Eco-Friendly Tips And Hacks For A Sustainable Wardrobe This Festive Season
A guide to building a conscious wardrobe—beyond Earth Day
By Cherry Tan,
A sobering fact: About 92 billion tonnes of textile waste is generated annually, according to Earth.Org. Before we dive into another round of shopping or even embark on that spring cleaning adventure, let's take a moment to ponder our consumer choices and consider building a more sustainable wardrobe. Ahead, we've consulted some of Singapore’s environmental activists to help us navigate the path to conscious fashion choices.
OCCUPATION: Fashion designer and upcycling artist
HER ENVIRONMENTALIST CREDENTIALS: Armed with a background in fashion and arts and cultural entrepreneurship, Zhu showcases her passion and raw talent in upcycling gorgeous creations on her Instagram account, @dow.d.p. She even assembled her unique looks for a shoot with us earlier in 2023.
APPROACH TO SPRING CLEANING: "There has been no seasonal cleaning or decluttering for my closet since I stopped actively shopping three years ago, and I still wear some items that can even be traced back to fifth grade. I think I've always had a good eye and a sense of circular trends in the fashion industry, although I didn't have the chance to manifest them back in the day. I consistently reclaim my wardrobe by remaking and upcycling the items I don't see myself wearing in the future, or I have a good idea to turn them into something I may value more."
MAXIMISING NEW FESTIVE LOOKS: "'New looks don’t mean new items.' My last time celebrating CNY with family was two years ago in Shanghai, where we could layer things up because it was freezing throughout the winter. I wanted to carry more of a festival vibe, so I picked my look in red and black. The items were: a black jacket owned by my mom for more than 20 years, a red blazer with a traditional Chinese opening that I thrifted online, a black puffy skirt also thrifted online, a handbag I remade from a dress. This is a new look because I have never worn it in this combination before. It is fantastic to connect with my mom and her past by wearing something that she used to wear. I was also impressed by the excellent quality of the jacket; it was so warm, and the style is simple but chic, which makes it long-lasting and timeless. Instead of purchasing new products, what works surprisingly well is to mix and match with what we have and use them in a subversive way: for instance, a belt can be a choker, a bag strap, or a body harness. This mindset has been an unspoken guideline for me in my remake and upcycling practice."
ONE TIP FOR MAKING MORE CONSCIOUS FASHION CHOICES: "I wouldn’t suggest donating clothes because only about two per cent of garments are recycled, with the rest still going to the landfill. Some people use donations as an excuse to shop more and even shop for repeated items to fulfil temporary pleasure. At the end of the day, what you wear is your name card and a representation of your value system. It doesn’t make a difference where you get your garments if your goal is to show your personality. In addition, what weighs more about thrifting and buying things that you need or appreciate is the awareness of the self, the consciousness of respecting others and understanding the charm of making an object, which is to say, buy things that connect you with the world or just your inner soul. It can be something that recalls your memory, has a story that inspires you, or has an impact on your life."
OCCUPATION: Founder of Fashion Parade and CEO of Lums & Friends, a sustainable fashion community
HER ENVIRONMENTALIST CREDENTIALS: Hew founded Fashion Parade (@fashionparadesg), a Gen Z-centric fashion collective, in October 2021. The collective educates its followers on sustainable fashion through its social media content. Recently, it also worked on an installation for Singapore Art Week at Nowafter Cafe, a hip industrial-style Korean desserts cafe at Design Orchard.
APPROACH TO SPRING CLEANING: "Spring cleaning has always been something I find challenging because it means letting go of things. I have deep connections to my clothes, stemming from being a conscious shopper and still fitting into items from 10 years ago. I start by emptying the cupboards and tackling the clothes folded at the bottom – the ones I don’t wear often or haven’t worn in a long time. What helps me declutter is a second opinion. I ask an honest friend or family member if they can see me wearing a specific item. ‘Do you see me in this if I kept it?’ I often get the reply, ‘I’ve never seen you in that!’ Parting with clothes can be hard for sentimental people, but knowing someone else will love and care for it helps me move on. After decluttering, I separate the clothes in good condition from those heavily stained or damaged. I bring the good items to Cloop or The Fashion Pulpit for a swap. The others go into the yellow Cloop recycling bins."
MAXIMISING NEW FESTIVE LOOKS: "My first option is always going for something secondhand or swapped – my on-budget girlies would love to hear this, but it’s just way more affordable! But if I do buy something new, I always make sure that the item is not just for a one-off occasion. I should still be able to wear it for other occasions. What helps me stay on track is researching online or browsing on Pinterest to find specific pieces that I want to look for so that way, my shopping is intentional. I walk into a shop knowing what I want to get rather than aimlessly getting caught up with the ‘what ifs’ and picking up items which I don’t have an occasion to wear to. Choosing items with higher quality will also mean that they last longer, and when you invest more in high-quality clothing, it automatically causes you to be more aware of taking care of it."
ONE TIP FOR MAKING MORE CONSCIOUS FASHION CHOICES: "Love your clothes. Because loved clothes last longer. When you take care of your clothes and respect them for what they are – art, labour, love, and care – you will never see them as something disposable. Think of the people who made your clothes, all the hands they’ve touched. Care about how they’re made, who made them, and what happens to them."
OCCUPATION: Swap Coordinator at The Fashion Pulpit
HER ENVIRONMENTALIST CREDENTIALS: Qaisara runs Our Climate Journal (@ourclimatejournal) on Instagram, documenting and celebrating her climate journey through doodles and handwritten reflections. She's also part of the team behind Singapore Youth for Climate Action (@syclimateaction) and LepakinSG (@lepakinsg), an informal group that seeks to raise awareness on climate issues.
APPROACH TO SPRING CLEANING: "Something I’ve been trying this year is to give away clothes to my loved ones. Working at The Fashion Pulpit made me realise even secondhand businesses struggle with storage, and that’s why I wanted to rehome my clothing differently. Every time my cousins visit, I show them the clothes I think would suit them, and on my birthday [last year], I hosted my first clothing swap! It was fun to see my friends experiment with different styles and cheer them on when it was a perfect fit. I think this adds a different type of value to the clothes. And now we have material items tying us together, and I get to carry a part of them wherever I go.”
MAXIMISING NEW FESTIVE LOOKS: "For festive seasons like Hari Raya, I love pairing my outfits in a new way. For example, mismatching the tops and bottoms that did not come together in the original set. It could be mixing up styles; traditional tops with modern pants and skirts. Or mixing colours; pairing different coloured tops with multicoloured skirts. This way, you have more variety in how you can style your clothes and still make them feel festive and new."
ONE TIP FOR MAKING MORE CONSCIOUS FASHION CHOICES: "This sounds obvious, but my tip is to observe and overthink [your fashion choices]! What colours, shapes, and textures do you gravitate towards? What features make you decide to wear the piece or decide to put it back in the cupboard? How do you want to project your identity and what parts do you want to conceal? Why does the item make you feel happy and why? And what levels of discomfort are you willing to tolerate? How far would you go to care for this item? And what memories does it remind you of? Your answers will slow down the purchasing process and hopefully curate a wardrobe you love."
OCCUPATION: Co-founder of Ferticlay (@ferti.clay), a sustainable startup focusing on creating waste-based clay materials for the design and build industry.
HER ENVIRONMENTALIST CREDENTIALS: Monteiro had come up with the idea to create a clay alternative after signing up for a competition to earn extra credit. In addition to Ferticlay, Monteiro is also actively involved in WWF’s #WeGotThis, a sustainability incubator program that explores different facets of sustainability.
APPROACH TO SPRING CLEANING: "My approach has always been to think about whether I'll be getting any use out of these clothes within the foreseeable future. If it's unique, and I know I'll only wear it on special occasions, I make sure to hang it up where I can easily spot it so that I'm reminded to consider it for such an event in the future!"
MAXIMISING NEW FESTIVE LOOKS: "When buying new clothes and ensuring they’re used multiple times, I try to choose pieces that are very versatile and can be dressed up or down. If I feel drawn to purchase something more unique, I do my best to wear it for any special occasion and just change up the look using accessories!"
ONE TIP FOR MAKING MORE CONSCIOUS FASHION CHOICES: "Instead of immediately heading to the nearest mall to shop at conventional fast-fashion stores, take a browse through Carousell or Instagram/Telegram-based thrift stores first! As someone who doesn’t enjoy the physical act of shopping all too much, I appreciate the convenience of browsing online and weighing my options in my free time. It’s always fun finding second-hand gems and getting to discover new cool thrift stores or small-scale resellers in the process!"
OCCUPATION: Global Studies Undergraduate at the University of Auckland and Environmental Advocate
HER ENVIRONMENTALIST CREDENTIALS: Tan has been a member of the youth-led and self-funded movement, SG Climate Rally (@sgclimaterally) since 2019, and is a vocal proponent of climate justice.
APPROACH TO SPRING CLEANING: "Does it spark joy in you? Does it serve you? Whether it's Marie Kondo's method or a meditation talk, the principles of evaluation remain the same. Figuring out an item's sentimental value and its importance in your wardrobe – whether it's an essential building block for the outfits you reach for or a unique personality piece – forms the bulk of my spring cleaning thought process. Remember that the most sustainable piece of clothing is already in your closet. How do you style what you have? Is it possible to make a simple alteration to refresh what you currently have? For example, I've cropped some of my shirts, given some a dye treatment, and added some bedazzle (like safety pins) so my clothes get a fresh spin. Granted, I also go through a very thorough evaluation of the use of something before I even buy or swap it, so my fashion consumption is quite low, and by extension, so is my waste. This way, I move towards quality over quantity, so spring cleaning becomes less frequent and more reflective of the clothes' lifespan.
Otherwise, if what I have doesn't serve me, I go down my list of places to give them a new lease on life. The first stop is clothes swapping, where I bring my clothes to be swapped for points to use for other clothes. My go-to place would be The Fashion Pulpit, with its unique and quality curation always bringing me a new treat for what I have passed up. However, as their standards have gone up, they may reject more of your items, so the second place I would bring them would be Cloop, which has different tiers of clothing quality they accept. Finally, if they no longer have much wear to them, Cloop also has some textile recycling facilities which you can find at various locations across Singapore."
MAXIMISING NEW FESTIVE LOOKS: "As I've embraced slow fashion, CNY has become an exciting opportunity to creatively style the clothes I already have into a look that is new to me. Sometimes, I thrift a new accessory to achieve the new vision, and at the same time, it allows me to use it for other outfits too. This way, I can keep reusing my clothes while keeping things fresh. I have this beautiful dress from Vintagewknd that I've been wearing for three years already, so I just mix up the accessories that go with it. Whether it's a more dainty look with pointed heels and a tiny bag or a more punk look with boots and a leather corset, you don't have to get a completely new thing every time. But if you do, you could always rent something from Rentadella or find something you can also wear to weddings so you maximize the output of those fancy chops of yours."
ONE TIP FOR MAKING MORE CONSCIOUS FASHION CHOICES: "If it's a good look, it deserves more attention! Don't be afraid to wear the same outfit if it slays. Plus, there's the added ease of knowing what you have looks good. Consider your clothes worthy of that, acknowledging the hands that have contributed to making them, ensuring the best use throughout their life. When you view your items this way, it translates to better purchases and better utilization of what you have. Treasure the love and labour that has gone into it, and whatever you do will be more conscious by default."
OCCUPATION: Intern at an environmental non-profit organisation
HER ENVIRONMENTALIST CREDENTIALS: Selvan currently serves as the Head of Policy and Research at Singapore Youth for Climate Action (@syclimateaction). In this role, she leads research and analysis efforts on Singapore’s domestic and global climate policies. Additionally, she advocates for climate justice at international negotiations.
APPROACH TO SPRING CLEANING: "I try to sort out items based on things I can give away to family members first. I prefer donating clothing items only to places where I know the items will be needed and not end up in landfills. I aim to understand what is most needed for the place I am donating to. This year, I will be trying to swap out clothing for the first time!"
MAXIMISING NEW FESTIVE LOOKS: "Personally, I love hand-me-downs and borrowing from my family members. Mixing and matching different pieces of clothing from them helps me find new looks with sometimes the same pieces of everyday clothing. So, I try to use this opportunity to look for pieces of clothing that I can incorporate from their wardrobes. When I do shop for new clothing, I ensure that I can mix and match it with the majority of my wardrobe, so that I can use them for everyday looks too and not just for festive outfits. Even when it comes to traditional outfits, I've been loving kurtis and Indian outfits that I can blend with my everyday attire."
ONE TIP FOR MAKING MORE CONSCIOUS FASHION CHOICES: "Step out of your comfort zone and don't be afraid to mix traditional clothing with everyday pieces. I've been loving pairing batik and kurtas with jeans or skirts. This way, I can reuse my festive outfits for everyday wear and not limit them to the festive period."