When I was growing up, girls I went to school with loved hanging out at the mall. While I never understood this, fashion companies sure do. That’s why they pump out new styles every week. As quickly as possible and and with the biggest margins that they can manage.
While most people love $7 tops and $20 shoes, I’d rather compile a quality collection of sustainably-made (and non-toxic) clothing. That’s why I make every effort to be a conscious consumer, doing my research on the fashion industry and looking for alternatives to fast fashion.
What I found out was that the true cost of fast fashion is far greater than any bargain. For starters, if there’s a new “season” of clothes every week, you’re bound to be out-of-style before you’ve even worn your new find. To keep up you have to buy more and toss more – the average American throws out more than 68 pounds of textiles per year!
And that’s just the beginning of the environmental impact. In order to keep costs down, manufacturers don’t adhere to safety standards and some of your fave inexpensive accessories contain lead, in addition to all the other chemicals – pesticides, insecticides, formaldehyde, and flame-retardants – that are routinely used in mainstream fashion.
20% of all water pollution comes from the apparel industry. If we change the way we shop we can make a huge impact.
Perhaps the most tragic cost of all is the human cost, with up to 60 percent of fashion being produced by ‘informal’ workers, there’s no way to regulate their working conditions.
But you don’t have to participate in all this madness. You can step out of the fast fashion system, by following the below tips:
Shop vintage
The most reliable path to being a sustainable fashionista is to by buying vintage. While you can’t be sure the vintage piece was ethically made, by purchasing a vintage piece you’re breathing new life into something that might have been discarded into a landfill. Here’s my guide to getting great deals on eBay.
Look for natural materials
Did you know that polyester is actually toxic because it’s made from petroleum? Always avoid synthetic fabrics, as the processing chemicals and dyes used in these materials are particularly toxic. Instead, opt for (organic, if possible) cotton or linen.
After all my wool and cashmere sweaters got moth holes in them, I replaced them with with thick sweaters, denim, t-shirts, pants and more — all made from cotton or linen. If you can find it, hemp is another great choice.
Manufacturing practices and supply chain matters
For example, bamboo products are being marketed as green, but while bamboo itself is very sustainable, it is often processed with so many chemicals that it becomes toxic. And even if a brand uses “organic” cotton doesn’t mean they’re using non-toxic dyes.
There are some certifying companies such as OEKO_TEX or GOTS which cover parts of the supply chain, so you can also look out for those certifications. If you are buying non-organic clothing, OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certification will ensure that there are no toxic chemicals used in the textile dyeing and finishing process.
Think you can just wash away the toxins? Think again
Washing clothing does not thoroughly remove toxins, but it does spread the toxins to our local water.
Made in… where??
There is a lot of haziness in labelling law, since it’s a ‘standard’ rather than a rule. Companies take advantage of that and put a ‘Made in USA’ label when the component parts are not actually American made.
The good news is that fashion-conscious consumers don’t have to compromise. A simple rule that I’ve adopted is to build my wardrobe slowly by picking out sustainable pieces I love. I try to find brands that don’t use toxic dyes and chemicals or underpaid labor. That doesn’t have to translate into expensive clothing; check out a couple of my favorites brands: Wildlife Works (their profits save animals) and Thought, or search for “organic clothing”.
Being an ethical consumer is all about educating yourself then doing the best you can. After all, if you want to change the world, the best way is to vote with your dollars.
What’s your best fashion tip? Do you try to shop sustainably?
The clothing industries are actually one of the most polluting industries on the planet, and the textiles they produce may be laced with irritants and disease-causing chemicals, which is one of the reasons why it’s so important to wash new clothes before wearing them. Even then, however, it may not make the clothing entirely safe.
This is shocking to know that the average piece of clothing is not only may be made from the potentially allergenic material but also may be contaminated with a variety of chemicals used during the manufacturing process.
Everything is toxic nowadays. Sometimes I feel like, in order to be totally non-toxic, I’ll have to farm my own cotton, dye it myself, manufacture it myself and make fabric from it!!!!
Why bother? We are gonna die anyway. Why not wear what you want (I love getting a cheap quick thrill when I buy a new dress! ?) and deal with the consequences later.
This article really opened my eyes! I had no ideas my clothes were so toxic and has such an impact on the environment. Guess I just never stopped to think about it. Going to have to reevaluate my wardrobe….
Interviewing Maxine was so eye opening for me – I also had to reevaluate my wardrobe!
The good news is that once you reevaluate, getting dressed is so much easier and actually feels great!
I’m going to start buying from these vintage shops more often. Who would’ve thought that fashion can harm the environment?
There are still great options out there it is just a matter of knowing what to look for before you buy.
Is there better protection against these toxins if I buy in Europe? I know they have better protection for chemicals in general, but does that mean they also have better protection for toxins in clothing and textiles?
Not necessarily as you have to consider the entire supply chain. You should look for “Certified Organic” and GOTS certification ensures that both the fiber is organic and the dyeing/finishing process is non-toxic.
Laws are changing in the EU regarding toxins much faster than they are in the US, but unfortunately it still does not mean buying clothing their leaves you better protected. Not yet, anyway.
OMG I didn’t realize that clothing could poison me! I have bamboo sheets! Should I get rid of them? What should I replace them with??
Try organic cotton or industrial hemp 🙂
But she said even organic cotton can be toxic…
Not all, though. Only if they’re using toxic dyes.
Right. But there’s no way to know if they are, no? Also, I thought they use toxic chemicals to process the bamboo???
If buying organic, you should always look for “certified organic” (such as USDA) and GOTS, to ensure that there aren’t dangerous chemicals used in dyeing and finishing.
Look out for GOTS certification, just make sure that there is certification through the entire supply chain. This link has an option: https://beyondbeds.com/certified-organic-cotton-sheets.aspx. Hope that helps!
What I did was not throw out what already had but buy more consciously going forward.
Linen and hemp are excellent replacements. Particularly if organic. In addition, organic cotton sheets are a great replacement as well. Additionally, if you are buying non-organic sheets, OEKO-Tex Standard 100 certification will ensure that there are no toxic chemicals used in the textile dyeing and finishing process.
Bamboo is toxic? Jeez. And here I was wanting to wear more bamboo-ish clothing.
Wow. I never thought it was this much waste. This is a very enlightening read. 😀 Kudos you guys!
I’m also thinking, why aren’t there more reports out there about this? Are people really naive about the textile industry?