How To Dress Sustainably

Every year on April 22nd, Earth Day marks the anniversary of the birth of the modern environmental movement in 1970. For over fifty years, Earth Day has been dedicated to picking up litter, planting trees, and creating cleaner earth for all.

Collectively, we still have a long way to go when it comes to building a greener planet, but tiny personal decisions can make a big difference.

Here are our favorite fashion-related choices you can make to honor Mother Nature each day: 

Thrift Thoughtfully & Skip Fast Fashion

Thrift stores are like hidden treasure troves and are full of vintage, quality clothing pieces. Buying secondhand threads is a simple way to live more sustainably, and it can even help you curate a unique personal style. If you do decide to buy something new, choose brands with sustainable practices. 

If you choose to get rid of something, make sure it’s given a chance at a second life! Churches, thrift stores, and women’s shelters are all good places to donate your old clothes.  

Did you know that SUAVS donates every pair of extra shoes to Soles4Souls? Yup! Here are a few other sustainable brands we love.

Repair Instead of Replacing

Patching jeans with old shirts and cutting pants into shorts are just a couple of the ways you can breathe new life into your old wardrobe. Even without a knack for sewing, you can still make small alterations that transform imperfect pieces into something usable and versatile. 

SUAVS insoles are replaceable, which means it’s easy to refresh your favorite shoes without buying a brand new pair. Just wash your SUAVS, pop in the new insoles, and go!

 Only Buy New Products You Love

As tempting as it can be to shop ‘till you drop, being choosey about the clothes you buy is a great sustainable fashion strategy. Instead of buying multiple discount shirts, choose one high-quality top you’ll get use out of for years to come. If you stick to mostly neutral colors and styles when purchasing staple pieces, you should have no shortage of outfits.

SUAVS are the perfect everyday shoe to wear with jeans, slacks, dresses, and skirts. And since they’re sustainably crafted, you can feel good about what goes on your feet.

 Throw A Closet Swap Party

An easy way to maximize your wardrobe is to share threads with friends. Host a closet swap party complete with snacks, beverages, and music for an opportunity to double (or triple!) your clothing choices. Have each friend bring a specific amount of pieces they’re willing to swap and be sure to make note of who goes home with what so your wires don’t get crossed. 

Even if you and your friends don’t share the same pant size, you can still swap accessories and maybe even shoes. After all, one man’s old button-down is another’s new favorite layering piece. 

What are your favorite ways to lean into sustainable fashion? Let us know in the comments below!