Easy tips for a sustainable wardrobe

We asked Runa Ray, a committed designer and founder of the Fashionning for Social and Environmental Justice association, to share with us some of her tips for reducing the ecological footprint of our wardrobes. So let's get started?

Change your habits:

• Shop secondhand,
• Sell your unwanted clothes,
• Repair or borrow for special occasions,
• Exchange garments through closing swap parties,
• Learn to mend and repair your clothing,
• Donate your gently used clothes to local associations,
• Compost your 100% natural fabrics (wool, cotton, silk and linen).

Detoxing you wardobe:

• Question the salesperson about the materials and quality of the clothing,
• Minimise the collection of trendy fashion pieces (more often cheaply made),
• Invest in classic pieces that offer long-lasting value and timeless style,
• Analyse your lifestyle (work environment, social activities, hobbies and climate) to build a wardrobe that meets your specific needs.

Taking care of your fabrics and the planet:

• Wash clothes on cold  to conserve energy,
• Renew the dyeing of your old clothes with organic inks,
• Use fabric glue to mend clothes you cannot sew,
• Invest in white clothing to reduce dyeing pollution,
• Avoid furry synthetic garments that shed tiny plastic fibres during washing,
• Use washing bags or filters to capture microfibres and mitigate the release of pollutants. 

Get creative with upcycling:

• Turn old T-shirts into reusable cleaning rags,
• Frame old garments as decorative pieces,
• Make patchwork quilts,
• Transform old collars into jewellery, etc.