Vintage Clothes Are Sustainable

"It is widely known that the fashion industry is the third-largest polluting industry, after food and construction. According to earth.org, it emits 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions, releasing 1.2 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide per year, which is more than the shipping and aviation industries combined. The Ellen MacArthur Foundation estimates that a truckload of abandoned textiles is dumped in landfills or incinerated every second, and people are buying 60% more clothes and wearing them for half as long.

An interesting study by R. Bick, E. Halsey, and C. Ekenga about fast fashion describes it as a system that has changed the way people buy and dispose of clothing. "Issues related to the human and environmental health risks associated with inexpensive clothing are hidden throughout the lifecycle of each garment. From the growth of water-intensive cotton to the release of untreated dyes into local water sources, to workers' low wages and poor working conditions, the environmental and social costs involved in textile manufacturing are widespread."

As consumers, we have the ability to change this. Buying vintage clothes is a great way to be part of the solution and not the problem! Vintage fashion is more sustainable for the planet, and choosing vintage allows you to reduce waste because they've already been made and don't need any new resources to make. As Ivan Dauriz said, "vintage speaks to what's happening right now," so buying consciously!"