As much as I love fashion, there is no denying the negative impact the industry has on our planet. The fashion industry is the second largest polluter in the world, only behind the oil industry. It accounts for 10% of global carbon emissions and 20% of wasted water. In other words, much of the clothing you wear comes at a much higher cost than just the price you paid for it. Below I open up about why I quit supporting fast fashion, share simple ways to extend the life of your clothing and discuss my own tips for building your best (guilt-free) wardrobe.

As a college student, it was easy to succumb to the lure of fast fashion brands that would allow you to stay on trend without breaking the bank. But behind its convenience and affordability, fast fashion is not really all it’s cracked up to be. The term ‘fast fashion’ refers to “cheaply produced and priced garments that copy the latest catwalk styles and get pumped quickly through stores in order to maximize on current trends.” As tempting as the latest $30 jeans from Zara may be, supporting this business model is detrimental to the planet and to small/local businesses working to provide thoughtful, high-quality pieces for their customers. Plus, from my experience, the clothing purchased from fast fashion brands fades as quickly as the trends they are working to keep up with. You are much better off investing in high-quality, staple pieces that will remain favorites in your wardrobe forever! 

As a rule of thumb, I keep a few key things in mind before purchasing clothing. First: Does the brand I am supporting have values? Do they care about the environment and their customers? Am I proud to support their business? Second: Is this something I can wear more than once? Sure, I have a few special occasion pieces, but I want the majority of my closet to be items with enough longevity and versatility to wear over and over again. Third: Is this piece trendy or timeless? In my opinion, a strong wardrobe has a solid base of timeless pieces with a few trendy ones to mix things up. 

When I designed our Natural Baller clothing, I kept each and every one of these variables in mind. We source eco-friendly fabrics, manufacture in small batch quantities to prevent waste, work with a small factory of workers in the U.S., and all of our pieces are of the highest quality. Additionally, all of our pieces are versatile, and can be mixed and matched with each other and with your current closet staples! In other words, our clothing is worth the investment and made to last you a lifetime.

In addition to supporting small and sustainable clothing brands, I have listed out some easy ways to extend the life of your clothing (I wrote them with our NB clothing in mind, but they can be applied to all of the clothing in your closet). 

I hope these tips and tricks will help you to love your clothing longer while inspiring positive and sustainable changes to your wardrobe!