Maybe, like me, you recycle, opt for a reusable water bottle, and use a canvas grocery bag on your shopping trips. You genuinely care about the health of the planet and the well-being of others, but you haven’t looked at your clothes through either of those lenses. 

If this sounds familiar, a quick peek into your closet might offer a frightening reality check similar to mine. I hope you’ll take that look.

Clothing is the fastest growing element of western countries landfills. The amount we’ve dumped has doubled in the last ten years. Our closets are stuffed with items that we don’t love, that don't fit, that are poorly constructed, and that are only worn a few times before being tossed or donated. The world is feeling the weight of thousands of overflowing bargain racks full of cheaply made garments. The insatiable desire for clothing at the lowest possible price has created a monster of epic human, societal, and environmental proportions. We don’t have to see the monster or understand what feeds it because most of the production and disposal of our throwaway attire has been outsourced to other countries.

Here are some facts:

• 60% of all clothing produced ends up being incinerated or sent to a landfill within 1 year.
• Our collective consumption of low-cost, low-quality apparel has more than quadrupled in the last thirty years and this glorified focus on bargain hunting at the expense of all else is not only decimating the planet, but also exploiting its most vulnerable women in the process.
• Most of our apparel is now made from cheap synthetic fibers such as polyester (plastic), which are produced from fossil fuels and take hundreds of years to decompose, creating enormous waste and contributing to global warming.
• Apparel production requires an incredible amount of natural resources and the process results in the runoff of pesticides and chemicals into water supplies around the world.
• Our well-meaning donations are drowning foreign countries in our trash to the point that many are actively rejecting our castoffs.

So what can you do?

Fortunately, a LOT. And most of it costs nothing. You might even find that you save money by adjusting your approach. The truth is that our individual actions have tremendous power to effect change, particularly as consumers.

Where to start? - Conscious Closet Basics

Choose one to start and expand from there. Know that it takes time to do it right and the goal is always progress, not perfection.

• The no-brainer, least expensive, and most rewarding of the list: buy less. Only buy what you love (love not like), what truly fits, and what works with your current wardrobe. Leave the tempting sale pieces on the rack. This is easier if you…
• Get organized. All of the following suggestions are easier to implement if you do a closet purge and are left with core pieces you love and can slowly build on. 
• Define your style and shop accordingly. I always recommend a neutral palette with a few favourite accent colours. Staying in your scheme makes shopping and mixing pieces easy. 
• Consider a minimalist or capsule wardrobe full of high-quality basics and pieces that are easy to mix and match.
• Learn how to identify quality and how to recognize superior stitching, fabrication that will stand the test of time. Invest in pieces you’ll treasure - the highest quality items in your price range.
• Educate yourself on fabrication basics and choose natural fibers as often as possible. Avoid chemically-produced synthetics (polyester, nylon, acrylic) in favour of natural fibers (organic cotton, hemp, wool, silk, cashmere.)
• Be willing to do some homework on the brands you support. Decide what your issues are - workers’ rights? Environmental impact? Both? Research and ask questions. Companies doing it right are happy to provide information. 
• Rent instead of buy. Renting isn’t just for weddings anymore - also think vacations, holiday parties, music festivals, Halloween costumes, date nights, or and even the work week. The number of rental options is increasing along with demand and openness to the beauty of style without ownership.
• Buy and sell second-hand. Extending the life of pieces already in existence by a mere 9 months reduces the carbon and water footprint by 20-30%.
• Shop local. Don’t assume local = ethical but many of the places trying to source ethically are smaller, local stores. 
• Extend the life of your current clothing. Wash less, wash cold, avoid the delicate cycle, line dry. Learn to repair minor issues.