I am guilty of have a closet where over half if it sits on a hanger or folded on a shelf in wardrobe purgatory. Also lock me away for buying clothes that I really don’t need because they are on sale, because a blogger looked cute in them or it was the latest trend. This is my year to be a better, more organized conscious consumer and stop this madness of senseless spending. Here is how I am going to do it:
Conscious consuming simply means thinking before we buy. That’s all! Just take a second before mindlessly throwing something into your cart (a physical or virtual one). Not only are we helping the environment and society when we buy less and buy ethically-made items, but we’re also helping our wallets and our closets. (There’s a reason The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up became a bestseller.) Whether you’re trying to rein in wardrobe spending or are on a mission to go green, remember the 5 W’s of Conscious Consuming the next time you go shopping.
1. Why am I buying this?
Consider whether or not you have an actual reason in mind. Is this an impulse buy or is there a purpose? Are you trying to make yourself happy by purchasing a material item? Is it actually going to make you happy? Is it useful? Once you’ve narrowed down exactly why you want to buy the product, you can address the deeper issue, or simply put the item back, or move onto the next W.
2. What else could I wear instead?
Do you already own something that can be repurposed or that would work just as well? Is anyone honestly going to remember that you already wore an existing piece of clothes in your closet? Invite a friend over to take a look at what you have because sometimes all it takes it a second set of eyes. If you absolutely don’t have something you can wear instead, move onto the third W.
3. When will I wear or use this again?
Fashion shouldn’t be disposable. Clothes aren’t supposed to be “single-use,” even though plenty of people buy something with the intent on wearing it once and then literally throwing it away. (First of all, clothes should rarely be thrown in the trash. There are plenty of places that will accept your donations.) Fast fashion is creating major environmental problems and public health issues, which you can read more about here. Don’t contribute to the problem. Considering where you’ll purchase something (once you’ve decided to go for it) matters just as much as whether to buy it at all, which leads us to…
4. What am I encouraging buy making this purchase?
When you spend money, you are voting with your dollars. If the company you are buying from uses child labor, toxic work conditions for employees, or environmentally reckless practices, you’re saying, “I’m cool with the way you do business.” By giving them your hard-earned money, you’re keeping them in business. It’s simple supply and demand. If a company starts losing sales to more ethical brands, it will reconsider how it does business. Look for fair-trade, organic, sustainably-made items and brands to buy from.
5. Where else can I get this?
So if you want something and you find out the brand that is selling it subscribes to some shady ideas, try to find a similar item from an ethical brand. Or better yet, shop consignment stores, thrift stores, and from your friends’ closets! It’s better to recycle something than to buy new.
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