Practical tips, broken down to process and a step-by-step guide to help you prepare both for the mindset and actions.
Let’s be real.
We all can’t adopt a sudden change without knowledge or preparation for it.
When you want to switch to a new lifestyle, which in this case, requires consciousness and a lot of change in your habits, know that there is going to be a mental shift while doing so.
You might feel disappointed. You might be discouraged.
But it happens naturally as a learning process.
And while many others cannot commit to following this lifestyle due to a lack of preparation, we can help you to maintain it over a course of your life by understanding and establishing a foundation for your habits.
We don’t make a big jump in change, we adopt it slow by slow.
Here’s how you can do it.
1. Identify your needs and capabilities
This is the first and most important step that many tend to overlook when starting a sustainable lifestyle. People tend to copy habits we see on social media shared by influencers but forgetting about their own needs and if those habits would be suitable for living capabilities. Lifestyles are personal, and there is no ‘‘one size fits all’’. Identifying your own needs and capabilities gives you a realistic view of what is necessary at the beginning and what can be done later on after a few months of changing habits.
To understand our own needs, ask yourselves these questions below:
How much is my budget to adopt a new lifestyle? (To make sure you will not overspend in the first month because of the excitement. It is also recommended that you put constraints on your budget, for example only 20 euros a day for sustainable gadgets...)
Where do I live? Are sustainable fashion brands accessible here? At what level? (To give you a realistic view if your plan would be actionable, and that you will not be disappointed if it there are not much accessibility in your area)
What aspects am I wanting to change FIRST? (To make it easy for you to start new actions one by one, and research them effectively)
Are there any communities around me (friends, families…) who are doing the same? (To give you a feeling you are not alone. For online groups that support sustainable fashion lifestyles, Ethical Fashion Designers and Supporters is a great place to check out in the beginning)
For step 1, the key here is to introduce yourself into it, educate yourself, rather than pushing and enforcement. Once you are confident with step 1, step 2 will come naturally.
2. Simplify over Complexify.
Sustainability is more about a mindset than just a way of living.
By asking yourself the questions above, you keep in mind exactly what you need and focus on it solely. It trains you to look for sustainable alternatives rather than just buying without conscience.
When it comes to sustainable fashion, instead of hoarding the discount items from fast fashion companies, take a step back, and think about what garments you already have, and if there is really a need to own another one similar.
If you practice this mindset with the right approach, you will find yourself buying less, reduce desires to shop many times and save money. This will lead you to step 3.
3. Reduce instead of Over Buying.
A common misconception about sustainable fashion is that it is expensive. That is because a majority of people who switched to this lifestyle did not research thoroughly in advance. Non-sustainable fashion garments are low cost in terms of price, but they hold much less quality and durability.
Sustainable garments, like from
Wanner Label, are made to last, and the price you are paying is the one-time buying price, which eventually saves up a lot for your pocket than purchasing mass-produced fashion items.
You end up buying a lot less because the sustainable brands have ensured that quality in the product for you.
Narrow down the number of things you own by buying less, choosing only what is suitable for your daily lives. Don’t rush yourself in buying all those new sustainable products for perfection, because ‘’the most sustainable products are the ones you already own’’.
4. Choose Quality over Quantity
There is one secret about sustainable fashion that not anyone can share with you.
It takes only one factor to dress fashionably without compromising your style.
The secret lies in Materials.
Sustainable materials with quality like hemp, linen or plant-based fabrics can insanely add up the fashionable look for your style. It gives a difference in just a glance, especially when compared with synthetic-contained fabrics like plastic or nylon, which are the main materials for fast fashion companies. So if you are switching to these materials for life long quality, you are on the right path and there won’t be regrets.
When you start with a sustainable fashion lifestyle and look for quality-ensured items, it will give you lots of confidence and set you apart in the fashion game and will pay off for your personal style.
5. Maintain over perfection
Maintaining a set of healthy habits is as important as starting the lifestyle.
Without training yourself to be consistent in keeping the lifestyle, there will be no lifestyle at all.
So track your habits into a personal notebook (bullet journal to the rescue), create a checklist every time you purchase a fashion item or even talk to your friends about your journey, it will strengthen your routines and beliefs towards the sustainable fashion lifestyle.
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