5 Small Steps to a Simpler Closet (and Safer Planet)

5 Small Steps to a Simpler Closet (and Safer Planet) May 5, 2016

Earlier this week, I shared a post about my family’s Sock Scavenger Hunt. I paid my kids actual money to track down every sock in our house, so that we wouldn’t have to go buy more. And…it worked!  This exercise was related to growing concerns about textile waste. In addition to wanting to scale back the amount of stuff in our house, I am trying to be more conscientious about where my clothes come from: and the related environmental and humanitarian impact of what I consume.

Here’s what I’ve found: finding out where stuff comes from ain’t easy. Or cheap. Transparency and accountability are question marks with most major manufacturers. Further complication–once you start to dig around a bit, you’ll find another hard truth: the cheaper the clothes are for the consumer, the higher the likelihood that some dubious labor conditions were involved in their assembly.

The good news is–more and more manufacturers are making an effort to oversee their labor, and share more info about where their product comes from. This is in response to consumer demands. The higher our expectations, the greater their commitment will be. So if you want to see fair labor practices and environmental responsibility…ask for it. It matters.

Meanwhile–here are a few ways you can simplify your life, and your closets, over time…having a positive impact on the earth and its people. Not to mention the simplicity of your morning routine.

Cco via Pixabay
Cco via Pixabay

1. Say ‘yes’ to hand-me-downs. Most of what my kids wear comes from family or church members who have already enjoyed a first round of wear. Once my kids have outgrown it, we pass it along again. One of the great joys of church community is watching the same outfits cycle through–seeing that Easter dress again next year on another kid, or knowing that a beloved pair of basketball shoes are still flying high. My daughter now has a jean jacket that has been handed through about 5 classes’ worth of church girls–its original owner now in middle school. When I do buy new clothes, (sometimes I have to splurge on new slim/long jeans for my little beanpoles) I stick with brands that I know will hold up–surviving not just my kids, but another family or two, before hitting the landfill. If your kids are iffy about wearing “old” stuff, try to glamorize the experience. Think about how other people’s stuff has a story. Check out this sweet little book called I Like Old Clothes. I bought this for my daughter a few years ago, hoping it will ward off the day when she starts demanding that a *Justice, *Gap or *Limited Too! label appear in everything that touches her precious tiny hiney.

2. Get your stuff used, too. Grown-ups don’t exactly share around hand-me-downs, but I buy most of my clothes at Goodwill, Savers and consignment shops. There are some exceptions–like shoes, which I can’t bring myself to buy used; and pants, which I rarely find to fit me. But mostly, I try to buy gently “recycled” clothing–I kind of enjoy the hunt, and can also minimize how much I spend on the “iffy” brands. Speaking of that…

3. Know what you’re buying. Here is Kristen Howerton’s list of ethical kids’ clothing; and here are some companies that make grown-up clothes, too. The sad truth is, you are not going to find convenience and wide selection–at the price you’re used to paying–AND feel good about where it comes from. I try to minimize what I buy new, because it’s almost impossible–unless you dress your family in all hemp and organic tunics–to shop with a good conscience all the time. But I am trying to educate myself and pull away from the worst of the worst–while giving my support to those companies committed to fair labor and transparency as much as possible. Check out the 2015 report from Free2Work.org. (Skip to page 5 for brand “grades.” And prepare to be really depressed, but also, yay H&M!)

4. The Capsule Wardrobe. While I have not braved this lifestyle yet…I’m moving in this direction. I love all the ways it will simplify my life and space. I also acknowledge that I pretty much wear the same 12 articles of clothes every day as it is; and with the evolution of Pinterest, even we organizationally-challenged commoners can find all the ideas and support we need to make this work for us. A big perk to this approach–if you are only going to own 20 to 30 items of clothing, you can spend more on those pricier yet more ethical brands that you feel good about. And finally, let’s not forget

5. The Sharing Culture. How often do we buy something, knowing full well that we may only wear it one time? The dress for the fancy wedding or awards dinner; the Easter dress shoes for a kid who will outgrow them by next year; the extreme outerwear for a one-time camping trip; etc, etc. Why don’t we all (boys too!) resurrect the joy of shopping our friends’ closets. Remember how the women in Ramona Quimby’s neighborhood had ONE formal maternity dress that they had passed around for years? I love that so much. And, ok, I know it’s not really a one-sized-fits-all world, in reality… But still, we could borrow a whole lot more than we do.

I am still learning. And considering the fact that I live in the suburbs, I am swimming upstream when it comes to embracing a less-is-more lifestyle. So help me out here…How do you simplify the textile part of your life? Where do you shop, when you have to, and what makes you feel good about the brands you buy? How can we raise the accountability expectations of the brands we are ashamed to love?? (I’m looking at you, J Crew…)

I’d love to hear your philosophies and best practices. And also, what size shoe do you wear? Because I’ve got this wedding to go to…


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