The fast fashion industry reflects consumer habits, while it is important to hold corporations accountable, you can decide how you participate in the industry.

8 percent of carbon emissions can be attributed to the fast fashion industry according to the UN, and the clothing industry contributes more to climate change than shipping and aviation combined, reported the House of Commerce Environmental Audit Committee.

Fast fashion is linear, in the way that it produces, sells, and fails to recycle. But the toxic cycle of fast fashion on waste has a negative cyclical effect on the environment.

For folks who love fashion and trends, and who support their habits on a budget, it is difficult to participate in fashion sustainably without a lot of cash flow.

Aside from buying expensive but sustainable brands, there are ways to participate in a fashion that makes your consumption slower and sustainable including utilizing what you already have.

Focus On What You Own

Focus on what you own! Reorganize your closet so you can see everything that you have and understand how to make creative outfits with less. A study found that 1 in 3 young women consider a piece of clothing to be old after 1 to 2 wears.

Young women are targeted by the fast fashion industry and avid consumers of trends. While all people should be more conscious of what they consume, as the average American throws away 81 pounds of clothing per year,  young women have the power to change the industry by changing their habits.

Look at what you already have and adapt it to new trends. You can create new outfits and get creative, Tiktok is full of outfit reels on how to adapt looks. If you want to get really creative, you can change your clothes by cutting and showing them, don't be afraid to get creative by finding new ways to reuse.

If buying sustainable brands isn't financially accessible to you, buy clothes that are your price but decide to participate in a "slow" way. Be intentional with what you buy and calculate a price per wear. Buying a staple piece, like jeans for example, will have a better price per wear if you wear them multiple times a week.

Adapt this way of thinking about clothes to your purchase to slow down your consumption, which will help you leave a smaller footprint on the fast fashion industry.

Related: Moving Away From Fast Fashion Culture With Mushrooms

Curate Your Wardrobe

To slow down your consumption, curate your closet with intention. Shopping can be really fun, but that fun aspect, unfortunately, supports fast fashion habits. To be a sustainable consumer, you have to change the way you think about shopping and what you own.

Curate your closet, to have essential and statement pieces that are versatile. That doesn't mean don't buy new, but slow down what you buy. Instead of going in blindly to a store, search Instagram and TikTok for outfit inspiration first. Know what kind of pieces you want to add to your closet. This will save you time and money in addition to slowing down your shopping habits.

When you have plenty of outfits options, and you like the clothes you have, you will feel less urged to consume more. Thoughtfully bringing clothes into your closet is the easiest way to consume less, and when you are done with something, recycle it properly or sell it.

Related: A Sustainable And Versatile Closet: How To Curate A Capsule Closet

Second Hand Shop And Resell

Thrift shopping is an easy way to find trendy and unique pieces, on a budget, and it is sustainable. Sometimes it is nice to buy a new piece, but if you can get better quality for the money why not go second hand?

With apps such as Poshmark and Depop, it has never been easier to buy second-hand, from the convenience of your phone.

If you are considering getting rid of clothes or cleaning out your closet, do so responsibly! Here are a few ways to responsibly condense your closet:

  • Have a clothing exchange with friends or family, or at least give the clothes to another person who will use them.
  • Donate the clothes to organizations that support homeless folks.
  • Find a clothing recycle center to drop off the clothes.
  • Donate directly to a thrift shop
  • Sell your clothes on an app! Why not make some money off of your own things.

Selling your clothes is a great option for fashion lovers on a budget, it is sustainable and you can make back some money, and TikTok has become the newest fashion resell market. If you have been wanting to start a side gig, reselling your clothes will get you going.  Whether that money goes back into funding your sustainable closet or directly back into your budget is up to you.

Next: TikTok: The Future Of Thrifting As A Resale Marketplace

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