If you’re here, you’re probably looking to live a little more sustainable this year so let’s do this together and get green this 2018! We’ve listed 5 easy practices to introduce to your fashion lifestyles to bring us one step closer to this year’s resolution.

 1.     Do your research

As consumers, we have the power of choice! Make sure you start doing research on brands/shops you’re interested in. If you prefer to shop offline, try to avoid fast-fashion retailers who are repeatedly scrutinised for their unethical practices. It’s shocking that as recently as November 2017, customers were finding plea notes in their clothing purchases from Zara Turkey. ICYMI, you can read up more on this  here.

This picture is from Shutterstock.

If you’re an online shopper, there’s this incredibly useful Chrome extension that you can add to your browser called DoneGood. How it works is, you search for your items like normal on Google or big-name company websites like Amazon, H&M, etc. Then, DoneGood will alert you with approved socially-responsible brands that carry similar products to what you’re looking for! They filter through all the search hits to give you a socially-responsible product. How great & easy is that?!

2.     Green Laundry

Many of us aren’t aware of how much water is wasted by washing our clothes too often. Don’t get me wrong, items like smelly gym clothes and intimate wear are not up for discussion here But for denims and heavily-dyed dresses & pants, you can definitely wear them a handful of times before they really need to be washed. If you have the time and space, skip the drier and air dry your clothing items instead!

This photo is from Home Stratosphere.

Trade in your conventional washing detergent for an environmentally-sustainable alternative that is completely biodegradable & phosphate-free. Phosphate, which is commonly found in drug-store detergents, pollutes marine eco-systems by creating algae blooms and starving marine line of oxygen. Just Green Hong Kong carry Country Save Laundry Detergent which is 100% phosphate-free, biodegradable, cruelty-free and highly economical. Give it a try & let us know what you think!

 3.     Upcycle

This is where we get creative! Do whatever it takes to give your clothing items a second fashionable life. If you have a pair of denim jeans that are stained or torn beyond repair, add embellishments, patches, or have them altered into shorts or midis. If you’re interested in picking up some creative DIY projects, check out DIY blogger Geneve Vanderzeil’s blog, A Pair and a Spare. Her ideas are simple and inventive and her instructions are very detailed and easy to follow. One of our favourites from her blog is this fun piece she did on turning men’s shirts into adorable and stylish off-the-shoulder dresses- you can have a read here! Renew and re-purpose to reduce your fashion waste.

This photo is from A Pair and A Spare.

4.     Donate or Swap/Sell 

This photo is from Zara.

Donate the pieces you never wear to local charities or second-hand shops. Redress, a Hong Kong based environmentally-driven NGO, has joined forces with Zara to collect clothes through their Second Life programme. You can donate your unwanted clothes and accessories to any of the collection containers conveniently placed in select Zara stores. Zara then passes on the donations to Redress who will reuse, up-cycle, recycle, down-cycle or dispose the items according to their systems set up to maximise the use of all clothing, and keep it from landfill. Find out more about the sustainable fashion initiative and the various collection points here.

5.     Join the Social Conversation

This photo is from Fashion Revolution.

Lastly, don’t forget to initiate social conversation around sustainable fashion and mindful consumption with your friends, family and online. Check out Fashion Revolution events and locally-led panel discussions to keep you updated with this conscious movement!

 We’re excited for the new year ahead and the changes this will bring! Share your tips & practices to lead a more sustainable life in the comments below: