How to be a sustainable clothes shopper as a student

Students are often stereotyped as fanatical clothes shoppers, but there is a growing discourse over the extent to which students are sustainable clothes shoppers. There is a clear divide between those who spend their student loans in Urban Outfitters, often in an effort to snatch up the current seasonal trends, and those who raid charity shops and scroll for hours on second-hand clothing websites. It goes without saying that, amongst the student community, there is a definite need for us to take a more proactive and careful approach towards shopping sustainably. Without claiming to be the crème de la crème of guides, here are some suggestions as to how we can do this.

Quality over quantity

An instant way to becoming more sustainable is by really considering whether an item that you glimpsed online is good quality or not. Take a look at the product details: some high-street retailers, like H&M, are taking baby steps towards encouraging sustainability amongst buyers by listing the materials and suppliers used in the creation of their product. This is important because fast fashion retailers are renowned for making lower quality clothes which are no longer fit for purpose within the first few wears. This is incredibly harmful to the environment.

It also encourages you to be more thoughtful about what you are buying. A well-fitted black top can be restyled in several ways. It can look cool but casual paired with jeans and trainers, and then instantly brought up a notch by just swapping trainers for heels. Ask yourself whether is this an impulsive purchase which will give you a bit of serotonin, or is this something which you know you will get multiple wears out of, is different to what already exists in your wardrobe, and is a product which is built to last?

Invest in timeless basics

Similarly, the items which you are investing in should also be timeless. This means that rather than following microtrends, ensure that you genuinely love what you are buying. If you don’t like low rise jeans, then there’s no pressure to buy them. Everything in your wardrobe should be ‘timeless’ in the sense that it will withstand the test of time, and withstand the test of trends.

Limit your purchases

The dopamine rush created by so-called ‘retail therapy’ is something which encourages people to buy whatever they feel like, without considering many other factors such as ‘is it necessary’ or ‘will this serve a purpose’. This in itself isn’t sustainable, as items are bought impulsively, and shoppers pursue a rush to the detriment of their own finances. Therefore, it’s important to limit your purchases. Try to set a goal: if you know that you’re a fan of buying multiple clothing items a week, then try to limit yourself to purchasing one clothing item weekly. As time goes by, this will become easier. This will not only benefit your bank account, but the size of your wardrobe and the environment too. Your wardrobe will also become more curated, consisting of pieces which you know you love and which serve a purpose.

Vinted

Moving onto apps, Vinted, which is a second-hand marketplace, is one of my personal favourite places to shop. There is everything from items which are brand new with tags, to well-worn and preloved, available at prices which are considerably cheaper than if they were bought brand new. This app significantly contributes to the cycle of sustainability, as shoppers are encouraged to both buy and sell. There’s also something really satisfying about buying an item at less than a quarter of the shop price, as both the buyer and seller benefit from the transaction. I more than benefitted when I bought a North Face 700 puffer for the jaw-dropping price of £3 from a woman who used it as her cycling jacket, as it’s an item which I wear again and again.

Charity shops

Charity shops have entered the spotlight within the last few years, and there is a conscientious debate surrounding them. Without going into the details, a good way for students to use charity shops – while ensuring that they still benefit those who they were designed for – is by first finding an item which you know you love online or instore, and then going to charity shops to find something similar. Not only is this more environmentally friendly and helping to break the cycle of fast fashion, but it also means that your money will directly benefit shops, like Isabel Hospice, which serve incredibly important purposes.

Reuse, repurpose, and upcycle clothes

Clothes can be repurposed in multiple ways so that you can get multiple wears and styles out of a singular item. One place to scour for such inspiration is TikTok, where loads of creators share their hacks as to how, for example, you can tie the sleeves of a long-sleeved top around and behind your chest to create a bandeau top. Skirts can be worn as bandeau tops, and oversized tops can easily become fitted just by using some clear elastics. In fact, whether an item can be reused, repurposed, or upcycled should be one of the most important questions which informs your purchases. This ensures the sustainability of your wardrobe, and contributes to industrywide sustainability as more retailers become aware that clothing should be heterogeneous.

Hopefully, these suggestions will guide you towards making more purchases which are sustainable. There is still so much more which can be done, and it should be acknowledged that there are some systemic issues regarding sustainability, but student shoppers can definitely be more proactive. This approach will benefit your wardrobe, your bank account, and the environment.