Your guide to a more sustainable closet with Green little heart
In paid collaboration with Green little heart
For Swedish readers, please check out the blog article in Swedish at Green little heart!
A sustainable closet is never the same for you as it is for me. Because sustainability is all about creating your own lifestyle that has as little negative impact on the environment, animals and humans and as much good impact as possible. A sustainable lifestyle needs to be sustainable for the individual and we all have different privileges, possibilities and circumstances when it comes to money and time. But we can all start our journey to a more sustainable lifestyle by starting to make more conscious decisions and that is what we mean when talking about a more sustainable closet. In time you should have a closet suitable for your daily life, where you use the clothes you own, rotate clothes with friends and rental shops that you don’t use that often and where you take care of your clothes to increase their lifespan. When something new comes in, you have chosen it with extra care. Both based on your actual needs but also what’s better for the planet.
We hope that these recommendations will help you identify how your closet can be more sustainable over time.
Ottawa YOW – High Neck Sweater – Sand Marl, from 1PEOPLE, made in Indonesia, 1 399 SEK at Green little heart
Ruched one-shoulder white dress AKELĖ – OEKO-TEX® Fabric, from REDA PAULA, made in Lithuania, 1999 SEK at Green little heart
Get to know your style and what clothes you feel comfortable in.
With decades of fast fashion, where trends have been changing more than once per season and where there is a strong consumer culture in society, it can be hard to know what you actually like to wear. A good start to get to know yourself better is by looking at the favorite clothes in your closet and ask yourself why do you like these clothes so much? Is it because you feel comfortable? Is it the color? Is it the material? The shape? Try to mapp what your favorite clothes have in common, maybe there is a sentimental value to them? If they do, maybe you should go for clothes that actually mean something to you or have a history, like vintage? Or is it the natural materials such as cotton, hemp and wool that you like? Maybe you like those polyester blouses because you always feel dressed up and you appreciate their pattern and color? To understand oneself through one's style takes time, but it is the key to what should stay in your closet and what should move in over time.
Panthera Tote – Beige Cactus Leather, from SENTIENT, 2900 SEK at Green little heart
Colibri earrings, from MAQU, 1 199 SEK at Green little heart
2. Re-new your style and experiment with accessories
Even for those of us who have managed to find our style and already feel happy about it, the impulse to buy something new can still come. Maybe we feel a little bit tired of wearing the same clothes, our preferences might change over time and maybe we want something new for a certain occasion. Besides renting and borrowing clothes from friends you can also renew your closet and style with accessories. A pair of sunglasses can really make your whole summer outfit shine without you buying new clothes. Of course we shouldn’t buy accessories we are only going to use once, what we mean is that by having a pair of bags, sunglasses or earrings in your closet that you truly like, you can renew your outfit while still wearing the same clothes.
Organic T-shirt – White, INFINITDENIM, 360 SEK at Green Little Heart
Ribbed top, INFINITDENIM, 432 SEK at Green little heart
3. Go for a few good basics
When we start to buy more second hand and vintage we often find unique items in different shapes and colors, but how much and often you use them is often dependent on how well you can match them. Often some basic items such as a T-shirt or a top could be useful to increase the usage of those vintage blazers and pants. A T-shirt in good quality, with the right fit based on your body and that will last over time is often a good investment. Pick a color that suits your closet and if you feel uncertain you can always go for white or black which can be worn with most clothes. A few basics creates opportunities to be more explorative on the second hand market.
Träningstights Casall Dam 36, from Re-adventure premium second hand, 350 SEK at Green little heart
Vandringsskjorta Lundhags Dam XS, from Re-adventure premium second hand, 500 SEK at Green little heart
Circular infinit dress, INFINITDENIM, 588 SEK at Green little heart
4. Create your closet based on your lifestyle
Sometimes the clothes in our closet are stuck in our past. There might be plenty of dresses reminding us of those late nights out in the city or maybe it’s the other way around, clothes suitable for living in lockdown but nothing to wear now when back in the office? Are you an outdoor person, do you exercise a lot? Does your closet reflect that? Or do you prefer a comfortable lifestyle at home? Does your closet reflect that? There are no right or wrongs regarding how we live our lives and what to wear when, it is all about having the clothes you need for the activities you undertake during the day. If you have a lot of digital meetings it might be all about having comfortable pants to sit in. It can also be nice to have an “office suite”, clothes you feel comfortable in while working but also helps you to separate your personal life and work. When you take off your office suit and put on your leisure wear you know that your working day is over. Again, make sure that you over time consider the lifestyle you have and not the lifestyle you imagine, every time something new moves into your closet.
Street Rose Vegan Sneakers, from Beflamboyant, 1559 SEK at Green little heart
Vegan SUN Mustard sandals, from Zouri, 828 SEK at Green little heart
Hilary ante rosa sandals, from Mireia_Playa, 1209 SEK at Green little heart
5. Go for nice shoes and jackets
Sometimes we tend to spend money on clothes we only use for a few occasions, but never really put effort into finding good quality clothes for outerwear we use way more often. In Scandinavia, we spend a lot of time in our jackets and shoes so why do we spend so much effort on what’s under? With a nice jacket or shoes that you feel comfortable, and confident in and that you can move in, what’s underneath seldom needs to be considered. Make sure you have a uniform for those days outside that you can wear season after season, year after year, in a color that makes you shine! A good pair of shoes that you feel comfortable in, suitable for the right season, chosen based on your style, can never be wrong. So don’t spend too much focus and money on your everyday clothes, a few selected outerwear that you can combine with the right shoes is the way to go.