My younger self would have never understood the meaning of being a conscious fashion consumer. It was easier to shop sales, buy brands that I have always known, and never question the product. When discovering the realities of where your clothes come from, it is a harsh revelation to have. My first instinct was pretty dramatic. It was to ban fast-fashion from my life and buy only brands that were 100% eco-friendly. Sounds easy, right? Plot twist, when I dug deeper into researching, I found there is always something brands can ethically improve on. No brand is perfect, but to be aware of your clothes is a start. You do not need to clear out your entire wardrobe and suddenly drop hundreds of dollars to buy from sustainable brands. Starting small, building, and getting other people to join is the main objective. 

One person cannot change everything, but a collaborative effort is all it takes to reform the fashion industry. If everyone contributes 5-10% to reducing our carbon imprint, it will cause a tremendous ripple effect. Brands will notice and increase the budget in their development of sustainable fashion, and this will push for fashion companies to reinvestigate their working conditions. All of this comes down to us starting. 

Tips for Starting 

1. My first recommendation is to download the app Good on You. This app rates each brand from a scale of 1 to 5 on ethicality. Also, it gives a review of what the brand is trying to do in terms of sustainability.
2. Research, research, research! Look into buying from brands that give back to the community. Although they are not 100% sustainable, at least your purchase will help in some way. For example, Uniqlo is considered fast-fashion, but they have a recycling initiative where they give used clothes to the homeless. We support that! 
3. Give love to all the pieces you have. A new outfit is unnecessary for every occasion. Mix it up, restyle, and relayer all your classic essentials. 
4.  Check the care tags and follow instructions to be mindful of every piece. Take care of your current staples and make them last. The longer they last, the less you will need to replace them. 

Starting is scary. Whether it is starting over or starting again, it takes a lot to get us out of our comfort zone, but it is not impossible. I hope this blog post can help you start being intentional with what you buy. I am excited to welcome my favorite season, winter! My next post will be about the best ways to layer winter staples. Hopefully, as the seasons change, you are all taking care of your mental health. With much love, I’ll see you soon. 

This post is dedicated to my dear friend, Rovie Mae. Thank you for your constant guidance. 

-Thy Phan