Why Preloved Fashion Is More Sustainable

The fashion industry accounts for about 8-10% of global carbon emissions, and nearly 20% of wastewater. And while the environmental impact of flying is now well known, fashion sucks up more energy than both aviation and shipping combined. - BBC

Are you tired of reading about landfills and invisible microplastics from clothes? Join the initiative of changing your buying habits to not buying new items unless you have to! Be part of the change and encourage others to do the same.

Can fashion be sustainable?

According to the World Bank, to make the garment industry more sustainable, all actors must get involved, from designers to manufacturers, critics, and consumers. Consumers are the driving force in how designers and manufacturers produce their clothing, if consumers won’t buy them, the clothing industry is forced to try a different approach.

One of the steps we, as consumer, can do in a transition to sustainable fashion is to buy preloved fashion.

What is preloved fashion?

Preloved fashion shopping entails purchasing clothing, bags, jewelry, and other accessories that have previously been used by someone else and are once again available for resale. Items included in preloved fashion are typically relatively low in price when compared to purchasing them new.

How is preloved fashion more sustainable?

That dress you’ve been eyeing is not that cool for the earth. With each new piece added to your wardrobe - our planet suffers more. Dress not only for yourself, but also for the earth in this life and your life in the akhira. New clothes have a greater environmental impact than preloved ones. So, the next time you go shopping, think twice about the impact your purchase has on the Earth.

Purchasing preloved fashion helps reduce the overall need for new apparel. When you choose to wear preloved clothing, you are assisting in the recycling of useful materials that would otherwise be wasted in landfills.

Phase fast fashion out!

Another incentive to buy preloved fashion is that it helps to encourage sustainable fashion. Buying preloved fashion is an important aspect of the slow fashion movement and a crucial component of building a sustainable wardrobe. Slowing down in terms of fashion is important to eco-fashion. Wearing secondhand clothing, purchasing clothing created sustainably and/or ethically and using fabrics made from eco-materials such as organic cotton, Tencel, and hemp are all aspects of phasing out fast fashion. In other words, a sustainable wardrobe is comprised of secondhand clothing and/or slow fashion items, both of which are more sustainable.

Less packaging!

Have you ever purchased something new and when attempted to open you found that there are so many plastics to cut through? Maybe you ordered a product new online and having trouble finding the product among the cardboard and foam popcorn? New products usually come with some type of packaging and cushioning material, and not all of those materials are recyclable.

One of the advantages of buying preloved fashion is that there is minimal waste or mess. The things you buy preloved will not come with all of the extra packaging which often requires a pry bar to open and then thrown away. You can definitely enjoy your new-to-you clothing without the need for packaging.

By buying preloved fashion, YOU:

• Don't support the fast fashion industry with all its negative effects
• Aren’t adding to the massive quantity of waste we have on this planet, and in fact, you will give clothes a second chance to be utilized to reduce this waste!
• Will support social enterprises and other causes that sell clothes and continue to make a positive impact.
• Will save money!