your money back and give your clothes a new chance to be loved. It is fun, rewarding, and sustainable; you can repeat the process as often as necessary. So why wait?
If you would like to try, here are some tips:
- Find a local shop that fits your style
- Don’t forget shoes, jewellery, and handbags
- Try some apps
- Become a renter, drop the buyer mindset:
Being a renter rather than a buyer makes sense when we talk about circular fashion because it reduces the environmental impact of clothing production by up to 50%. Also, renting clothes can help you save money and does not make you sacrifice variety if you quickly grow bored with your clothes.
Check the rental options online before spending money on a garment you rarely wear. You’ll be surprised by the rental clothing market and delighted by the good deals.
If you imagine a world where fashion is sustainable and environmentally conscious, this simple 10-step guide can be the perfect action plan to step into the circular fashion movement and support the change.