Make Your Online Shopping Choices More Sustainable With This 5-Second Self-Check Exercise
In the latest episode of the Well+Good web series Need To Know, host and actress Sophia Bush chats with writer and sustainable fashion expert Alden Wicker about how to honor a love of fashion while still respecting the planet. Renting your clothes and buying secondhand are savvy, environmentally conscious moves, but simply being self-aware and strategic with purchases can also help to build a more sustainable wardrobe. "It just comes down to knowing what you love, and buying less, but buying better—buying things that you’ll keep for a long time, that you’ll wear a lot," says Wicker.
"It just comes down to knowing what you love, and buying less, but buying better—buying things that you’ll keep for a long time." —Alden Wicker, sustainable fashion expert
So how does self-aware shopping work? Well, let’s say during quarantine you treated yourself to some digital retail therapy and jumped aboard the tie-dye trend. But as summer rolled around, you realized the look simply wasn't "you," and you were ready to purge the colorful garments. Next time, Wicker suggests, ask yourself "is this something I'll want after the season?" as a five-second self-check exercise to protect you and your closet from unsustainable purchases.
On the flip side, if you’re aware that you’re more of an animal-prints person, investing in a quality all-purpose leopard piece is actually a smart long-term move. (Trust me, I’ve had the same leopard print midi skirt for seven years, and though it wavers in trendiness, it always looks good on me, you know?) Buying what you know (or at least strongly suspect) will look good on you is an ultimately kinder move for the environment, especially if you're shopping online. We can't try-before-we-buy as easily these days, and that can lead to a chain reaction of eco-destruction.
"Right now we’re not doing a lot of shopping in stores, and it’s even more important to understand all of these things so you don’t buy something and ship it back for returns," Wicker says. "Returns are so unsustainable. There’s the carbon emissions, there’s the packaging, there’s all the stuff that goes into shipping. So [it's about] really getting familiar with what you like, what looks good on you, and being just really thoughtful about that."
Watch the full video above to learn more about making sustainable fashion choices.
Oh hi! You look like someone who loves free workouts, discounts for cult-fave wellness brands, and exclusive Well+Good content. Sign up for Well+, our online community of wellness insiders, and unlock your rewards instantly.
Loading More Posts...
