How to Curate a Conscious Closet
βThink of yourself as a curator instead of a consumer.β - christine koh
Approaching your closet with a slower, softer, and more feminine curation process can help you step away from contributing to the dominant masculine energy of the fast fashion industry. By creating a wardrobe that not only looks good on the outside but also aligns with the values of conscious consumerism, you can support a more vibrant and harmonious ecosystem. In a society where everything is easily accessible and convenient, we often end up buying more items than we need. This leads to clutter, overwhelm, and unnecessary stress, both personally and environmentally.
Dressing up in modern times is no longer just about function - it is a means of expressing oneself, showcasing our personality and values, and finding beauty through creativity. Despite this, the fashion industry has a dark side that those in charge are reluctant to reveal.
Fashion is the second most polluting industry in the world.
Here are some staggering statistics from Business Insider:
The fashion industry is responsible for 20% of all industrial water pollution worldwide; the water leftover from the dyeing process is often dumped into ditches, streams, or rivers.
The fashion industry is the second-largest consumer of water worldwide.
Washing clothes releases 500,000 tons of microfibers into the ocean each year β the equivalent of 50 billion plastic bottles.
The fashion industry is responsible for 10% of humanity's carbon emissions.
A 2017 report from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) estimated that 35% of all micro plastics β very small pieces of plastic that never biodegrade β in the ocean came from the laundering of synthetic textiles like polyester.
The fashion industry promotes unethical labor practices:
The workers in garment factories may earn as little as US$1-$3 per day, leading workers to live below the poverty line
The European Parliament has even described the conditions of factory workers in Asia as βslave laborβ
80% of the 75 million people who make the worldβ s clothing are women
The textile industry also uses child labor, so children can be exploited at a younger age
And these are only a few of the ways the fashion industry pollutes the environment and exploits human life. Despite this, slow fashion is making a comeback and is more popular than ever.
What is slow fashion?
βSlow fashion is the movement of designing, creating, and buying garments for quality and longevity. It encourages slower production schedules, fair wages, lower carbon footprints, and (ideally) zero waste.β β Slow Factory
As consumers, slow fashion promotes being more mindful of the quality of our clothing choices and the amount and pace at which we consume. In a fast-paced world, taking the time to slow down can be a beneficial practice for everyone, as discussed in our balancing masculine & feminine energies post.
what does it mean to Shop Your Values?
Essentially, it means thinking beyond your personal needs and wants and considering the impact of your purchases. When you shop by your values, you take into account the environmental, social, and ethical implications of the products you buy. While it may require extra effort and research, shopping by your values is a small but impactful way to make a positive difference in the world. By supporting companies that align with your beliefs and values, you can contribute to a more harmonious and equitable future.
If you enjoy the art of self-decoration and want to dress stylishly while being environmentally conscious, read on for some tips on how to shop more intentionally and create a more mindful wardrobe.
Curate your ethical closet
1. Support Sustainable & Ethical Brands
Search online for brands that promote sustainability either by:
Producing locally
Shipping sustainably
Using organic / natural materials or recycled fabrics
Practice fair wages
Ethical clothing brands take pride in the additional steps they take to produce their garments, and will often feature a section on their website detailing their ethical practices. Social media platforms such as Instagram and Pinterest can also be valuable resources. By searching for hashtags like #sustainablefashion or #ethicalfashion, you can discover new sustainable fashion brands. Check out my Pinterest for more ideas.
2. Quality over Quantity
Consider buying fewer items and saving up to purchase one quality item that will last for years, instead of buying five H&M tops that will go out of style by the following season. This approach requires a shift in mindset - a practice of mindfulness and patience, so as to avoid impulsively following every new trend. Plus, quality just feels better.
3. Buy Vintage, Consignment, Second Hand or Rent
The Real Real & The Outnet β online marketplaces for authenticated, resale luxury fashion
1st Dibs - online retailers selling antique furniture, fine jewelry, vintage fashion and art from top sellers around the world.
Poshmark & Depop β social commerce marketplaces where users can buy and sell new and secondhand fashion, home goods, and electronics.
Nuuly, Rent the Runway, Revive - Membership platforms to access a forever-rotating closet of designer clothing, accessories and more.
4. Do a Closet Fashion Show
Take some time to do a closet fashion show; turn on some music, move your body, and try on different pieces from your wardrobe. The goal is to get creative and find new ways to style them together. You'll often discover that you have wonderful pieces in your closet that were just waiting to be reimagined. This activity also helps you commit to wearing what you already own for a longer period, instead of making impulsive purchases.
5. Host a Clothing Swap
Hosting a clothing swap party with friends is a delightful and interactive approach to exchanging clothes that are no longer needed but still valuable for new items that would refresh your wardrobe. Simply select a location to meet up, invite all your friends, and make it a joyous gathering!
6. Repair Instead of Discarding
Embrace visible mending; repair clothes with visible stitches or patches to make them a part of the garment's story. Work with artists & tailors who can breathe new life into your items through repair, such as Celia Pym (@celiapym), who transforms once-tattered knits into new, artful creations that can last at least another generation or two.
7. Slow Down & Take Your Time
Building an ethical closet requires patience and effort. Begin with a preliminary closet detox to assess your current situation, and gradually progress from there. Take a step back and slow down your purchasing habits. Before making a purchase, pause and consider if you truly want it and if it aligns with your wardrobe, lifestyle, and future vision. It's perfectly fine to occasionally buy from conventional brands, just do the best you can- there's no need for a complete overhaul all at once!
8. The 80/20 Guidelines
After years of curating my closet consciously, this is the approach I have settled on:
80% β Ethical, sustainable & artisanal brands and vintage / second hand
20% β Purchases from conventional shops and brands for special items
As consumers, we possess the power to practice conscious consumerism and purchase with our values in mind. It is our responsibility to decide where to spend our money and which companies, brands, and initiatives to support. By choosing to support brands that practice ethical and conscious methods, we can shift the dynamic away from those companies or brands that exist operate within extreme masculine energy and structures that create destruction to humanity and the environment with their harmful labor and production methods.
By adopting a slower and more mindful curation process that closely mirrors feminine energy, we can create a wardrobe that not only looks good on the outside but also feels good on the inside. Ultimately, this shift toward conscious consumerism will help align the fashion industry with the natural resources of our planet, leading to a healthier and more harmonious world.