Long before I knew about reducing my own carbon footprint beyond turning off the water while brushing my teeth or switching off the lights when I wasn’t in the room, I was already dressing myself in sustainable clothes without even realizing it. Through my middle school and high school years (and today!) I loved visiting Goodwill, the D.A.V. and thrift stores to find unique clothes.

The idea of reusing an old fashion in a new way always appealed to me. Plus I always love a good bargain! Not only does buying others’ unwanted clothes create a personal wardrobe unlike any other, but it exemplifies living a sustainable lifestyle. And that’s just one of the reasons you’ll see listed here about why sustainable fashion matters.

Green your wardrobe for a healthier planet and a more personalized style. Photo By kthread/Courtesy Flickr 

1) It’s environmentally-friendly

To get that perfect outfit onto the racks, the fashion industry creates a huge carbon footprint. The energy, toxic dyes and pesticides used to produce the clothes plus the landfill waste after they get tossed all have a negative impact on the environment.

Choosing sustainable fabrics is an important first step to creating an eco-chic wardrobe. Twenty-five percent of all pesticides in the U.S. are applied to conventional cotton. But certified-organic cotton requires that no pesticides or chemicals be used to grow the plant. Choosing green fabrics such as those made from hemp and bamboo is also an eco-friendly choice. Both hemp and bamboo are renewable resources because they grow so quickly. They also are resistant to weeds and pests, which allows them to grow well chemical-free.

2) It’s people-friendly

Buying sustainable clothing also contributes to making sure the workers creating the clothing are treated fairly with safe working conditions and reasonable wages. Although clothing doesn’t have Fair Trade certification yet, you can check to see if the company you’re purchasing clothes from is a member of the Fair Trade Federation.

3) It’s animal-friendly

Even though that cute pair of leather boots may be tempting, cruelty-free clothing makes a better statement. Cruelty-free clothing means wearing no leather or fur, and for some, no wool or silk. This “vegan” clothing may seem difficult to find, but there are options out there. Jade Planet sells vegan accessories including leather-like purses and bags made from rubber-tree sap and The Vegan Store offers winter wear, shoes and belts. Feel better about what you’re wearing when you pull on cruelty-free clothes.

4) It’s local

Carry that “go local” methodology you use for shopping for food over into your clothes. Search for local designers or boutiques to minimize the impact of buying clothes that get shipped all over the country.

5) It gives you a unique, personal style

Make your own eco-fashion statement with vintage clothes. Great thrift store or Goodwill finds create a personal and sustainable wardrobe. Or if you’re a savvy sewer, break out the sewing machine and repurpose old clothes into new fashions.

How do you make your wardrobe eco-friendly? Tell me about it in the comments section.

With all the clothing options out there, make sure you keep the planet in mind when you’re shopping the racks. Photo by jcolman/Courtesy Flickr.

On my quest to slowly green my life, I realize that there is still one huge facet of my life that I haven’t really dealt with yet: my wardrobe. Most of my favorite shirts, skirts and dresses—many made from fabric hodgepodges—weren’t very Earth-friendly. For the first time, I was ashamed of my clothes.

I’ve decided that from now on, I’ll be keeping the planet in mind when I shop. Here are some of the things I’ll be considering the next time I buy clothes.

There are some really great Earth-friendly fabrics out there, each with its own list of benefits, and here are the three I’ll focus on in the future.

-Organic cotton is grown without the use of pesticides or herbicides and is processed without chemical dyes or bleach—which means fewer chemicals for you to worry about. Organic cotton is the eco-friendly version of a classic, so one of its biggest benefits is its familiarity; it’s a fabric that everyone has grown up with, so there are no surprises down the road, like how it feels or how to care for it. Sites such as NaturalClothingCompany.com offer a wide variety of organic cotton apparel.

-Hemp is another viable clothing option. It is a very renewable resource because it grows so quickly, and is naturally resistant to weeds and other pests, so it doesn’t require any chemicals to grow. I’ve never worn hemp before, so I can’t attest to its comfort, but looking at sites like TheHempest.com really makes me want to try some on.

-Bamboo may seem an odd choice to use, but it is actually extremely soft when made into fabric. Like hemp, bamboo is a very renewable resource, and it, too, requires no chemicals to grow. One of bamboo’s downsides is that much of the bamboo used in the US is actually shipped from other parts of the world. So, although it is a sustainable resource itself, some consider it light-green because of its shipping requirements. BambooClothes.com is a good resource both to buy bamboo products as well as to learn more about bamboo textiles.

Garments aren’t the only items going green. Shoes also have a place in the spotlight.

-SimpleShoes.com has shown me that shoes can be both eco-friendly and fashion-friendly. Shoe materials range from hemp and organic cotton to recycled inner tubes and 100 percent post-consumer recycled paper.

Buying eco-friendly is one thing, but what about the stuff I already have? Here are a few ways I’ve found to responsibly repurpose my old clothes.

-From green craft projects to hosting a clothing swap party, the possibilities are endless for how to reuse and repurpose your unwanted clothes.

-If you don’t have the time (or ability) to make new things, consider selling your clothes to a resale clothing store, like Plato’s Closet, or any local consignment shop. That way, you can gain a little green while staying green.

-If all else fails, donate your clothes to a local donation center, like Goodwill, so someone else can benefit from your boundless generosity.