Curbing overconsumption this spring
Curbing overconsumption
As the seasons come and go, new trends and fashion cycles come along with them. With fast fashion brands on the rise and social media more influential than ever, fashion cycles are changing rapidly. Fast fashion refers to inexpensive garments that are mass-produced and quickly pumped out to consumers to maximize profits. Although the fashion industry has consistently been one of the largest consumers of water and energy, fast fashion companies have exponentially increased the negative impacts on the environment.
According to McKinsey, the fashion industry as a whole is responsible for 10% of the world’s carbon emissions. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change estimates that textile emissions will increase by 60% in less than 10 years. The industry is also the second largest consumer of water. It takes 700 gallons of water to create just one cotton T-shirt. Fast fashion companies like SHEIN, Zara, H&M and many more produce more than 7,000 new styles a week. With higher production rates come greater effects on our environment.
New styles and fads popping up on our social media feeds remind us spring and summer are right around the corner. This year, instead of running to the mall or filling up a new cart online, consider “shopping your closet” as a fun and creative way to reinvent your wardrobe and remain environmentally conscious. Here are some tips on how to do this.
Upcycling
At-home DIYs cover TikTok feeds and Instagram Reels, and they’re a great way to find inspiration on how to upcycle pieces you already own. You can find tutorials on how to dye, embellish, chop and crop old garments to give them a new life.
Layering
This is one of the best ways to combine different pieces together to find fun new outfits and clever styles. Using dresses as base pieces to layer with a cardigan, hoodie or graphic tee to turn it into a skirt is one of the easiest ways to layer this season.
Swapping
Once you have owned the same piece for a while, it’s easy to get sick of wearing it or to feel like you’re in a rut. Basically, playing a giant, clothing-inspired game of Tetris will get your creative side out and help you fall back in love with older garments. You can even use a TikTok filter to get some inspiration.
Dressing Up & Down
Recently, the term “capsule wardrobe” has blown up on social media, encouraging people to shop smart and buy pieces that work together cohesively. Buying one or two pieces that can be made into casual looks, professional outfits and can even be used as formal wear is one of the most effective ways to shop sustainably.
Resale Over Retail
Instead of going to the mall for a new pair of pants, checking out local thrift stores and online resellers, like Depop, eBay and thredUP, is a great alternative. When the time for a closet clean-out comes around, donating those clothes to Goodwill, The Salvation Army or reselling online is the best way to recycle old clothing that no longer suits you.
The overconsumption of fast fashion is exacerbating the dire state that our environments are already in. While it may seem like everyone else is obsessively receiving clothing packages as we start to get warmer weather, figuring out how to maintain your personal style and expand on it with the clothes you already own will have a positive impact on the earth. And even though the sponsored ads and clothing hauls that cover our social media feeds are tempting, working to reduce overconsumption is the truest essential this spring.
is a contributor for The NewsHouse.
