Everyday Fashion Sustainability

By: Sage Aucremann-Moratalla

As we said goodbye to summer and all the tank tops, shorts, and flip-flops that go along with it, we effortlessly embraced the comforts of fall fashion. As we live in Florida, the weather does not necessarily scream crisp fall mornings and crunchy leaves under our step, however, we are still experimenting with fall trends nonetheless. The fall season had barely begun, and fashion trends were already taking over the internet and fashion world.

Rethink Shopping Habits and Research

In the past few years, thrifting has been the face of sustainability, and for good reason. Thrifting is a great way to find used clothing at affordable prices and give them a new life, especially with the resurgence of vintage trends. When going thrifting, try going to local non-chain stores to aid small businesses. If you do not have a financial need for thrifting, also consider going on days where thrift stores don’t have special sales, in order to provide lower income communities with a less busy and higher variety shopping experience. But it’s also to remember that thrifting does not define sustainability. It defeats the purpose to go thrifting then turn around and continue to buy into fast fashion or go through clothes quickly. The point is more to buy pieces with longevity and avoid major brands that utilize sweatshop labor and non-sustainable practices.

Contributing to a Positive Textile Cycle

Throwing away a garment should always be the absolute last resort. If you encounter a piece no longer fits, is out of style, or you simply no longer want it, there is a multitude of options for you to dispose of it sustainably. Firstly, if it’s in usable condition, you can donate it to a local thrift store or shelter. This allows someone else to get use out of clothing and extends it’s lifespan pre-landfill. If you don’t have accessible transportation to donate, but the clothing is still in good condition, you can upcycle it for a craft. You can use the fabric to embroider, make a rag, use it as patchwork for a new piece, make a tote bag, cut it into yarn for crochet, sew it into a stuffed animal / pet toy, etc. The amount of fabric scrap ideas on the internet are truly endless. If sewing isn’t your thing, you can also ask people in your life who sew and ask if they want the fabric. However, if none of these options are feasible and you absolutely must dispose of a garment, there are two main options. Firstly, if the garment is 100% cotton then it is compostable as long as tags and buttons are removed. But if you don’t have a composting system, then fabric recycling centers are your best bet. It does require some light research, but it aids in your contribution to a sustainable textile industry.

It’s important to remember that sustainability is not just a trend; it’s a movement in the right direction for the entire fashion and textile industry. Although it seems so small, doing your part truly does make an impact not only in your community, but to our planet. Lastly, below are links to a few video tutorials and articles regarding the basics of mending clothing and fashion sustainability.

Stain removal:

https://www.bhg.com/homekeeping/laundry-linens/stain-removal/removing-stains-from-fabrics/#:~:text=The%20best%20overall%20stain%20remover,treatment%20of%20most%20household%20stains

Fixing a rip:

https://sewguide.com/clothing-repair-mending-tears/

Weave-mending:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2yQ5r7u4_4

Using fabric scraps:

https://www.sarahhearts.com/what-to-make-with-fabric-scraps/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXuSYeKwge0

Where fabric goes:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1vE8uL--HM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMBZeJ74GuE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHnDqelUh-4

https://earth.org/statistics-about-fast-fashion-waste/#:~:text=3.,landfills%20on%20a%20yearly%20basis

Clothing Care and Alterations

A surprising way to reduce waste is to take care of the clothes you have. You can easily increase the longevity of your clothes by following wash instructions and using non-damaging laundry products. Additionally, a small hole or stain should never be the end of a garment’s life. Clothing alterations are now easier and more affordable than ever. A simple needle and thread, which is typically only a few dollars (or free from a local grandma), can easily cover up a clothing mistake. Either by sewing together a rip or weave-mending a hole with embroidery floss, there are so many ways to save a garment - tutorials online are free and endless. On a slightly more advanced level, alterations can be a great way to give clothing a new look. Things like removing sleeves, adding pockets, cropping/hemming, and even adding a patch or embroidery are all great ways to revitalize a garment. Most of those are simple and can be done by hand, however a sewing machine does make it significantly easier most of the time. So before donating an old item, consider if there’s a way you could alter it and enjoy wearing it again!

Below i’ve listed a few centers that are close-by here in Tallahassee, however in any city you can search “textile recycling near me” or even call local senior citizen centers or animal shelters to see if they take fabric scraps:

  • City Walk Urban Mission - Located right off of Monroe St., this local thrift stores uses a third party service to ensure that nothing goes to waste. Simply donate your items and specify that they are unusable and should go to surplus.

  • Sustainable Tallahassee - The Rags2Bags team uses donated fabrics to make grocery bags! They prefer dec-weight cotton but accept any fabrics (not whole garments) that are not damaged.