How to shop sustainable fashion that’s affordable in 2022
High neck sweatshirt, £120, The Pangaia; Organic cotton shirt, £85, With Nothing Underneath; High waist jeans, £29.99, Lindex; Pink checked dress, £165, Kitri Studio; Pine green top, £48, Baukjen; Veja trainers, £115, Office
Firstly, when I’m after a particular thing, I’ll exhaust my vintage options before plumping for brand new. As luck would have it, vintage cuts (oversized blazers, boxy shirts with quirky collars, and high-waisted tapered trousers) are what I’d be shopping for anyway, so going straight to the source is good sense. My favourite e-haunts are Retold Vintage, Nanin and ASOS Marketplace, which stocks a host of independent vintage labels.
Supporting brands which operate with a “slow fashion approach” is a great option, too: to minimise waste, this printed dress (pictured) by British label Kitri is made to order. It’s also worth noting that high street brands will have to cater to demand, so if you’re shopping at a giant fast fashion label, try to buy from its most responsible line.
I’ve often found that the least worn pieces in my wardrobe are the ones in which the fit is a little off. It might be that the waist needs cinching, or the sleeves are too long, so I’ve made a habit of having things tailored. It might add an extra £10-£20 on to the price of a garment, but if it’s the difference between my rotating it every week and wearing it to death, or not at all, it’s worth the extra splurge.
Our shopping focus should be on choosing sustainable materials from the outset, and pieces we know we’ll wear for years to come – but if you’ve gone off something or changed size, give it a second chance at being loved. I’m ruthless when it comes to reselling or donating things I haven’t worn in a while, whether that’s to a charity shop or to one of my sisters. If it stops someone else from buying something new, then it ticks that “obviously helpful” sustainability box I’m working on.