I love the environment. I also love fashion and buying new clothes, but most of the time the two don’t go hand in hand. A pair of jeans can take up to 2900 gallons of water to make from beginning to end of production and that’s just a single pair, not including the 766 gallons for the t-shirt it’s being worn with. I’ve recently become super environmentally conscious about my shopping habits, so I figured I should share them with the people of the internet, and maybe I can help make a difference (even if it’s really small!!!).

My first piece of advice is to just go thrift shopping instead of buying something new. People rarely ever buy cars new, so think of clothes the same way. With thrift shopping and vintage clothing becoming increasingly trendy, you’ll look cool while doing it, and it’s insanely cheaper than buying directly from the brand anyway. I bought a pair of maroon velvet shorts the other day for 99 cents and I get at least ten compliments on them every time I wear them. Singlehandedly proving that thrifting is the coolest.

Another fun thing to do is to host a clothing swap with your friends. That one shirt in the back of your closet that you wore to a dinner one time may not be useful to you anymore, but I’m sure one of your friends would rock the hell out of it. Set up a day when everyone brings all the clothes they don’t wear anymore and then everyone just picks a few items to take home. Free, fun, AND now you have something new to wear this weekend.

If neither of those things are really your style (try them first before you say no!), then there are a few brands that make sustainable clothing like H&M’s Conscious Collection, and some other more expensive brands like Reformation and Kowtow. The big thing to think about though is the durability of the clothing you buy. If it’s cheaply made material, chances are it’s not going to last too long, and all of those resources were wasted for a shirt worn once. Washing and taking care of your clothes in general is a big thing people often forget about. Treat your clothes with love because a lot of time and effort went into making them!

Something else that’s often forgotten is the fact that you can bring reusable bags to go shopping, they’re not just restricted to grocery stores! Just pack them in your purse or backpack before heading to the mall and ask cashiers to use them instead of the paper or plastic ones you would normally just throw away (or recycle, hopefully) when you get home. Chances are you’ll save at least five bags a trip, which can add up fast.

Lastly, try to get rid of your clothes responsibly and sustainably. If you decide to clean out your closet, take all of those unwanted clothes to a thrift store or charity near you to keep the cycle going! Someone had to have given up the velvet shorts I love so much so that I could have them. Or, if you want to do something super cool with the denim you don’t want anymore, look for a Madewell near you. They take your old denim and donate it to an organization called Blue Jeans Go Green, which turns that worn out denim into insulation for houses in less-fortunate communities. Your old Levi’s might help keep someone warm this winter, which is probably the coolest thing ever.

Being fashionable and living sustainably is possible! Just be conscious about your shopping decisions because being a consumer with money to spend influences the things we have to buy; that power can’t be wasted. Love your earth and all the things it gives you!