15 Best Examples of Sustainable Fashion That You Should know

Do you want to know the 15 examples of sustainable fashion that are easy to adopt right now? These practices will make a difference to your life and the planet!


β€˜Sustainable fashion’
Β is a popular buzzword at the moment and with all the big fashion labels releasing their own β€˜sustainable’ ranges you’ve probably heard of the term. But what does sustainable fashionΒ actuallyΒ mean?Β 

Well, according to Fashion Revolution (a global movement founded in 2013) there is no official definition for the term β€˜sustainable fashion’. It can mean a lot of things to different people.

For me, it’s about doing my best with a conscious mind and heart, for the planet and the people involved. I like to make small changes and improvements where possible in the hope that they will accumulate to make a massive difference for myself and the planet.

Sustainable fashion practices are crucial to reducing the negative impacts of the fashion industry on the environment, supply chain workers, and social sustainability.

15 Examples of Sustainable Fashion

1. Wear What You Own

This couldn’t be more simple. The easiestΒ andΒ cheapest way to bring sustainability to your wardrobe is toΒ wear what you already own. But if you’re like me, even though your wardrobe is full of clothes you still feel like you have nothing to wear.

I get it, it’s hard in today’s society when we are constantly being shown new trends or the must-have items that are all over Instagram. Β Β 

Fun fact for you, the amount of unused clothing in our wardrobes has been estimated at around Β£30 billionΒ plus the majority of people only wear 20% of their closet 80% of the time!Β 

That 20% couldn’t be more true for me. I rotate the same gym pants and jeans nearly every day, but they areΒ soΒ comfy and I like being comfy.

2. Rent or Borrow Your Clothes

ConsiderΒ renting clothingΒ for special occasions or subscribing to clothing rental services. This reduces the need to buy clothing only worn a few times.

In short, you get to choose an item of clothing, pay a small percentage of what it’s worth, wear it and then send it back. Genius.Β 

I’ve always loved expensive clothes but can never justify spending crazy amounts of money on a dress I will wear once, but this way I can wear the clothes without the price tag. And so can you.
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Apps likeΒ HURRΒ andΒ RotaroΒ are great alternatives to buying that outfit you would have only worn once. There are so many rental services but these two were the ones based in the UK that I found the most user-friendly. Give it a try, it is well worth it. Plus it’s fashionable to be sustainable now if you didn’t already know.Β 

3. Secondhand & Vintage

One of my favourite examples of sustainable fashion is embracing secondhand and vintage shopping. 

Secondhand fashion is essential for a sustainable wardrobe because it reduces waste by extending the lifespan of clothing items and lowers the carbon footprint by decreasing the demand for new production. Secondhand clothing also conserves valuable resources like water and raw materials, helping to protect the environment. 

You can also find unique and stylish pieces while reducing waste. Bonus!

Check out the local charity shops and vintage boutiques around where you live. A top tip I was given by Lucy at Second Hand Styling UK is to visit the charity shops regularly as those designer gems are snapped up super fast.

Let’s talk about secondhand shopping online!

There are loads of apps and websites where you can search for the exact item you are looking for and it will pop up instantly (dependent on size and colour). Plus it will be most likely for less than half the price of buying the item new. Bonus!

Vinted and Depop are some of the most popular apps which are user-friendly when buying secondhand clothes and great for selling your old items too.

Another popular way of finding secondhand clothes is through the preloved pages of Instagram. They are huge and growing. 

Here are some of my favourite insta pages for womenswear:

Threads by Jade

Hello Sunshine Preloved

The Preloved Edit

Curate and Rotate

For those of you with children, the insta accounts I love following are:

Be Diddy

The Octopus Club

Freddie and Friends

Makka Rakka

Baby Bundle

Marsh Preloved

4. Upcycle & DIY

Get creative and upcycle old clothing or customize items to give them a new life. This reduces waste and allows you to express your style.

Upcycling and making your own clothing are essential practices for environmental sustainability. Upcycling involves transforming old or discarded clothing into new, creative pieces, reducing waste and the need for new resources. It also encourages resourcefulness and creativity while lessening the environmental impact of discarded textiles.

Making your own clothing allows for customization and selecting eco-friendly fabrics reducing the demand for conventional, resource-intensive textiles.

I love both upcycling and DIY fashion. It empowers you to take control of your clothing choices and foster a more sustainable, conscious, and environmentally responsible approach to fashion.

5. Think Before You Buy

Conscious consumerism is becoming more of a focus for many shoppers. I’m so glad people are starting to think about what they are purchasing and how it will impact other people and the environment. 

A great way to start being more mindful when buying fashion is to think about the 30 wears challenge (originally launched by Livia Firth- Co-founder and Creative Director of Eco-Age). 

The goal of #30wears campaign is to inspire people to buy less fast fashion and think about the quality of the items they purchase.

6. Take Care of Your Clothes

Take care of your clothing by following care instructions, avoid overwashing, and repair items when needed. This extends the life of your garments. I’m not suggesting anything too strenuous here and I bet your Granny would have done this without thinking twice. After all, you don’t have to be a seamstress to sew on a button.

Let’s think for a minute. How often have you bought something new and within a few weeks of wearing it, it rips? Probably loads. We then throw the item away and get a new one.
Β 
We’re stuck in this throwaway culture and big fast fashion brands are paving the way. The clothes they make are made to break so we have to buy new ones.

If you love an item that needs fixing, don’t just throw it away. Stop and think. Can I somehow repair this? There are some great tips on the website β€˜love your clothes’.Β 

7. Quality Over Quantity

Invest in high-quality clothing that lasts longer. I understand that well-made pieces may cost more upfront but save you money in the long run. High-quality clothing tends to last longer, reducing the need for frequent replacements. We have to adjust our mindsets a little.

Quality garments often have better craftsmanship and materials, providing a more comfortable and stylish wearing experience.

Besides, investing in quality promotes ethical and sustainable practices, as reputable brands prioritise fair labour conditions and use environmentally friendly materials. 

8. Choose Sustainable Fabrics

Choose sustainable fabrics like organic cotton (certified by Global Organic Textile Standard or GOTS), hemp fabric, and Tencel (produced from wood pulp) which have a lower environmental impact than conventional cotton or synthetic fibres.Β Natural fibres will also help to reduce microfiber pollution.

When you wash synthetic fabrics, you can use a microfiber filter to capture released microplastics.

It is also great practice to look for clothing that uses natural dyes and biodegradable materials, reducing the release of toxic chemicals and heavy metals into the environment while promoting soil health.

9. Support Ethical & Sustainable Brands

I love researching and supporting brands that prioritize ethical labour practices and are transparent about their supply chain. Look for certifications like Fair Trade or B Corp to identify responsible brands.

A great tool to use is Ethical Clothing, a search engine to find all your sustainable faves. Plus Good On You for more details on the brand’s sustainability and ethical commitments.

A few other things I look for when searching for a sustainable brand are:

  • Brands that employ renewable energy sources and implement environmentally friendly materials and processes in their manufacturing. This reduces the reliance on fossil fuels and decreases greenhouse gas emissions.

  • Brands that prioritize animal rights by avoiding the use of animal products like leather and ensuring cruelty-free practices throughout their supply chain.

  • Clothing brands that promote ethical practices by favouring brands committed to eliminating child labour from their supply chains and paying fair wages to their workers.

10. Support Small

I love to support businesses that produce clothing in small batches and prioritise local production.

Local production significantly reduces the carbon emissions associated with long-distance transportation of clothing items. This helps combat climate change by minimizing the environmental impact of shipping goods across vast distances.

Supporting local businesses also strengthens the local economy by creating jobs and fostering economic resilience. It can lead to more equitable and sustainable economic growth within the community.

Smaller-batch production often allows for better quality control and adherence to ethical labour practices. It reduces the pressure to cut corners resulting in higher-quality, longer-lasting garments. Plus businesses are less likely to overproduce, reducing the surplus of unsold clothing that often ends up in landfills.

11. Support Local and Artisanal Brands

It is so important to support local designers and artisans who often produce clothing on a smaller scale with a focus on craftsmanship and sustainability.

Supporting local and artisan skills is vital as it plays a crucial role in preserving traditional craftsmanship and cultural heritage, safeguarding valuable skills passed down through generations. 

Local artisans also often embrace sustainable practices, utilising locally sourced materials and minimising carbon emissions associated with transportation. Win-win!

12. Minimalism & Capsule Wardrobe

Why not adopt a minimalist approach to your wardrobe by curating a capsule collection of versatile, timeless pieces? This reduces the temptation to buy excessive, trend-driven items.

Minimalism and a capsule wardrobe are crucial for the planet as they inspire people to own and consume fewer clothing items. This shift in consumption patterns will directly reduce the demand for new clothing production, conserving valuable resources and lowering the fashion industry’s carbon footprint. 

13. Wear Sustainable Accessories

Extend your sustainability efforts to accessories and footwear by choosing eco-friendly materials and supporting ethical accessory brands.  

Sustainable & non-toxic jewellery focuses on responsibly sourced materials and supports ethical labour practices, minimizing environmental harm and promoting fair treatment of workers.

These pieces often incorporate recycled and upcycled materials, reducing resource consumption and waste. High-quality sustainable jewellery is designed for durability, encouraging long-term use and countering disposable culture.

I love my pieces from Monica Vinader which I wear all the time!

14. Recycle and Donate

Recycling and donating clothes properly is of paramount importance for several reasons:

  • Properly recycling and donating clothes helps divert textiles from landfills, where they can contribute to environmental pollution and take years to decompose.Β 

  • Recycling clothing materials like textiles, fibres, and fabrics reduces the need for new resource extraction, including water, energy, and raw materials.Β 

  • Donating clothing to reputable charities ensures that your items can benefit individuals in need. Your old clothes can provide warmth, protection, and dignity to people facing financial hardships.

  • Some donated clothing can find new life through resale or repurposing. By giving clothing a second chance, you contribute to a circular economy and encourage a more sustainable approach to fashion.

Knowing that your clothing can be reused or recycled encourages consumers to make more mindful and responsible purchasing decisions. It therefore promotes the idea of buying less and choosing quality over quantity which I love.

15. Educate Yourself

Stay informed about the fashion industry’s environmental and social impacts, and encourage others to make sustainable choices. This is what The Style Cycle is all about! This knowledge empowers us as consumers to move in the right direction toward more responsible fashion consumption.

Go online, read blogs or books to find out more. I also lovvve watching documentaries about fashion. Whatever way you love to learn, stay informed because as Francis Bacon once said, ‘knowledge is power’.


Remember that sustainable fashion is a journey, and every small step you take can contribute to a more environmentally and socially responsible industry.

buyerarchy of needs

This image is the “Buyerarchy of Needs”. The concept promotes responsible consumption and outlines a hierarchy of actions consumers can take to minimize their environmental impact. It might help you to see the image of what can be a priority when consuming clothes. I know it helped me. 

This post was about the 15 Best examples of sustainable Fashion

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