How Slow Fashion Will Help You Save Money in the Long Run

Since the year 2000, the global clothing production has doubled. Although consumers are now buying around 60% more clothes compared to two decades ago, people are wearing their clothes 36% less than they used to. Besides the negative impact fast fashion has on the environment, keeping up with every change in fashion trends affects your finances as well. Here is how transitioning to slow fashion can help you save a lot of money in the long run.

Buying Less

With around 73% of women updating a quarter of their wardrobe every 3 months, it’s no wonder that ultra-fast fashion has created a massive culture of waste. The first steps in becoming more mindful about your shopping habits would be to declutter your closets, sell and donate everything that you are not wearing anymore and create a slow fashion capsule wardrobe. Be very mindful about every purchase you make, and you will quickly observe that you’re buying much less. Whether it’s jeans, bags or pearls, you will understand that you need much less than you own. To help you stay on track and not get distracted by the ultra-fast fashion trends, always go shopping with a list of the things you need, not want. Before you make any purchase, try applying the “30-wear test”. This means asking yourself if you will wear that piece a minimum of 30 times. If the answer is no, then that leather jacket or that new pair of drop earrings has no place in your wardrobe.

Shifting Your Shopping Perspective

The most valuable benefit you will get from transitioning to slow fashion is that you will see a change in your perspective on shopping. Whether it’s hunting for new Christmas outfit ideas, or looking for a new jacket, you will see a massive decrease in impulse shopping. If you previously thought that you should be spending less on daily items and splurging on a dress for a special event which you will only wear once, this mentality will shift. If you want to save a lot of money on your clothes while transitioning to a more sustainable lifestyle, try renting expensive items and investing in timeless everyday pieces which you can wear for a long time.

Better Quality Clothes

Once you’ve decided to stick to slow fashion, you will find yourself becoming very critical of any item that makes its way back to your closet. You will no longer buy cheap clothing made from cheap fabrics, which you can only wear a few times before they get destroyed in the washing machine. Instead, before you purchase any new pieces of clothing, read the label to see what fabrics it is made of. Only purchase quality clothes made from natural fabrics like organic cotton, linen, leather, wool, hemp, peace silk. Besides being better for your health and the planet, sustainable clothing will last you a long time. This means that you won’t have to upgrade your wardrobe every 3 months, but maybe once every year, or less. You may have to invest a bit more in the beginning to purchase good quality, sustainable clothes, but, in the long run, you will be saving a lot of money.

Buying Timeless Pieces

Trends come and go faster than ever before, but the clothes you bought last season are still in your closet. Trying to keep up with every trend that pops up has a huge impact on your finances. Plus, you end up owning many items which you no longer wear as they are out of style. Instead of spending your hard-earned cash on trends, opt for clothes that can take you through more than one season. Don’t overload your closet with wild prints and choose basic, sustainable T-shirts, classic dresses, jeans or timeless coats instead. You can mix, match and layer your basic pieces to create timeless looks than can easily make the journey from summer to winter.