Quite a lot of time has passed since I sat down and put my thoughts on paper for you guys. I was and still am adjusting to the changes I’ve made to my life recently. If you have no idea what I’m talking about, here’s the short version: I took on a new project in terms of my career and moved to a new city. I won’t lie, it’s been stressful but also rewarding. Until now, I haven’t talked much about sustainability here on the blog. Mostly because I’ve been assuming that people already know how to live more sustainably these days. Today, however, I thought I’d still share with you a few of the changes I’ve made to build a more sustainable wardrobe.
Please note: This blog post contains ads. I wasn’t paid to write it but I did receive products from the brands mentioned free of charge (PR samples).
decluttering on a regular basis
Sorting through all my belongings when I was moving resulted in a major decluttering episode. Let’s just say: I got rid of a lot of stuff. Some items I donated. Other items, which were still in great condition, I re-sold. Right then and there, I decided that I wanted to be more mindful of the purchases I make & the pieces I invest in. Why is it anyway, that we only realize how much stuff we own when we have to sort through it all?! As mentioned before, my goal is to slowly find my way towards a more sustainable wardrobe. Sure enough, that doesn’t mean throwing out everything that isn’t sustainable ‘eco-wear’. In my opinion, that wouldn’t be eco-friendly at all. Instead, sustainability to me also means making sure I love and regularly wear every single item in my wardrobe. If I don’t like an item any more or hardly ever wear it, I let it go.
I used to be an “emotional shopper” and I bought tons of useless items just to make myself feel better. And yes, I’m guilty of having bought clothes that didn’t fit me, just because they were on sale. Gladly, I learned how to be more mindful of these things. I now try to make sure I 100% want and need an item in my wardrobe and my life. Furthermore, I always try to think about my existing pieces to make sure the new piece will match the rest of my wardrobe. But where exactly does one start to build a more sustainable wardrobe? Well, I suggest starting small. As we all know, it’s the little things that eventually add up. These are the categories I started with.
underwear
This is one of the first areas I started to work on. As soon as you start to think about this it makes total sense. Your underwear is in direct contact with your skin and your most sensitive body parts. That’s why you want to make sure to invest in high-quality underwear made from suitable materials. You’ll want to make sure that it’s made from cotton or any other material that is breathable.
Bacterial and yeast infections, issues many women struggle with these days, can be provoked by wearing underwear made from synthetic materials. Since I have struggled with yeast infections in the past as well, I speak from experience. If you’re looking for high-quality pieces made from sustainable, toxic-free & eco-friendly materials these are brands I have personally tested and can highly recommend. For basics, I love to wear Organic Basics. I have tested their Invisible line as well as their Tencel line and I absolutely love wearing them both.
Sometimes, however, I feel like wearing a more extravagant look. Something slightly more playful and sexy. That’s when I’ll wear my pieces from erlich textil. The super-flat seams and edge trims ensure that you feel comfortable & sexy at the same time. Every woman who has worn some super uncomfortable lace underwear before will know that that’s a rare combo. These pieces are made from Micromodal (which is made of beech wood) and the super-soft lace is also made of recycled yarns.
activewear
Another category that has a huge impact on my wardrobe is activewear. Buying new activewear used to motivate me immensely to go to the gym. Thinking about that now kind of makes me sad, to be completely honest but that’s an entirely different story. I used to buy new workout clothes every single month (!). If you’re not into fitness or don’t wear gym clothing this probably won’t apply to you at all. However, if you’re like me and you live a huge part of your life in yoga pants, I suggest you start looking for sustainable options. Luckily, more and more brands come out with sustainable lines these days so there’s a wide range of styles to choose from. Gone are the days when the only sustainable option was a pair of cotton leggings.
One of the brands I really like is Girlfriend Collective, a brand I first came across during my time in Canada. Their activewear is made from recycled post-consumer plastic bottles. Back in 2017, this brand was, to my knowledge, only available in the US and Canada but thanks to BeeAthletica, a thoughtfully curated activewear shop focusing on supporting a conscious lifestyle, we can now get our hands on these cool & eco-friendly pieces in Europe as well.
If you’d like to get 10% off your order on BeeAthletica simply use the code “BEE10” ♡
back to the basics
In terms of daywear, I try to keep things as basic as possible these days. I own a single pair of high-quality jeans by Armedangels and I generally try to be conscious about the decisions I make. While I don’t think it’s realistic to strive for a 100% sustainable & eco-friendly wardrobe, I do think that we can all be more thoughtful and aware of the decisions we make each and every day. If your wardrobe consists of pieces you love and wear often that’s already a win in my books.
I own shirts, which have been on the pricier side, that aren’t eco-friendly but I’ve been wearing them on a weekly basis for the past 4 years and they still look as good as new. Especially for pricier items buying them ‘vintage’ can be a great option. I sometimes sell pieces online when they no longer fit me or spark joy. After all, our style changes from time to time and we end up with pieces we don’t like or feel comfortable in anymore. That’s okay! Someone else might love it and is happy to find it online for a more affordable price.
I hope these insights and my opinion are somewhat helpful, whether you’re trying to make your own wardrobe more sustainable or simply want to be more mindful of your decisions and the things you already own.