How digital fashion can save the planet
Digital fashion – 3D representation of clothes – has been undoubtedly becoming a buzzword
The fast fashion industry is responsible for 8-10% of global carbon emissions and it is well-known for its enormous water and energy use, as well as negligent exploitation of workers and animals. When you buy a pre-loved garment, you are eliminating these factors from the equation and help slow down the fast fashion cycle. In addition, you are keeping this garment from landfills, where many of them emit methane as they decompose. Methane is a greenhouse gas that is far more potent than carbon dioxide.
Secondly, second-hand fashion is very affordable and accessible. You can easily find a high quality gently used leather jacket for $150-200 or a Prada skirt for $15 on TheRealReal, for example. You might find many local thrift stores popping up in your neighborhood, and there are plenty of great online marketplaces to choose from, where you will easily find what you need using user-friendly marketplace filters and sorting options.
Here are some top tips as you are thrifting online.
The point of thrifting in the context of sustainable fashion is to find a high quality garment that you will wear for years. Will a used H&M sweater survive two seasons? Probably not. Focusing on quality designer pieces made from durable fabrics will serve you well.
When shopping online, take some time to read the “About” and “Help” sections on a thrifting platform website. What are their quality standards? What is the return policy? This simple research will set the correct expectations and save you from unpleasant feelings after. Knowledge is power, isn’t it?
We all know that when something is cheap and comes in a limited quantity, there is sometimes a little gremlin inside of us that whispers, “Buy it now, hon, before it’s gone”. Remember this as you thrift online and use a usual formula when it comes to fashion shopping – ask yourself:
Be honest with yourself and resist the temptation to buy all at once. If you end up with twenty garments in your shopping card, give it at least 24 hours to follow-up on purchasing. You might be surprised to discover that you really liked only one-two garments!
When thrifting online, you might come across product listings that don’t accurately mention important product details like sizing. For example, you see a shirt that mentions size M in the description but you can clearly see that a tag on the picture shows size S. A pair of shoes is described by a seller as size 8 US but in reality it is a European size 38, which maps to 7.5 US and won’t fit.
Pay attention to the size tags on photos provided by sellers and don’t be shy to ask for a picture with a size and fabric tag if it’s missing from the listing. You can also read customer reviews. You might find out, for example, that a seller frequently forgets to send packages on time or the other buyers are unhappy with the quality of the received item.
Here are some cool initiatives from sustainable fashion brands that offer pre-loved fashion options:
Here are our favorite online thrift platforms.
Disclaimer: Sparkpick has affiliate partnerships and may receive a share of the revenue from your purchase at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting our work and sustainable fashion.
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