One way to help the environment is through awareness-raising. Knowing the place we live and knowing ourselves involves profound reflection work that allows us to understand what we need and what we don’t.
Consciously consuming a product invites us to question what is behind its creation, understand how it was processed, know where it comes from, who made these clothes, and in which conditions. Awakening in each person this critical perspective allows us to consume sustainably.
To Adriana Marina, founder of Animaná and Hecho x Nosotros, “fashion talks a lot about sustainability, but it is far away from being sustainable.” She is right on that, considering that we often buy clothes that we only use once, throw away clothes that are still in good condition, and put away dresses and shirts that went out of fashion. The list only gets bigger if we start giving a name to the things we are going wrong.
Now more than ever, our consuming practices play a fundamental role in a sustainable industry. Especially if, looking inside ourselves, we find our own style. This allows us to question if following trends is really necessary or simplify our closets with simple but good-quality clothes, recreating outfits we like with clothes we already have. It is about choosing quality over quantity.
Another way to consume consciously is to understand that the usage rate of each clothing item is getting lower, so the idea is to increase their lifetime. And how can we do that? Start by donating your clothes instead of throwing them away, or swap old clothes with your friends. Buy less or buy second-hand. Rent clothes and accessories for special events. And wash your clothes less often, using washing liquids that are not aggressive, and following the label instructions to keep the item’s quality.
As Adriana Marina mentioned on the Conscious Consuming webinar on the Fashion Revolution Week, following these tips will bring environmental and cultural benefits. More than that, through the change of mindset from both designers and consumers, a great social impact is achieved, using technology as an ally.