Sustainable Shopping: 5 Tips For Reducing Your Fashion Footprint

Posted by Stella Carakasi on June 06, 2018

Here at Stella Carakasi we are constantly looking for ways to infuse sustainability into our clothing and the way we do business because we believe that even the smallest of choices can make a big impact. With this in mind, we thought we would share some ways to incorporate sustainability into your own life, especially when shopping for clothes!

5 Tips For Reducing Your Fashion Foot Print:

1. Shop online

According to this analysis, 22 percent of a garment’s climate impact comes from the process of a consumer driving to the store to try something on, driving to another store to try that thing on, then bringing their final selection home in their car. Shopping from home means one less car on the road! The courier service that delivers your package (such as UPS, FedEx, or USPS) is like public transportation for your clothing: efficient at moving a lot of stuff with minimal fuel.

Shopping online gives you access to the retailer’s mission and story, you have the opportunity to learn about what they are doing to make fashion more sustainable before making your purchase.

Know your size and refer to the manufacturer’s size specifications to hone in on the best fit for your size and shape to reduce return shipping.

2. Prioritize natural fabrics
Synthetic materials like polyester, nylon, and acrylic can take up to 1,000 years to decompose—which means that all of the polyester that has ever been made still exists. Those materials account for a large chunk of the clothing that’s currently sitting in landfills. Choosing all-natural fabrics is one way to work toward a more sustainable wardrobe—try silk, organic cotton, wool, hemp, cashmere, alpaca, and Tencel, which are more luxurious, breathable and feel great on your body. (Stella even uses recycled paper in some of her sweaters!)

3. Invest in high-quality products, not quantity
Choose clothes that are made with the best craftsmanship, the finest materials, and timeless classic design. Durability is a key component in the environmental impact of a garment because its carbon footprint decreases every year that you own it.

4. Consider the number of uses
Ask yourself: “Can I wear this to work and to brunch?” and “Can I wear this in multiple seasons, or year-round?”. When you choose clothes that you can picture in different places and climates you’ll keep them longer and get more use.

5. Capsule your wardrobe
A clothing capsule is an extremely edited collection of versatile pieces that can be endlessly mixed and matched, so that you get maximum use out of minimal possessions. The goal is to gain clarity of your personal style and only purchase pieces that make you feel like your best self. With a thoughtfully curated wardrobe, you can easily put together a great outfit and you’ll no longer find yourself making hasty purchases because you have nothing to wear. (You can contact a stylist at Stella Carakasi to get styling advice and help curating your own capsule.)

As part of our effort to support sustainable fashion we are excited to announce that throughout the month of June and for the first half of July, our flagship store in Berkeley, California will be hosting an in-store pop-up with Vincetta Studio, a collection of season-less pieces with intentionally minimalist design. To kick off this exciting collaboration, we are co-hosting a Sip & Shop event Monday, June 11, 2018, from 4 to 6 pm. Click here to RSVP!

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