Less than 1% of all clothing material is ever recycled, ~82 million tons of greenhouse gas is emitted by the fashion industry every year, the fashion industry consumes 79 trillion liters of water, the EPA estimates that 5% of all landfills in the U.S. are made of textiles, and of the clothing that is donated every year, only a fraction of it gets resold. More often than not, the clothing we donate ends up in countries like Ghana. From there a small fraction of our old clothing is resold at resale markets like Kantamanto Market, but more often than not, our old clothes end up in the landfills there.

You can find a more in-depth guide to the impacts of fast fashion on one of our blog posts, “Fast Impacts of Fast Fashion.” These are just a few of the reasons to build a more ethical and sustainable wardrobe. To get you started, here’s a list of 7 ways you can start to rethink your closet, revamp your old clothes, and shop for new pieces more sustainably.

1. Don't think of your clothes as disposable.

Don’t build your wardrobe based on current trends. Fashion changes all of the time and fast-fashion pieces aren’t built to last, which often causes people to throw out clothes after a few wears. When you shop, don’t buy anything you won’t wear at least thirty times. Look for longevity and quality when building your wardrobe.

2. Revamp your clothing and accessories.

You can find tons of resources online to help you take an old piece of clothing from your closet and make it new again. Sometimes it’s as easy as cropping that old tee. You can search youtube for thrift revamp videos for some ideas.

3. Recycle or donate old clothes.

If you’re definitely never going to wear an item in your wardrobe again, first ensure that it still has value and has maintained its quality. If it has you can either donate it or try and sell it on one of the many clothing retail sites, like ThredUp. You want to be very careful with donating old clothes, though, because much of what is donated just ends up in the trash, often in developing countries. Only donate the highest quality items to ensure that they actually end up being resold. If you have a piece that’s showing signs of wear and tear, consider recycling it. This guide provides an excellent list of potential ways to recycle old clothes and organizations that recycle old textiles. KKB is always collecting used t-shirts for our school programs, think that old college t-shirt that has a stain or small holes.

4. Buy second-hand.

It’s not always fun to dig through multiple thrift stores trying to find that perfect piece. It can take a lot of time and energy, but it can also be very rewarding. Buying vintage or used clothes has no carbon footprint and you’re likely saving that piece from ending up in a landfill. If you’re not the type to enjoy digging through thrift stores, there are so many resale apps and websites where you can search for that specific item you’re looking for. Think ThredUp, Poshmark, and The Real Real.

5. Build a capsule wardrobe.

A capsule wardrobe is a minimalist’s guide to building a sustainable closet with a focus on key quality pieces. The wardrobe itself consists of a small, well-curated selection of essential, high-quality items. The pieces in your capsule are often interchangeable and color-coordinated to provide you with a wide range of looks. You can find an in-depth guide to building a capsule wardrobe here.

6. Go for quality over quantity.

Quality pieces will cost you more in the short term but will save you money over the long run. Save up and buy yourself those quality denim jeans made from a sustainable retailer and take care of them. They will likely last you years in comparison to a cheap pair that you’ll have to replace year after year.

7. Educate yourself before you buy new pieces.

Do your research on a brand that claims to be sustainable before buying from them. There are many companies that use greenwashing tactics to earn green dollars by embellishing their sustainability initiatives or intentionally misleading consumers. There are resources out there to help you sort through brands that claim to be sustainable; for example, Good on You and Remake give sustainability scores to different clothing brands, reducing the research burden for the consumer.

7 Tips to Creating a Sustainable Wardrobe