I can’t tell you how excited I am to start digging into this topic. To be honest it felt a little overwhelming at first but once I started doing research I realized so many of the brands I wear and love already practice sustainability. For the last three years I’ve been doing my best to use only natural, organic, and/or sustainable brands when it comes to my beauty routine. For two reasons: 1. I care deeply about what I put on mine and my family’s skin and 2. I don’t want to support a brand that tests on animals or is harmful to the environment. Practically speaking, the cost of these products is more, but the results have been worth the investment: I look better and feel better knowing I’m doing what’s right for myself and the planet.
This year I want to take the next step and add another layer of sustainability to my life by paying more attention to the clothing and accessories I’m wearing (this includes jewelry). Additionally, it means supporting brands that focus on sustainable packaging (I’m currently testing out a new deodorant that sells refills and reduces plastic) and creating less waste. As I’ve been researching the topic, the same notion keeps coming up, buying less is part of living a more sustainable life. Fewer and better has always been important to me and I think I’ve found a balance that works - 1. invest in luxury items that will last and quality craftsmanship like this sweater for example which is made of 100% natural yarn, and 2. fill in the rest with less expensive sustainable brands like Everlane and H&M.
Tip: Give yourself a break! The fact that you’re thinking about being more sustainable is a step in the right direction. If we could get the whole world thinking this way we’d be in much better shape. Small steps are better than no steps! I found this article to be very helpful as a baseline for understanding sustainable fashion.
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