Article: How to adopt more responsible consumption?

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August 4, 2023Sustainable fashion

How can you become a more responsible consumer?

Fast fashion is now deeply rooted in our consumer habits, despite its polluting and harmful impact. Adopting responsible consumption can seem insurmountable, especially without help and guidance.

Because we know you're keen to make reasoned purchases, we wanted to offer you a guide. We'd like to give you a few pointers to help you on your way to becoming an enlightened consumer!

Deconstruct

It's a fact: the fashion industry is one of the most polluting. Becoming aware of this and wanting to buy less and better is the first step. It's essential to question the 130 billion items of clothing consumed every year, and to take a step back from textile production, which doubled between 2000 and 2014. Leading fast fashion brand Shein had nearly 75 million users on its app by 2022. Going against this trend is a necessary first step.

The foundation of an eco-conscious approach is to stop normalizing over-consumption. Fast fashion has introduced a frantic, unreasonable pace of consumption, with collections renewed almost daily. On average, a French person buys 30 kg of clothes a year. So it's urgent to take a step back from our own habits, and consider that behind every price lies an ecosystem of workers whose rights must be protected.

Taking the time

Reflection is the antidote to impulse buying. To become more responsible, you need to take time and have time. Time to think, time to inform.

Unlike fast-fashion solutions, which are almost immediate, reasoned purchasing takes time, and it's often at this stage that many people give up. Yet it can be a very healthy way of nurturing a form of introspection, since our purchases are a reflection of our personality and identity. So we need to ask ourselves the right questions: does this fashion purchase correspond to my style, but also to my values?

To find eco-responsible brands, thrift stores or ethical resale platforms like WeDressFair, with whom 17H10 collaborates, you need to be informed and make sure of the authenticity of their commitments. The time invested is precious and necessary to buy pieces you'll keep for years to come.

Taking the time to give your clothes a second life is also important. For example, you might consider transforming them to change your style, or having them altered to fit your size. To extend the life of your garments, 17H10 offers suits that can easily be altered.

Do your best

Doing your best is the key to an eco-responsible approach. Two steps forward and one step back, it's still a step forward. :) Being tolerant of yourself and not getting discouraged in the face of obstacles are the pillars of a healthier relationship with your consumption. So now... it's up to you!

Written by Clémence Blanc

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