We all know how damaging the fashion industry can be, so we are here to introduce some very simple ways to make your wardrobe more sustainable! Not only will these things help the environment, but they will also save you money. From simple things like washing your clothes less to having your clothes altered and being conscious of new clothing, you can make a big difference with your own consumption choices. 

Wash Your Clothes Less

The first thing you can do to make your wardrobe more sustainable is to wash your clothes less. Firstly, when you wash your clothes less often, you will simply use less water, cleaning products and energy. Also, the less times you put your clothes through the washing machine, the longer they will last and you will need to replace them far less often. 

So, waiting to wash your clothes for as long as possible is the best thing to do to save you money and to help the environment. 

Buy A Drying Rack

The next thing you can do is to buy a drying rack! Tumble dryers use a horrendous amount of energy over the course of the year, so having a drying rack is a great alternative. Dryers can also cause quite a lot of wear and tear on clothes, which reduces their lifespan. 

When you choose to air dry your clothes on a drying rack, the wear and tear is reduced, you will save money and you’ll save energy! During the winter months, it might take a few days for clothes to dry completely. So, you could tumble dry things things like bedding and towels that will take a long time to dry and then put everything else on your drying rack! In the summer, clothes on a drying rack outside will dry in a matter of hours, especially on sunny days. 

Never Throw Anything Away! 

Our next tip is to never throw anything away. We all go through phases where we change our mind on items in our wardrobe. Whenever you buy something new, you should try to purchase classic pieces that you know you will keep and love for years and years. However, this isn’t a perfect world and sometimes we change our mind! 

So, when you are clearing out your wardrobe, try to think of the most sustainable way that you can discard the different clothes. If you have something that is great quality but you aren’t that keen on the style anymore, you could sell them so that they can be enjoyed by someone else. If the quality is still decent, you could also donate it. For clothing that might have seen better days, many charity shops will accept scraps of any material (just make sure it’s clean). These scraps can then be used by seamstresses or people who work in textiles or crafts. 

Just because you feel like your time with a piece of clothing might be over, it could be just what someone else is looking for! 

Have Your Clothes Altered 

If a piece of clothing is too big or small, rather than getting rid of it straight away, consider having it altered. This could be anything from your favourite ballgown to mens tracksuits. You can save on clothing costs and prevent yourself from being unnecessarily involved in the fashion supply chain. Not only this, but when you have it altered, it will fit you perfectly. 

You don’t just have to have the clothes let out or taken in, you can have them changed! You could have an old dress fitted with new sleeves or you could add embroidery to your favourite jeans. This is your opportunity to get creative and fall in love with the clothes you already have in your wardrobe. 

Do The 30 Wears Test

Last but not least, we have the 30 wears test. When you go to buy a new piece of clothing, you should ask yourself whether you will wear it at least 30 times. If the answer isn’t 100% yes, then you shouldn’t buy it. This helps you to make sure that you are buying clothing that will be a part of your wardrobe for a long time, helping to reduce your consumption and appreciate good quality clothing for years and years.