Like spring, being environmentally savvy or "green" involves renewal, regeneration and giving back. You can start by recycling those water bottles piling up under the sink, or by donating your gently-used clothes as opposed to throwing them out. Or you can splurge on some fashions that are as good for the planet as they are for your wardrobe.
Here's how you can support recycling and reusing in fashion, two shopping practices that are eco-chic and high on style:
Reused Clothing
All reused clothing is green, since – by being salvaged – it doesn't find itself piling up in a landfill for all of eternity. It may take a little time and patience to hunt for individual items, but when you uncover those truly one-of-a-kind pieces that rival many of today's most popular designers, second-hand shopping is totally worth all the work. So go ahead and shop with wild abandon in your local thrift or vintage clothing store.
Thrift, Consignment & Vintage Shopping Makes Sense
Every fashionista knows that clothing constructed and sold off the rack before the mid-1960s was top quality, which is why much of it is still in excellent condition in your mother's or grandmother's closet, or around the corner in the local thrift or vintage shop. Even if your salvaged garment is from the mid-'80s (instead of the mid-'50), your sense of style, the influence of current trends, and a fresh interpretation of an old look can bring new life to even very inexpensive thrift-shop buys.
Thrift Stores versus Consignment Shops versus Vintage Boutiques
Consignment stores – those where the original owner retains some of the revenue from the sale, as opposed to making a straight donation to the shop – will often have equal quality to vintage boutiques, however thrift stores – with their hodgepodge collection and crammed racks of donated clothes – are where you must truly become a fashion sleuth.
Vintage shops will more consistently yield the best selection and the highest quality, but prices will be higher than consignment shops or thrift stores. You are paying for a knowledgeable staff and a selection that is usually grouped by decade, which makes for an easier shopping experience.
Final Sale for Secondhand Items
Whichever store you frequent, you must check each item carefully, since very few secondhand clothing stores accept returns. Sometimes it's worth purchasing a used garment with an obvious defect if it will be relatively easy or inexpensive to mend, especially if the purchase price is right.
Vintage Shopping: Quality is in the Details
Until the 1960s, most clothing was made to measure by major fashion houses, local seamstresses and even department stores, so definitely do not overlook unfamiliar labels. With garments made prior to the 1960s, higher quality is a given, especially if the label is woven and has been completely sewn down.
Another indicator of a high quality garment is the buttons: jet, brass, bone, pearl and the buttonholes themselves are hallmarks of superior craftsmanship. Other details such as quality lining, well-sewn seams and even dress weights (tiny metal bits sewn into the hems for better drape) will set excellent garments apart from the rest of the rack.
Recycling Vintage Fashions: preloved
Preloved is an international clothing line started by Julia Grieve in Toronto more than a decade ago. She took her experience as an international model and her keen eye for style, and began creating her own fashion line. Preloved pieces are affordable, one-of-a kind designer garments fashioned from fusing deconstructed vintage clothing with new material. The brand also has a line fashioned from 100 percent vintage garments, called Handcut. For preloved and Handcut, each piece of clothing is lovingly hand-cut and handmade, guaranteeing a unique work of wearable art.
Preloved also offers a "Prefund" customer program, which offers shoppers who spend over $300 a shopping bag created from vintage bed sheets, exclusive privileges such as party invites and collection previews, and a 15 percent discount for future purchases when you bring your reusable shopping bag (a caveat which cuts down on waste created by disposable shopping bags).
Related article - Earth-Friendly Accessories: Environmentally Friendly Fashion Made from Reclaimed Waste Materials
