Sustainable Clothing – What’s the Big Deal?

I’m always on the lookout for ways to live more sustainably, but it isn’t easy when it comes to clothing.  I have two little kids who won’t stop growing, and buying sustainable clothing is a lot more expensive than picking up $2 t-shirts from Old Navy. 

The same goes with clothes for me – I’ve found some brands I like that seem like good sustainable clothing options, but they are so expensive and don’t have any storefront locations near me, so figuring out what size I need can be tricky.

On top of it all, I recently saw a TikTok where this woman purchased what she thought was an expensive, high-quality designer dress online.  She bought it from the designer’s website, and it arrived in the designer’s packaging, but when she looked at the tag, she was shocked to see it was from the very unsustainable company SHEIN!

This made me wonder, is taking the time and money to buy sustainable clothing really worth it? And how do we know if what we’re buying is actually what we think? I did some research, and here’s what I found –

What is sustainable clothing?

First off, if you aren’t familiar with sustainable clothing, it’s basically clothing made in an environmentally and socioeconomically responsible way. That means the materials the clothing is made from and any dyes used are natural and biodegradable, and the clothes aren’t constructed in “sweatshops.”  Unfortunately, no piece of clothing is perfect, and even finding brands that loosely fit this description can be very difficult.  

 Benefits of sustainable clothing

A large percentage of clothing is made in a way that is bad for the environment. 20% of global water waste and pollution comes from the fashion industry.  It takes approximately 2,700 liters of water to make one t-shirt.  That’s how much water one person drinks in 900 days! So, avoiding companies that produce “fast fashion” pieces is a great way to help out our environment.

Aside from the environmental benefits, sustainable clothing is better for our health. Since they’re made of natural fibers like cotton, hemp, or linen, they are more breathable and comfortable and will not transmit toxins into our bodies. Wait, what? Yep- multiple studies, including this one published by the National Library of Medicine, have shown that clothing made from synthetic fabrics like polyester, nylon, and spandex contain heavy metals and formaldehyde and can be petroleum-based.

As you can imagine, heavy metals and petroleum aren’t exactly good for our bodies – in fact, they can cause an array of health issues from minor conditions like itchy eyes, sore throat, and rashes all the way to more severe matters like reproductive issues and cancer.  So, steering clear of these non-sustainable options is really important.

Another benefit of sustainable clothing is that it is made by people who are treated ethically and are paid a living wage. You’ve probably heard horror stories of children working long hours in hot factories with no breaks and no food or water to assemble clothing sold by some well-known companies.  Sustainable clothing doesn’t have practices like that.  Their employees are treated like humans, not robots, so purchasing clothing from companies that have ethical working conditions will give you the peace of mind that you aren’t contributing to modern-day slavery but instead supporting a company that values the lives of its employees.

Cancer? Slavery? Are you just being dramatic?

If you’re like me and have a hard time figuring out what to wear each day, it may feel discouraging to learn that we need to consider more than just what looks best on us. I’ve had to completely shift my mindset on clothing and stay away from trends.  When you invest in a piece of sustainable clothing, expect to wear it without shame for the foreseeable future.  Seriously. We don’t need to update our entire wardrobe each season. Being more mindful of what we have is necessary for our environment and health.

Keeping your clothing for as long as possible will also help reduce landfill waste. In a 2018 report, the EPA estimated that 11.3 million tons of textiles were sent to landfills that year. To put that into perspective, Earth.org reports that that number is the equivalent of a garbage truck full of clothes being dropped off at a landfill every second of the day. Horrifying, right? This is truly an example of if everyone does their part to reduce their clothing consumption, we could collectively make a huge difference.

So, how do we find sustainable clothing?

Finding sustainable clothing involves being mindful of the materials, production methods, and brand practices. You can start by looking for natural or recycled fabrics like organic cotton, hemp, or Tencel, which have a lower environmental impact. You could also check for certifications like GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard)or Fair Trade, which ensure ethical production standards.  You can also check out your favorite clothing brand’s sustainability and transparency statements. Here’s a good example of one from the brand Patagonia. It’s important to note that no company is perfect, but some are worse than others – way worse!   So, do some research and put pressure on your favorite brands to engage in more sustainable practices.

If you simply cannot find a sustainable brand that carries items you can afford or want to wear, you can head to the local thrift or vintage store to find used clothes. Buying used is more eco-friendly since it reduces the demand for new clothing. As I mentioned before, make the switch to buying timeless pieces that you can wear for years.  Reducing the amount of clothing you buy is probably the best way to ensure our clothing is not harming the environment. Plus, you’ll end up saving money in the long run!