Sustainable clothes

[greendream1]

For years I've bought in New Look, Asos, Primark etc. I want to make a conscious effort to stop fast fashion and buy more sustainable items. I buy at least 50% of my clothes on ebay or Vinted, so I try to be green, but I'm still buying cheaper brands so the clothes don't last long and look dated or break.

Can anybody point me to the clothes you use that last years and don't encourage fast fashion? Most of the brands I see are very plain and boring coloured clothing. Is this the style, or is that so they don't age and date? I still want to look fashionable! Also, I'm not a skinny lady so most of the sustainable brands I see looks very boho and trendy on the models, but would look like beige sacks on me.

Please, where do you buy nice, sustainable clothes from? Especially ladies sized 12, 14 or 16ish.

Baukjen is good but also HM and their concious and premium ranges

I try very very hard to only buy from sustainable brands or brands that are doing ' well' on sustainability. It's not easy! Baukjen are great but personally I think their recent stuff is a bit meh. Hush does some good bits. Second hand always good ( eBay, or any of the preloved places on Instagram), I have bought from gather and see recently but the two things have not arrived yet. Wyse London does small runs and you preorder some things so they know how much to make.

None of these options are H&M prices though. So the most sustainable way is to wear what you have or donate/ sell on and buy preloved. I think? Look at carolinestylehacks on Instagram who achieves a balance I think ( though clearly has a larger budget than me)

This might not be to your taste but I'd say I get the most wear out of Toast, Cos and Margaret Howell (which I look for 2nd hand). I think that's partly because they're better made and partly because it has its own look - modern but not so prone to fast fashion trends so they don't date as quickly as they weren't fully on the radar in the first place (if that makes sense).

Also some vintage e.g. 40s/50s/60s stuff, especially coats and jackets. I don't wear it head to toe but I mix it with contemporary things so it doesn't scream 'I'm wearing vintage everybody!!' It's hard to find now though.

Thanks, that's really helpful! I do still intend to buy second hand, for the green reasons but also mainly for finance, but knowing what brands to search for in the beginning is helpful.

What about brands like Boden? Are they classed as sustainable and how well do they wear year after year?

I don't buy much Boden any more but I do rate them for wear and tear! T shirts wash well as do jeans. I think about half my t shirts are from Boden tbf. this is what they say. I buy DHs shirts from them too ( he doesn't buy any clothes he would go naked).

If you like bright, try Lucy and yak

I don't wear much Boden these days either. I used to buy it for work but I don't have to follow that kind of dress code any more. I've heard the quality isn't as good these days but then I think that's true of pretty much every brand.

I also think that, if you're going to get a lot of wear out of a brand, then that makes it sustainable for you even if it doesn't tick all the correct Sustainability boxes.

I buy from Lucy and yak and run and fly, I find their clothes lasts well but I guess it depends on your taste (they are both quite colourful).

I have just started buying basics from Hush but I tend to buy when they have a sale because I find their prices a bit high, same as toast (even more expensive).

I have always bought jeans from Next and Newlook, jeans seem to last forever wherever you buy them so if you find some that are a good fit I think it doesn’t matter where they are bought.

I would love to be able to find some T-shirts and tops that last, I seem to get through too many, the fade, get out of shape or get holes in them.

Not to everyone's taste but I buy the adult ranges from my DS' favourite brands, so Frugi, Picalilly and Moromini.

Baukjen. But by sustainability in my world it
means lasting years…so I also finds things like cashmere jumpers wear well, a good wool coat in a classic shape and colour, solid leather Chelsea boots etc x