Sustainability on a Budget

By: Delaney Connor

 There’s no question that consumers have been increasingly focused on sustainability. The main issue people run into when wanting to become sustainable, is not knowing how to get started. The most important thing to keep in mind is to take it one step at a time. You don’t need to completely flip your life all in one day, every good change you make makes a big difference. Here are two ways you can update your fashion on a budget.

Smart Shopping

One major change you can make to be sustainable is instead of shopping for new items, you can opt for thrifted items. There is more than enough clothing already made, and purchasing new items only encourages continuous production. Whenever possible, try shopping at a thrift store when you need to upgrade your wardrobe. There are often clothing items donated that still have their original tags and have never been worn. However, sometimes you can't find what you’re looking for; that's where you have to get creative.

Creating From Scratch

If you can’t find what you were hoping for at the thrift store, you may still be able to make it yourself. Most thrift stores have a wide selection of sewing patterns as well as scrap fabric and materials that you could use to make your own clothing at home. If using patterns seems too intimidating, another option is to alter clothing. There are several ways to spice up an article of clothing; add buttons, lace, or fringe, crop the length, paint or bleach, etc. Every step you take to be sustainable is a step in the right direction. Below are examples of a fully thrifted outfit and an altered thrifted item.