Fighting Pollution: Creating less fashion waste

We recently discovered A New Year's Revolution blog, and yesterday's #dailyrevolution struck a chord with us.  Pollution is a dangerous reality and it's happening in a more ways than most are aware.  Our mission is to raise awareness about the current gold mining practices - the use of mercury to bind the gold is a common practice in the jewelry industry and sadly, most artisanal miners are unknowingly burning it out within their living area and contaminating family members and the environment. 

We were moved by the message shared through A New Year's Revolution  and are compelled to share it. The piece discusses how we can, and should, take actionable steps to avoid the all too common urge of instant satisfaction.  We should all move away from fast fashion for our and our children's benefit. 

We will be sharing our favorite vintage stores, selling platforms, and ethically-made brands in the next coming weeks.  Leave a comment below if you would like to share yours with us!

Love,

Pili

Ways to fight pollution according to A New Year's Resolution:

Less Is More
Avoid fleeting fashion trends (at stores like Zara, Forever 21, and Topshop) and invest in functional and versatile clothing that you can rely on for years to come. Well-made products, made with high-quality materials, sometimes come with a higher price tag up front, but they will last longer and retain their value, so you can easily resell them or hold onto them for the next generation. Invest in quality, not quantity.

Take Your Time
Don’t make last-minute buying decisions. If you are attending a wedding in a few weeks, do your research in advance to find the right outfit from the right brand that you are likely to wear again … and again. Buying pre-owned is best, but if you must buy new, commit to brands that know their supply chain and are proud to share it (like Patagonia, Eileen Fisher, Reformation, and Loomstate). Before you buy anything, make a plan for where that item will go once you’re done with it (the garbage is not an option). Will you donate it, recycle it, or give it to a friend?

Buy Pre-owned
If you need something, chances are someone else is trying to get rid of that exact item. Thanks to a handful of pre-owned e-commerce sites, you no longer have to leaf through the racks at thrift stores to find that one item. Sites like ThredUp, The Real Real, Material World, Tradesy, Vestiaire Collective, Ebay, and Amazon offer easy access to pre-owned threads. Plus, you will pay a fraction of the original price tag. Save the environment while saving money!

Donate, Sell, Fix
It’s in our nature to change and our wardrobes evolve along with us. When you clean out your closet next, separate items into donate, sell, and fix piles. Only fabrics that are completely torn apart or soiled should go in the trash. Use the websites above to sell clothing items that are in good shape - some offer shopping credit, while others offer cash! Donate your items to  and get a tax write-off. Mend, clean, or get creative and reconstruct items to make them wearable again (see ya later, jeans > hello, jorts!). Or host a clothing swap with your buddies.

Let’s throw away our fast fashion shopping habits and invest in a circular economy to keep textiles far away from the landfill. It’s up to us, the consumers, to nudge the fashion industry in the right direction through our buying decisions. The longer we keep quality clothing in circulation, the lighter our impact on our environment.