The Trio: Self-love, The clothing we wear, and our planet!
When you hear the word sustainability, what images pop in your head? You may imagine the recycling sign or cleaning our oceans from all the plastic. You may even imagine planting a tree or a garden for a community.
The most often quoted definition comes from the UN World Commission on Environment and Development: "sustainable development is the development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs."
Another definition which I tend to lean towards is from UCLA through their certificate program, which states: Sustainable practices support ecological, human, and economic health and vitality.
I believe that sustainability starts with our mental and physical health. The stronger our relationship is with ourselves, the more we will be able to help our planet. As we build more self-love and self-respect for ourselves, we begin to look at every facet of our life, including the foodS we eat, the products we use, all the way to the clothing we wear.
Let's take clothing, for example. Most of us may or may not be aware of how damaging the fashion industry is for our planet. We continue to purchase clothing to "look" a certain way, be on-trend, and be happy. We constantly see bright and shiny advertising market towards our insecurities, which pushes us to buy. The information is conveniently not shared because it contributes to climate decimation, land degradation, mass extinction, toxic chemicals entering our waterways and our bodies.
One issue that I strongly support is the importance of building a better relationship with our clothing because then we can help our planet. How do we go about building a better relationship with our clothing? You want to ask yourself how you view clothing and if you take care of your garments. Another telling sign is how full to the brim your closet is, and instead of fixing and organizing your wardrobe, you go out and buy something new.
Don't worry, I have been there, and as a former fashion addict, not only did I have to get honest with myself, I also had to get honest with my relationship with clothing. As Business Insider mentioned, the average person only wears about 20% of the clothing in his or her closets. Most clothing goes unworn because it's the result of an impulse buy or doesn't fit correctly, Ray A. Smith at the Wall Street Journal reports.
After 2020, the way we live, work, and play have all changed, impacting our wardrobes. An article from Fortune.com states: The U.S. resale market for clothing—excluding what is sold at thrift stores like Goodwill—will go from $7 billion this year to $36 billion by 2024. A mix of factors beyond the low prices—such as environmental concerns and a lack of truly new fashion trends—has also fed what had already been a fast-growing area of retail.
I believe this is significant and can begin the mind shift we need in how we view clothing, what is important to us, and how we can help our planet! I am hopeful, but I know we have a lot of work to do. I am very excited to offer a free 5 Step Guide to build a better relationship with yourself, our clothing for a better planet today, and our future. All you have to do is sign up for our newsletter down below, and you will get our updates along with your free guide!
