You may or may have not brought out your spring and summer clothes yet and this year I’d like to suggest a new approach in doing so

How many times have you bought new apparel this year? Have you thought about where your jeans come from? How are they manufactured? What if there was a way you can enjoy your most essential fashion items, save long-term costs AND support the environment and wildlife? Well, say hello to sustainable capsule wardrobes!

Contrary to popular opinion on capsule wardrobes which may focus on purchasing more clothing, this guide is for you to transform your existing wardrobe into a sustainable capsule wardrobe.

In the 1970s, London boutique owner, Susie Faux invented the concept of “capsule wardrobe.” Faux realized that shoppers were spending excessively on clothing that wasn’t high quality or timeless. Faux invented the “capsule wardrobe,” to solve this problem as it prevents consumers from participating in fast fashion and instead invest in a few, high-quality, timeless fashion garments. During this time, capsule wardrobes were 30 items or less, but this number has changed with time.

There are many benefits to adopting a sustainable capsule wardrobe: it simplifies your routine, reduces shopping trips, saves money and eliminates the amount of apparel that ends up in landfills. In a way, we all have our favourite go-to pieces that work for us and by switching to support and wear sustainable clothing, we’re extending our support to the environment as well. Sustainable fashion is producing clothes and accessories that are environmentally and socio-economically sustainable.

I know what you’re thinking - does this mean I dump every piece of clothing I own and start fresh? Nope. The point is to build a timeless wardrobe that keeps you happy and satisfied throughout the season and helps the environment as well. It may require a shopping trip here and there BUT also, a strong sense of your style, routine and personal expression. This wardrobe is built over time and its size is up to your discretion. Start with these simple steps:

1. Get organized. Categorize your current fashion pieces into different areas - lounge, night outs’, active, formal wear, etc.
2. Choose staples. What are some items you have worn the most over the past year? If there are items you have not worn in years, maybe it’s time to let it go.
3. Consider color schemes, patterns, shapes and best cuts when choosing your staples. It’s important to pay attention to what styles and cuts you would like to keep which are easy to mix and match with.
4. Swap and Shop. It’s research time. Support ethical and sustainable fashion brands and only seek essential fashion items which are missing from your current selection. The point is to make a positive purchase of what you need.

There are no hard rules on how much or little you should purchase or keep but adopting this minimal approach extends the positive impact to our environment and wildlife as well.

Project 333 by Courtney Carver

The Conscious Closet by Elizabeth L. Cline