Sustainable shopping for starters

We all want clean air, safe drinking water and a non-toxic environment.

But are we helping the ecosystem or contributing to more pollution?

The fashion industry is the second most polluting industry on the planet

and here's a crazy fact to prove it :

From the process of production to your washing machine at home, you use about 10,000 litres of water for a SINGLE cotton t-shirt!!

It’s time to start questioning your shopping habits.

Except for a few items here and there, I personally haven’t shopped in around a year!

All it took was a closet clean, opening up my closet and finding that I had so many clothes that I had never worn and so many that I had even forgotten about.

Sustainability is important for a simple reason- we cannot maintain our quality of life, diversity, or Earth’s ecosystems unless we embrace it and do our best not to dampen it.

While some people have consciously shifted towards living a more sustainable lifestyle, others shirk at the mere sound of the word, ignoring the seriousness of the problem.

If we continue to ignore this problem, it won't be soon before we will be hearing that there is not enough water for everyone, there are barely any fossil fuels left and the air quality is so unfavourable that every other person develops a respiratory problem.

The world today is driven by consumerism and mass production, and it is our duty as consumers to not only switch over to more eco-friendly options but also demand change in the current methods of production.

I'm not asking you to stop shopping, all I am asking is to change your shopping habits a little bit.

In this blog, I am going to give you an outline of 3 easy and manageable things you can do to make a conscious effort to be a little more sustainable.

1. Do the Ex-boyfriend and The multiple wears test

Before buying a new piece of clothing, ask yourself 2 things-

1)would you be seen by your ex wearing this?😆

2) Do you see yourself wearing this garment on multiple occasions?

2. Donate, swap and repair

The clothes you throw away don't just magically disappear... they are dumped into landfills where their toxic chemicals seep into the earth. Instead, donate them they will be in use for a little while longer and they might help to bring a smile on someone's face.

Organise a closet swap with your friends.

There are so many clothes in your wardrobe that you want to give away, you have outgrown or simply don't feel like wearing anymore. Pick and exchange some and box up the rest to donate or recycle.

Learn to repair small tears and fix stains on garments instead of just tossing them out.

3. Shop strategically

a) Keep an eye out for more sustainable options.

When I was browsing through some sites, I realised that in the 'filter' bar, apart from familiar options such as length, colour and size many brands have an option to refine to find earth-friendly options.

Some times typing in keywords such as 'sustainable' and 'recycled' in the search bar also work.

b) Brands such as Levi's, H&M and North face, M.A.C, Kiehl's and Lush reward you for recycling.

Lush, M.A.C and Kiehl's will give you a free product in exchange for certain empty containers of their products. While, Levi's, H&M and Northface accept unwanted, old garments and reward you with a discount or coupon on your next purchase.

c) Make a list of what you already have and exactly what you need to buy.

This will help you to have control over the number of clothes you buy to assure that you don't splurge on unnecessary things and stay within your budget.

d) In shops where there is a policy of accepting and sending out send out e-bills, opt for that instead of traditional paper bills.

So now that I have given you a few easy, simple and manageable tips to use...

HAPPY{sustainable} SHOPPING !!! 😊