Did you know? No one is in a better position to determine an industry's impact on the environment than the consumer.
Did you know? Your role as a consumer extends from the choice of consumer products to their end-of-life, and clothing is no exception.
Did you know? Once you've bought a garment, depending on your choices, it can have a major or minor ecological impact. Yes, yes, it depends on you!
But how can this be true? We explain. It's a simple explanation, but what's not so simple is changing consumer habits. It's up to each and every one of us!
Choosing a garment
Basically, once we've identified our needs, the first step is to choose an eco-responsible garment. In other words, a garment whose very design has a reduced impact on the environment. So we'll be looking at its provenance to validate the working conditions under which it was potentially manufactured, the transport involved and the environmental laws applied. We'll also be sure to evaluate the textiles it's made from, favoring natural fibers or certain semi-synthetic and organic ones. You can see a list of eco-friendly textiles here, and note that Eco Loco does all this research for you!
Garment care
Secondly, the impact of our clothes is linked to their use. Do you have a few key items of clothing that can be combined to give you comfort, looks and versatility, or are your clothes spread across several wardrobes, filled with pieces you hardly ever wear? There's nothing more polluting than an unused item, and that goes for everything in your wardrobe!
Are you tired of seeing a mountain of laundry piling up? We've got good news for you. Most of the time, you're washing clean clothes. Apart from underwear and socks, other garments don't need to be washed every time they're used. Pants can be used 3-4 times before they need to be washed! In fact, the care of your clothes is directly linked to their impact on the environment. Not only is it linked, but care has a major impact, representing up to 80% of a garment's total ecological footprint.
So what do we do? We wash less often, in cold water, with eco-friendly detergents, hang our clothes on the clothesline and mend when necessary. It's a win-win situation: you save time and energy, you save on electricity and clothing costs (they won't spoil as quickly) and you reduce your ecological impact.
The end of a garment's life
The golden rule: Don't throw clothes down the drain! Simple and clear. As well as being a net waste, most clothes, especially synthetic fibers, take centuries to decompose in landfill sites and emit toxic gases. So what do we do when a garment is obsolete for us or badly damaged? We share it with our circle of acquaintances, donate it to a non-profit organization, give it to recycling craftsmen, transform it (e.g.: cut pants into shorts, assemble several garments into one,...) or turn it into a rag!
Absolute simplicity
We're not talking about rocket science here! Quite simple in the end. It's up to you to make intelligent choices, to buy less and buy better! To do this, you need to ask yourself the right questions BEFORE you make a purchase. The first question is: do you really need it? Next, what is the garment's origin, composition and care recommendations? Finally, do you really like the eco-friendly garment you've chosen, and are you going to wear it until it's completely worn out? Then you'll have to look after it properly.
So why not play along? What if you decided to change your habits one garment at a time?
Environmentally friendly,
