How to Dress Sustainably - 10 Tips for an Eco-friendly Wardrobe

What if we told you that you can still create an iconic wardrobe—not as in physically assembling one, of course—whilst showing some kindness to our planet? A few little adjustments and a mindset shift from ‘cheap & disposable’ to ‘good quality & durable’ are all it takes to start dressing in a more sustainable way. We believe in you!

Rokit’s Tips on How to Dress Sustainably

Avoid fast fashion

First things first: break out of the tempting cycle of buying a new £5 garment every time you walk past a shop window. Valuing cheapness and repetitive purchases over quality and longevity, fast fashion items are designed to fall apart after a few wearings, pushing us to see our clothes as disposable and increasing waste. What’s worse is that, in order to keep their prices so low, these companies often employ damaging environmental practices and exploit their employees. Not cool! (Find out more in our article)

Think long-term

Be realistic and selective: instead of following ever-changing ephemeral trends, draw inspiration from the popular #30wear challenge and buy timeless clothes that you can see yourself wearing for a long time.

Choose Quality over quantity

It’s not just the planet that will thank you for buying fewer high-quality clothing items at a regular price instead of a never-ending cycle of cheap low-quality garments: in the long run, your wallet will too!

Materials matter

Most fast fashion items are made of petroleum-derived synthetic fibers such as polyester or acrylic, which are basically plastic: they shed microfibers when washed, have a high carbon footprint and don’t biodegrade when chucked away. Choose biodegradable natural fibres such as hemp, wool, cotton—if grown organically and sustainably!— or linen. Garments made from recycled resources are another eco-friendly alternative that helps reduce waste.

Buy from Sustainable companies

Inform yourself before buying, and find out about a company’s production practices to ensure that your next purchase is ethical and eco-friendly. At Rokit we always hold sustainability at the core of our ethos and vintage manifesto: we make the most of recycled products and only manufacture new items in small batches here in London, using local suppliers to further reduce our carbon footprint.

Shop vintage and second-hand

Shopping second-hand vintage clothes is the best step towards an environmentally-friendly wardrobe: it doesn’t involve any new production footprint and it saves existing pre-loved items from ending up in landfills. Plus, it allows you to craft a unique style, which is always a perk!

Fix your clothes

Don’t give up on your favourite jumper just because of a little rip or stain! Get crafty with needle and thread, or make your garment a one-of-a-kind with some iron-on patches.

Donate unwanted clothes

If there’s one thing that Brangelina taught us is that even the best love stories can end. If you’ve really fallen out of love with one of your garments, though, don’t add it to the 300,000 tonnes of clothes that are sent to incineration or landfills every year in the UK! Make sure you donate it, as it could become someone else’s new crush.

Bring reusable bags in-store...

Don’t forget to bring your bag for life when you go shopping for sustainable or second-hand clothes to avoid ending up with the umpteenth plastic bag.

… and place one online order

Ordering online from the comfort of your pyjamas? Instead of picking and mixing items from different stores, try and buy from one at the time to reduce the carbon footprint and packaging of your parcel.

Don’t forget to share our 10 tips on how to dress sustainably to encourage your awesome friends to embrace eco-conscious fashion like you!