What do we mean by a sustainable closet?
We want to help you to find your sustainable closet. We believe the solution is individual, based on your needs, values and interest. We want to give you several perspectives on what a sustainable closet can be and find out by yourself what stores, brands and people are in line with your values. Please check out our interview series.
That being said, sustainability means that we need to be environmentally and climate-friendly (Ecological sustainability) before anything else, we need to make sure human rights are followed and respected (Social sustainability) and we need to operate within that space (Economic sustainability).
We only collaborate, feature and write about brands and stores that live up to our own developed criteria. But we also need to consider there is a difference between individual up-cycling clothes at home and a company having a larger production abroad when it comes to their ability to get certified and so on.
We hope this page can help you to learn about the sustainability challenges and that our weekly content can guide you to figure out for yourself what a sustainable closet means to you!
Did you know?
1.4 trillion plastic fibres floating around in the oceans
73 % of the clothes produced globally ends up in landfills
An average EU citizen discard 11 KG textile per year
Since 1996, the amount of clothes bought in the EU per person has increased by 40%
Globally less than 1% of clothes are recycled as clothing
The amount of used textiles exported outside the EU in 2019 was on average 3.8 kilograms per person
Changing behaviour makes a difference!
10 times more carbon is saved by reusing clothing instead of recycling and creating new clothes
This is according to a study from 2019 by the Swedish Waste Management Association.
Twice as many uses per garment life-cycle eliminated almost 50% of climate impact
50 liters of water are being used when doing laundry at 40 °C, make sure the washing machine is full!
Educate yourself
Documentaries to watch
The True Cost (2015)
Filmed by Andrew Morgan it highlights the environmental and social challenges of the fast fashion industry. It examines river pollution but also the contribution to diseases. Several textile workers and people within the industry are interviewed and the issues are interlinked to global capitalism. A good crash course for anyone new to the topic and a must-see. Watch the trailer and buy it here!
River Blue (2017)
The paddler and conservationist Mark AngeloRent takes us on a journey to uncover the dark side of the fast fashion industry related to topics such as chemical use, diseases, drinking water and river pollution. Watch the trailer and rent it or buy it here!
Made in Bangladesh (2020)
The film is a Bangladeshi drama film directed by Rubaiyat Hossain. The plot is about a 23-year-old woman working in a textile factory, starting a union to raise the workers' voices and fight for their rights. Watch the trailer on YouTube and the whole movie for free on their website.
Udita (Arise) (2015)
The documentary follows women for five years on the grass-root of garment workers’ struggles. You can watch the whole film for free on YouTube!
Luxury: Behind the Mirror (2019)
This documentary addresses the high-end fashion brands that the dark side of their glamours surface. Especially related to poor working conditions and animal suffering. Despite more and more brands stopping using fur, this film must be seen and the problem acknowledge until the fur is no longer used. You can rent or purchase it on Amazon.
The Next Black (2014)
Designers, innovators and leaders are interviewed to discuss the issues of clothes, not only what we wear but how it’s being produced. How can the future of clothing look like and how to deal with the sustainability challenges? Watch it for free on YouTube!
Books to read
The Future of Fashion: Understanding Sustainability in the Fashion Industry (2018) Tyler Little
This book introduced you to the harmful impact of the fashion industry but also tells you about the movement of change. Everything from individuals changing their behaviour to brands, entrepreneurs and innovators within the industry.
The New Sustainable Fashion Revolution (2012) Safia Minney
Written by the founder of People Tree, Safia Minney, this book is about the stories of the change taking place. Emma Watson share her thoughts on fair fashion and Vivenne Westwood about high fashion taking the planet into concern.
Slow Fashion: Aesthetics Meets Ethics (2016) Safia Minney
Safia Minney gives us a glimpse of sustainable design and eco-lifestyle! Pioneering stores are shared and causes making a difference.
Fashionopolis: Why What We Wear Matters (2020) Dana Thomas
The fashion journalist Dana Thomas goes through the social and environmental issues of fast fashion and calls for us to rethink and change. Stories from Bangladesh, global pollution rates but also the urge for Slow Fashion, are all in this book.
The Conscious Closet: The Revolutionary Guide to Looking Good While Doing Good (2019) Elisabeth L. Cline
After addressing the problem of fast fashion, Cline, is now offering her best guide on how to create a conscious closet instead. Of course the problem is still there but it’s really more about how we can start to appreciate and love clothes for real.
Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion (2013) Elizabeth L. Cline
What is cheap fashion doing to us and why do we behave the way we do? These questions are addressed in Cline’s book both from a cultural, environmental and societal perspective.
How To Break Up With Fast Fashion: A Guilt-Free Guide to Changing the Way You Shop - For Good (2022) Lauren Bravo
This book gives you a brief introduction on why we must quit fast fashion and the harmful impact it has on our planet. Mainly the book tells you How to do it from someone who loves clothes. Concrete tups to change behaviour and fall in love with your wardrobe again.
Empire of Cotton: A Global History (2015) Sven Beckert
Just as the title says you will get to know cotton before it was capitalised and the dark history of slavery and industrialism. Beckert presents the constant struggles between merchants and statements, farmers and merchants and explains how it all is connected to today’s vast distribution of wealth and high inequalities.
The Anti-Capitalist Book of Fashion (2014) Tansy E. Hoskins
This books does not only talk about the social and environmental aspects of fashion but also the exploitation of women and our body ideals.
