How To Shop More Consciously And Responsibly
Opting for considered pieces is only part of the story when it comes to sustainable style. From care and repair to rehoming pre-loved pieces, here are the best ways to create a truly conscious wardrobe
“No one single thing makes you sustainable – there are many small things,” says Eleonora Tieri, YOOX NET-A-PORTER’s senior circularity manager. But how do we decode a brand’s credentials to ensure we’re making informed decisions? Here, we highlight three key practices to ensure you have a more sustainable closet.
Seek out brands creating consciously
Whether it’s big-name houses with established sustainable philosophies or fledgling labels building conscious collections, NET SUSTAIN selects brands for their individual attributes – from reducing waste to considered processes – to demystify the process.
For beautiful wanderlust picks, look to Zimmermann’s exclusive capsule. The vacation-ready lineup of dresses, swimwear and separates is crafted from a mix of GOTS-certified cotton and linen, plus obsolete textiles and ECONYL®, and use processes that are OEKO-TEX®-certified. Elsewhere, Stella McCartney has championed transparent, planet-kind practices for more than two decades and continues to innovate with a sustainable vision. Chloé has also transformed with Gabriela Hearst at the helm, delivering the label’s signature whimsical, joyful pieces with B Corp status and a strong sustainable ethos.
When it comes to putting your informed foot forward, shoe brand Porte & Paire launched digital IDs in August 2021, which support circularity by allowing a wearer, or future wearer, to track the provenance of their product – from material sourcing right through the supply chain. Meanwhile, Anya Hindmarch’s sleek ‘Return to Nature’ pieces are designed to biodegrade at the end of their lifetime.
As for jewelry, Viltier handcrafts each of its elegant pieces in its Paris workshop, working with Fairmined Standard gold and diamonds (regulated by the Kimberley Process), while jeweler and anthropologist Pippa Small has won awards, including Ethical Jeweler of the year, for her earth-friendly initiatives.
“The temperature on the label isn’t the recommended washing temperature, it’s just showing the maximum temperature. A warm-water wash at 30 degrees Celsius [90 degrees Fahrenheit] is enough and should be standard. Most importantly, it’s better for the environment and extends the life of your clothes
”Bronwyn Seier, The Seam
Take good care – and repair
Care makes a big difference, and extending clothing’s life by just nine months could reduce its carbon and water footprint considerably. Bronwyn Seier at The Seam – a platform promoting clothing repair – says it’s important to consider the level of maintenance you want to put into your clothes before buying. “If you’re someone who doesn’t have much time for care and maintenance, opt for hard-wearing fabrics like cotton; know your level of engagement and buy clothes to match.” Storage is also key – particularly between seasons, so be sure to keep clothes away from moisture and sunshine. Seier also recommends supportive hangers for tailoring and never hanging knitwear or pieces cut on the bias.
As for washing, Seier adds: “The temperature on the label isn’t the recommended washing temperature, it’s just showing the maximum temperature. A warm-water wash at 30 degrees Celsius [90 degrees Fahrenheit] is enough and should be standard. Most importantly, it’s better for the environment and extends the life of your clothes.” Indeed, the UK’s Energy Saving Trust estimates that turning down to 30 degrees Celsius (ie, a warm-water wash, circa 90 Fahrenheit) can save up to 40 percent energy. And most of us could wash our clothes less frequently; brushing, lint-rolling, spot-cleaning and even freezing can refresh pieces between washes. “Freezing removes odors, and it’s great for [preventing] moths, too – freeze wool sweaters between winters, then put them away in sealed bags to protect against dreaded moth holes,” advises Seier.
Dry-cleaning should be avoided if possible. “What dry-cleaning really means is that pieces are doused in 100 percent concentrated chemicals. Opt for wet-cleaning if possible – the chemicals are diluted, and the environmental impact is lowered,” says Seier. And invest in a hand-held steamer. “It’s difficult to quantify the comparable eco-impact of steaming over ironing, but it’s certainly quicker, gentler on clothes, and helps refresh pieces between washes.”
Mend pieces as soon as possible, too – especially snags in knitwear, which can supersize quickly – and remember that pieces are rarely beyond help. “Sometimes, a repair might turn into a rework,” says Seier. “We recently had a beautiful long-sleeved dress [come in] with a burn [mark]. There’s no way to cover that, so it became a beautiful short-sleeved dress instead. Most things can be salvaged with a little creativity.”
Pass on your pre-loved pieces
Audit your closet, then find a new home for the items you don’t want anymore. “Be aware of what’s not being worn,” says Tieri. “And put those pieces back into the marketplace.” By passing items on to a new owner and promoting circularity, we help reduce the amount of clothing that ends up in landfill.
“Resale through NET-A-PORTER is very simple,” says Tieri. “Input information about the garment, brand, overall condition and original retail price, then book a collection or drop off – even labels NET-A-PORTER doesn’t stock can be sold through the platform. Authenticity of the item is then validated, pictures are taken, and then the listing is created. Once the pieces sell, customers can choose to receive the money via bank transfer or store credit with a 10 percent bonus.”
Services such as resale are changing the way we view our closets, ensuring every product lasts longer. “A high proportion of the pieces we’re seeing are in excellent condition,” Tieri explains, which is another reason to take heed of Seier’s care advice – because when a piece no longer works for you, it’s so much easier now to send it back out into the world.
GOTS – Global Organic Textile Standard – is the worldwide leading textile-processing standard for organic fibers, including ecological and social criteria, backed up by independent certification of the entire textile supply chain.
OEKO-TEX® is a product-testing system that certifies and provides labels to prove the safety of textiles and textile products.
B Corp measures a company’s social and environmental impact. Its certification is a designation that a business is meeting high standards of verified performance, accountability and transparency on factors such as employee benefits and supply-chain practices.