Ooh Sustainable Fashion

On average, Americans throw away 81 pounds of clothing each year. (That's right, the equivalent of a small child!) Many donate their clothes, and although donating is a preferred alternative to straight up throwing away your clothing, only 10% of clothes donated are actually sold. The other 90% find their way into landfills, where they'll sit for decades.

According to EPA statistics, fashion is the third highest-polluting industry in the world and second largest consumer of water. In fact, 7,000 liters of water are used in the making of a pair of jeans, which is equivalent to 5-6 years worth of the average American's drinking water.

Popular fast fashion brands such as Zara, Nike, Forever 21, etc. are known for their unsustainable and unethical practices. The push to produce clothing at unprecedented rates and low prices in recent years has led to poorly made clothing with cheap materials and lowered pay for garment workers in third-world countries far below the living wage.

However, in recent years, the sustainable fashion movement has been on the rise. Many shoppers have turned to thrifting and apps like Depop and Mercari for their clothing. Sustainable clothing brands such as Reformation and Patagonia have also gained popularity. 

Each new blog posted in the coming days will be dedicated to highlighting a different sustainable way to shop. From thrifting at Goodwill to navigating websites like ThredUP, I'll be sharing an overview of each of these methods, as well as some tips and tricks I've picked up from my own experiences.