How to Spot High-Quality Craftsmanship in Luxury Designer Clothing
With an uptick in natural disasters in recent years and climate data seemingly getting dire, it’s no surprise that 63% of Americans are concerned about climate change and its potential impacts. If you’re one of these people, you may not consider how your fashion choices contribute to the issue.
In the past few decades, retailers have accelerated fashion cycles to the point that people are buying clothes at a 400% higher rate than they were 20 years ago. Fast fashion drives this consumption, and it contributes to 8-10% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
Thankfully, you can make more sustainable choices, including opting for designer resale. How? Let’s explore together!
What Is Fast Fashion?
Before exploring how fast fashion impacts the environment, let’s get a good understanding of what it is. Fast fashion refers to brands that create clothing inspired by the latest trends. Think about the kinds of clothing you might buy for a night out and then toss. Or the outfits you carefully curate to create multiple outfit-of-the-day posts on social media.
Fast Fashion’s Environmental Impact
Fast fashion impacts the environment in multiple ways, starting with water. It takes about 700 gallons of water to produce a cotton shirt. Additionally, farmers growing the cotton to produce the shirts use pesticides, fertilizer and other toxic chemicals that seep into the water.
Machines that produce clothing and the vehicles that transport them emit greenhouse gases. Many garments and accessories from fast fashion brands are also made from PVC, polyester and other synthetic fibers derived from fossil fuels.
Fast fashion seems like a great way to keep your socials fresh. It’s quick, cute and affordable. You’re only going to wear the outfit once. However, fast fashion waste is one of the biggest environmental impacts. An estimated 92 million tons of clothing ends up in landfills every year. As these materials break down, they release pollutants into the environment.
You might think donating your one-offs to charity is the solution. The problem with this thought is that Goodwill, Arc and other thrift stores receive so much clothing that they can’t sell it. So, these items also end up in a landfill, just later than if you threw them away yourself.
Fast fashion also has a social impact. Not all lower-end brands produce clothing and accessories in sweatshops, but many of them use factories in countries with fewer regulations to protect workers.
Sustainable Shopping
There are ways to stay fashionable and reduce your environmental impact. You can start by looking for high-quality products from designers dedicated to clean production. Look for brands that use organic cotton and other fabrics grown with minimal use of pesticides and other chemicals.
Shop for pieces made with durable fabrics and solid stitching, so you can wear them multiple times. While you’re at it, stop chasing the trends and opt for timeless pieces with classic silhouettes you can keep for multiple seasons. You can still incorporate trendy pieces into your wardrobe, but don’t make it your whole personality.
Designer Resale to the Rescue
Designer resale is an excellent way to promote sustainability in fashion. For one, you can find trendy pieces for less and save them from ending up in a landfill. Shopping for consignment luxury items on The RealReal also contributes to the circular economy.
What Is the Circular Economy?
The circular economy is a production and consumption model aimed at keeping items in circulation for as long as possible by reusing, refurbishing, repairing and recycling existing materials. Think of it like this: It’s even more common for people to apply this consumption philosophy to big-ticket items such as cars.
Most people probably can’t afford to drop $30,000 on a new car every few years, so you choose one that’s reliable but still aesthetically pleasing. Or you lease a car. When you’re done with your car, you probably trade it in, and the dealership sells it to someone else. If you lease a car and opt for a new model at the end of your lease, the dealership will still sell your car. This goes on and on until eventually, the cost to repair the car becomes more than its value. At this point, you could still salvage parts and reuse them.
Fashion and smaller goods can also function in a circular economy, and designer resale is part of it.
Designer Resale’s Role to Play
Designer resale extends the life of clothing, jewelry and accessories by shifting them between owners. It cuts back on the demand for new items, meaning that producers of clothing and accessories don’t have to make as much new merch. This cuts down on the company’s carbon footprint because they aren’t using as many resources.
Buying and selling designer clothing on The RealReal can also extend an item’s life. Since high-end merchandise is made to last, you could potentially pass a handbag or trench coat down multiple times before it reaches the end of its lifecycle. A skilled cobbler, tailor or restorationist can take decades-old items and make them look like new.
Promoting designer resale also helps you as a customer make more conscious decisions about how you shop. If you’re already a shopper on designer resale sites and stores, you’re likely intentional about how your choices impact the world around you. Opting to buy someone’s gently used items instead of choosing fast fashion helps lower your own carbon footprint, and you don’t have to worry about social injustices common in fast fashion.
Be Part of the Solution With TheRealReal
You can help reduce fashion’s environmental impact by consigning with and shopping with The RealReal. Use our insights to find out what items are most in demand. Search your closet for pieces that would appeal to our shoppers, and give them a new home with someone else.
Taking small steps including participating in designer resale, being more strategic about your new purchases and opting for quality can have a real impact on the planet. Green looks good on you, so start consigning with The RealReal.
