Hello and welcome back to Jen’s Den! Today, I’ll be giving you a little tutorial on how to make fashion more sustainable.
Lets be real…retail therapy is REAL. Being a fashion lover during the pandemic, I know how satisfying it has been waiting for that package to come in the mail. it’s not like there’s much else to look forward to at the moment! However, I feel that I’ve always struggled with the ethics of fashion, as I understand that fast fashion is extremely detrimental to our environment. Given this tricky reality, I’ve devoted myself to finding ways to make fashion more sustainable, so that I can enjoy this satisfaction while also doing my part to protect our environment.
If you’re seeking to do the same, look no further! Below I will provide some tips and tricks on how to make fashion more sustainable!
1. Rework your clothing
If you’re feeling like you have lots of time on your hands and would like to get crafty, this is the option for you! You’d be shocked at what you can transform your old clothes into with just a little bit of love (and perhaps a sewing machine). YouTube has been my saviour for reworking clothing. I’ve found a video that can teach me pretty much anything. Basic sewing, patchwork, hemming, beading, you name it!
Reworking your clothes is a great way to get longer use out of them once you’ve gotten bored of the original piece. And, it will allow you to create a look that is one-of-a-kind and unique to you.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hfs1HY2BVlw
2. Support local
If you’re looking for an easier and less time-consuming way to be sustainable, you can simply shop local! Instead of supporting large-scale retail stores, go take a look at that boutique around the corner from your place, or try and find a Montreal-based business that you can support! Local shops are struggling now more than ever and can use our help! By shopping local, you are lowering the carbon footprint associated with your purchases.
However, you do have to be careful when looking to shop locally; if your aim is to reduce your environmental impact, it is important to make sure that local businesses are actually sourcing their products from your hometown, and not simply importing them from somewhere overseas. You can simply ask your local storeowners and they will be able to provide you with this information.
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3. Buy/sell second-hand
I know I’ve been quite glued to social media throughout the pandemic, and I decided to utilize it as a means to buy and sell second-hand.
I’ve noticed more and more that people have been using Instagram as a marketplace and this summer I decided to join the club! I felt that I was so bored of my closet and felt that my clothing could go to better use, so I created an Instagram page with a couple friends, and we sold our clothes so they could go to a better home.
Too lazy or overwhelmed to create and manage your own platform? Don’t fret! There are resources online who will take your old clothes, market and sell them and give you a percentage of the sales proceeds.
https://www.instagram.com/charityclosetmtl/?hl=en
4. Organize a clothing swap
Tight on money, but still want to explore your creativity through fashion? Organize a clothing swap! You can use this opportunity to go through all those items in the back of the closet that you haven’t looked at in years and give them a better home.
Organize a zoom call with your besties where you all show off your chosen pieces and swap them for another! Then organize a contactless pickup and welcome home your new (and pre-loved) pieces!
That’s all for today! I hope this inspires you to make more environmentally conscious decisions in your future fashion endeavours. Follow me for more like this.
With love,
Jenna
jen's den 
As someone retail therapy obsessed, I’ll definitely explore more sustainable options after reading this post!!
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I really enjoyed this read! Your blog post provided some very insightful tips on how to practice fashion in a sustainable way and I am definitely going to apply them to my own life! I had never thought of a clothing swap before aside from the concept of “hand me downs” and I think it would be super fun to try with my friends. I also appreciate how you considered different solutions for individual preferences such as providing a resource link for those who want to sell their clothes but not create their own platform.
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Great tips! I love second hand, especially at Eva B in Montreal, and Savers near my hometown in NH. I found my favorite pink jacket, which I wore for my album cover, at Goodwill. I definitely need to research more local second hand options instead of Savers and Goodwill, but it is pretty rural over here. I’ve never considered selling my old clothes–I’ve always donated, but selling does sound more frugal and better for local businesses.
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