Make the move away from fast fashion more fun and much less overwhelming

Want to do your bit of the planet and other people? Not sure where to start when it comes to ditching fast fashion? We’ve made things simple with our ultimate guide to sustainable fashion.

 

The 10 socially conscious fashion rules to live by 

1. Wear out your clothes. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with wearing your favourite outfit over and over for years.
2. Always repair and restyle your old clothes once you find a hole - if you’re not good with needles, take them to a tailor. 
3. Swap your clothes with a friend. It’s the easiest (and cheapest) way to get a whole new wardrobe. Plus let’s face it, you’ve had your eye on her sparkly top for ages.
4. Make slow and smart purchases. Never buying anything ever again is just not feasible, or very fun. So make sure that when you do by something new, it’s high quality, ethically made and designed to last. 
5. Select ethically and sustainably produced natural fabrics. Scroll down for more info on some of our favourites.
6. Shop from small businesses. High street brand usually have huge supply chains and the people at the bottom are often treated badly and paid awfully.
7. Shop from ethical and sustainable brands. This one’s a no-brainer, and we’d recommended ourselves front and center, of course!
8. Donate to an ethical and sustainable charity. There are plenty of not-for-profit organisations trying to make change in the industry. So if you have money to spare, support them in the fight for fairer fashion.
9. Even if you can’t give money, you can still sign their petitions, especially ones that advocate for fair wages. Who doesn’t want that?
10. One of the easiest ways you can help make the sustainable fashion movement is to raise awareness. Talk to family and friends about where they buy their clothes from, post about it online or share tips and tricks with other members of our online community @ranbynature.

 

Eco-friendly fabrics to opt for when you can

• Linen - a super breathable and absorbent fabric made from flax
• ECONYL - recycled yarn made from plastic that has been dumped in the ocean
• Tencel/Lyocell/Modal - a comfy fabric made from natural raw wood
• Bamboo - a plant fibre with outstanding biodegradability
• Hemp - naturally one of the most biodegradable fibres in the world
• Organic cotton - an alternative to classic cotton that uses less chemicals and water 
• Recycled polyester - a fabric made from recycled plastic
• Peace silk/Qmonos - a nonviolent alternative to traditional silk that allows a silkworm to become a butterfly
• Piñatex - a natural leather alternative made from pineapple leaves

These fabrics could still be produced following the ‘fast fashion model’, so be sure to look carefully at the care label or product description to find out where they have been produced.  Some fast fashion brands will heavily market that they use a ‘sustainable fabric’, but still wrap their products in plastic packaging or not pay their  factory workers an appropriate wage. This kind of shady activity is called greenwashing, and you can read more about it here.

We never want you to feel confused by sustainable fashion businesses terminology. So here are some helpful websites and apps that can do the decoding for you.

• @goodonyou (https://goodonyou.eco/) 
• @staiy_official (https://staiy.com/)
• @project_cece (https://projectcece.com/)
• @ethicalmadeeasy (https://ethicalmadeeasy.com/)

Are there any other platforms or directories that you use to shop ethically? Share your own tips and recommendations with the ran by nature community @ranbynature or send an email to hello@ranbynature.com.